STUDY GUIDE ON CHRISTIAN BELIEF AND PRACTICE

GROUP STUDY GUIDE FOR THE TEACHING OF JOHN STOTT BY TED SCHRODER

 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION IN A CLASS I PLAN TO TEACH AT AMELIA PLANTATION CHAPEL BEGINNING JANUARY 6, 2022

 CHAPTER 1: GOD

1. How does the Christian relate to atheists, agnostics and the secular world view which denies or is indifferent to the existence of God?
2. What is the view of those who deny the existence of God and yet regard themselves as spiritual?
3. What is your understanding of the universe as divinely created rather than random mutation?
4. How special is the nature of human beings?
5. What is the practical implication of God as Holy Trinity?
6. What is your idea of the nature of God?
7. What is your attitude to God?

CHAPTER 2: CHRIST 

1. How do you resolve the paradox of Christ being both God and man?
2. What claims of Christ do you find most compelling?
3. How do you assess the moral character of Christ?
4. What makes Christ so unique?
5. How is being a Christian solely determined by your relationship with Christ?
6. How is Christ portrayed today?
7. How central to your daily life is your relationship with Christ?

CHAPTER 3: HOLY SPIRIT 

1. What is the place of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?
2. What are the seven areas of the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
3. What does the New Testament tell us of the baptism and fullness of the Holy Spirit?
4. How does the Spirit lead us into all truth?
5. How does the Spirit convict us of sin?
6. What is the evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the believer?
7. What is the power of the Spirit?

CHAPTER 4: HUMANITY 

1. Why do paradoxes or antimonies in the Bible cause you problems, e.g. free will and the sovereignty of God?
2. How do you hold the two views of humanity together?
3. Why do people do evil things?
4. What is the biblical view of human origins? How does it square with scientific views?
5. What is your understanding of sin? What are the consequences of sin?
6. Why is sin so serious?
7. How does this understanding affect your self-image?
8. What is deadness of soul?

 CHAPTER 5: THE CROSS

1. What are the obstacles to forgiveness?
2. What is God’s moral will which is expressed in the moral world order?
3. What makes anything that happens serious, what gives it meaning, order, stability rather than chaos and desolation?
4. Why is God’s dual nature of holy love so important?
5. What is your understanding of substitutionary sacrifice? Who died for us?
6. What do the terms redemption, propitiation, justification and reconciliation mean?
7. How does the cross speak to us in our pain?
8. How does the cross help us to believe in God?

CHAPTER 6: HOLY SCRIPTURE 

1. What is your view of the authority of the Scriptures?
2. What is Christ’s view?
3. How is humility appropriate in meditating on the Scriptures?
4. Why are they reliable testimonies?
5. How can you respond to the criticism that they are outdated?
6. How does literary genre, historical origin, and context determine its interpretation?
7. What does it mean that it is without error in all that it affirms?

 CHAPTER 7: SALVATION 

1. What is the problem of defining salvation as wholeness or healing? Why has health and longevity become a religion for many?
2. What is the problem of defining salvation with social and political ideology? Why have people become obsessed with political and social issues?
3. What is the biblical definition of salvation?
4. Why is predestination a problem for many? How do you reconcile the sovereignty of God with human free will?
5. Why do people ask, “are you saved”? How would you answer?
6. What is the biblical basis for assurance of salvation?
7. Why is salvation reduced to arrogant and superficial slogans?

 CHAPTER 8: THE CHURCH 

1. What were the causes of the Protestant Reformation?
2. How did the Church begin? What is its relationship with historical Israel and modern Judaism?
3. What is the difference between secular history and sacred history?
4. Why is fellowship and community so important?
5. What stands out to you of the seven marks of the church and the four qualities of the church? Which do we need to recover today?
6. When is it necessary to leave a church? What would cause you to leave?
7. What vision do you have for your church?

CHAPTER 9: PREACHING 

1. Why should preaching be an exposition of a Bible passage?
2. Why should a sermon seek a response from the listener?
3. What is the difference between a sermon and a lecture?
4. Why should a sermon deal with specifics rather than generalities?
5. What makes a sermon powerful?
6. What major themes of human life should be addressed in the pulpit?
7. How should controversial topics of social injustice be handled in the pulpit?

 CHAPTER 10: THE SACRAMENTS 

1. What does the definition of the Sacraments as ‘means of grace’ mean?
2. What does ‘union with Christ’ in baptism signify?
3. What is the difference between John’s baptism and Christian baptism?
4. Why is baptism necessary for membership in the Church? What is the difference between the visible and the invisible Church?
5. What is the relationship between baptism and regeneration? Why is faith so important?
6. What is the difference between commemoration and communion in the Lord’s Supper.
7. What does the body and blood of Christ mean in Holy Communion?
8. How does Holy Communion stimulate our faith, our fellowship and our thanksgiving?

 CHAPTER 11: MISSION 

1. Why do you not witness to the Gospel of Christ? What would motivate you to do so?
2. What is the point of evangelism?
3. Why is the call to Abraham and God promises to him and his descendants so important?
4. What makes the ministry of Jesus so compassionate and how should we be like him?
5. Why is the Holy Spirit so necessary to mission?
6. How does the church as a new community embody mission?
7. How are evangelism and social action complementary in Christian mission? What is the difference between Christian mission and the social gospel?
8. How can you avoid equating the gospel with your cultural background? How can you relate to someone different to yourself and yet still bear witness to Christ?

 CHAPTER 12: DISCIPLESHIP 

1. What is the essence of being a disciple of Christ?
2. What is the cost of following Christ?
3. How would you describe holiness or sanctification?
4. What is involved in rejecting our old, sinful nature?
5. What does it mean to sow to the Spirit?
6. How do you understand being the salt of the earth and the light of the world?
7. How do you develop a simple lifestyle if you are affluent?

CHAPTER 13: THE KINGDOM OF GOD 

1. How does the kingdom of God differ from a political nation state?
2. How would you define the kingdom characteristic of righteousness or justice?
3. How would you define the kingdom characteristic of peace?
4. How would you define the kingdom characteristic of stability?
5. How can the kingdom goal of universality be achieved?
6. How does the kingdom of God come into fullness?
7. Why does the church and the nation fail to be the kingdom of God?
8. Why does the whole world lie in Satan’s power?
9. What does it mean for you to seek first the kingdom of God in your life?

CHAPTER 14: ETHICS 

1. What do you say to Christians who do not want to discuss the controversial issues of our day for fear of divisiveness?
2. What happens when Christians and the Church fail to address cultural and political issues?
3. How can we educate the public conscience on important issues?
4. What are the most important issues for you today?
5. How do you respond to people on the issues of extra-marital sex, abortion, same sex attraction and transgender choices? How do you advise them?
6. Why have racial and climate issues become such an obsession in our day?
7. What is driving the political divisions in our nation?
8. How do you handle differences with your friends and family?

CHAPTER 15: THE LAST THINGS 

1. How does the Gospel take away from us the fear of death?
2. What is the central message of the book of Revelation?
3. How shall we be judged?
4. What is your conception of hell?
5. What happens to those who have never heard the Gospel?
6. Who shall be saved?
7. What is the nature of heaven?