Beginning Life Together [Paperback]

Brett Eastman (Author), Dee Eastman (Author), Todd Wendorff (Author), Denise Wendorff (Author), Karen Lee-Thorp (Author)

Book Description

Series: Doing Life Together | Publication Date: September 1, 2002

God never intended for you to do life alone but to do life together in community. This introductory group study, Beginning Life Together, gives you an overview of the five biblical purposes that God intends for living together in community. This study will take you on a 6-week journey through these five purposes and give you a taste of the life God created you to live. 'Doing Life Together is a groundbreaking study...[It's] the first small group curriculum built completely on the purpose-driven paradigm...The greatest reason I'm excited about [it] is that I've seen the dramatic changes it produces in the lives of those who study it.' ---From the foreword by Rick Warren Based on the five biblical purposes that form the bedrock of Saddleback Church, Doing Life Together will help your group discover what God created you for and how you can this that dream into an everyday reality. Experience the transformation firsthand as you begin Connecting, Growing, Developing, Sharing, and Surrendering your life together for him.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brett Eastman has championed small groups and leadership development at both Saddleback and Willow Creek Community Church over the past decade. He is president and founder of LifeTogether, and one of the authors of the Silver Medallion winner Doing LifeTogether, the adult curriculum published by Zondervan. SPANISH BIO: Brett Eastman ha sido experto en grupos pequenos y desarrollo de liderazgo en las iglesias Saddleback y en Willow Creek durante la ultima decada. Es presidente y fundador del ministerio LifeTogether, ademas de autor ganador del Silver Medallion por un curriculum de estudio biblico publicado por Zondervan, denominado Doing LifeTogether.

Dee Eastman is the co-director of the women's Bible study at Saddleback Church called 'The Journey.' SPANISH BIO: Dee Eastman es co-directora de una clase biblica para mujeres denominada. El Viaje, en la Iglesia de la Comunidad Saddleback Valley.

Todd is the lead pastor of the River Church in the South Bay, California. SPANISH BIO: Todd Wendorff es pastor en el Departamento de Madurez Espiritual en la Iglesia de la Comunidad Saddleback Valley

Denise Wendorff co-leads a women's Bible class at Saddleback Valley Community Church called The Journey. SPANISH BIO: Denise Wendorff es co-directora de una clase biblica para mujeres denominada 'El Viaje', en la Iglesia de la Comunidad Saddleback Valley.

Karen Lee-Thorp was a senior editor at NavPress for many years and series editor for the LifeChange Bible study series. She is now a freelance writer living in Brea, California, with her husband, Greg Herr, and their daughters, Megan and Marissa. SPANISH BIO: Karen Lee-Thorp ha sido autora o co-autora de mas de 50 libros, tanto de trabajo como de estudios biblicos. Fue editora en NavPress durante varios anos y hoy dia radica en Brea, California, con su esposo Greg Herr y sus hijas Megan y Maris.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; Student/Stdy Gde edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310246725
• ISBN-13: 978-0310246725
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brett Eastman has championed small groups and leadership development at both Saddleback and Willow Creek Community Church over the past decade. He is president and founder of LifeTogether, and one of the authors of the Silver Medallion winner Doing LifeTogether, the adult curriculum published by Zondervan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great small group format, March 17, 2005

By 

Grateful for Recovery (Elk Grove, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beginning Life Together (Paperback)

Our adult Sunday School class is just starting this study & we're very excited about it. There is a coordinating DVD that we're using also. Based on the principles from "Purpose Driven Life", the format is fresh and the questions are relevant. My only criticism is that the lessons are designed to take an hour & 1/2 and we only have an hour for Sunday School. If you're looking for a packaged program to draw your group closer through fellowship & Bible study, this is for you.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mostly Good, But Beware of the False Gospel in Session 5, October 16, 2008

By 

Mark Witte (Carrollton, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Life Together: Six Sessions on God's Purposes for your Life (DVD)

The DVD includes six 10-15 min. video segments with discussion questions and is suitable for a small group study. The six speakers are Chip Ingram, Steve Farrar, Anne Ortland, Bruce Wilkinson, Doug Fields, Steve Arterburn. They were all good with one exception; Doug Fields speaking on evangelism.

Session 5 "Sharing Your Life Mission Every Day", by Doug Fields

The theme of Mr. Fields talk is, since you don't want to appear as a lunatic Christian, and you can't possibly know all the answers, just share your story. Don't feel bad if you can't articulate the biblical terms for salvation. After all, it's too technical and is not a good way to attract people. What we need is a new gospel. Not a gospel of `words' on repentance and forgiveness through Christ, but a gospel of `deeds' that will appeal to unbelievers and make Christianity more acceptable.

The model for evangelism promoted by Doug Fields can be done with little or no biblical content. This caught my attention and provoked a response because compromising the gospel is no small issue. While his message is not blatantly false, it is certainly out of balance. The problem is not so much with what Mr. Fields promotes, but the fact that, in a talk about evangelism, he dismisses the core message of the gospel.

Throughout his talk he minimizes truth and emphasizes love. But just as truth without love has its problems; love without truth is equally in error. Neither is a biblical expression of love. In evangelism, as with any other area, truth and love are to work in tandem. Doug Fields actually discourages and at times nearly ridicules reasoning for the truth of the gospel. He does this by offering two caricatures; the lunatic and the intellectual.

Listen to Mr. Fields characterization of a person who shares a biblically informed gospel message.

* "memorize the "four happy hops to heaven" and be ready to repeat them"
* "stand in the middle of your neighborhood street and flag cars down and say hey roll your
window down I want to tell you about Jesus"
* "screaming preachers with bad toupees"
* "guys on the street corner accosting innocent pedestrians"
* "those who go door to door wearing name tags for Jesus"
* "we must master mesmerizing verbal assaults that will wow people into placing their faith in
Christ"
* "possess all the right weapons to handle the spiritual showdown at the water cooler"
* "we're called to be lights, not lunatics"

The spin is to create a negative image of those who use tracts, do street evangelism or are well prepared to reason for what is true. If you do these things you risk being labeled a "lunatic".

Let's say you're not a lunatic. Is it possible for the average, well mannered Christian to effectively reason for the truth of the gospel? The spin here is that substantial, persuasive answers are out reach for the average Christian. Therefore, don't worry about not having answers, just tell your story. Here Doug Fields uses rhetoric to leave the Christian feeling hopelessly ill-equipped.

* "say all the right things to someone in order to lead them to Christ"
* "to know all of the answers and be verbally powerful and persuasive"
* "able to answer difficult questions on the spot"
* "handle the pressure of a public debate"
* "give a detailed explanation of Mosaic law"
* "know how many angels can fit inside of a Volkswagen"
* "questions about evolution, creation, abortion, male pattern baldness,
* "questions you can't answer"

Here is his gospel of good deeds that dismisses the role of truth.

* "the text reads, "see your good deeds". It doesn't say "hear your good words"
* "words are weak"
* "when your faith is attractive, you're a light amongst darkness, when you're a light amongst
darkness you're being evangelistic!"
* "You don't need to be overtly Christian in order to show people Jesus"
* "when you love others your actions do all the speaking"
* "stories of people finding Christ because a neighbor met their practical needs"
* "I don't believe that God calls us to confront others with the gospel"

Showing love to unbelievers through meeting their practical needs is appropriate and essential. Mr. Fields is right in saying, "evangelism begins with showing love", but he has little to say about the gospel. In fact he says, "Acts of love are an effective way to let our lights shine bright and to reach our friends and neighbors for Christ." This is being a good neighbor. It is not sharing the gospel.

Here are examples of the new gospel message we are encouraged to adopt.

* "I was blind but now I see"
* "Jesus changed my life and made me whole"
* "I was a sinner and Jesus forgave me"
* "God has done something big in my life"

These are wonderful responses of gratitude, but they are not the gospel. When we lose a clear biblical message, what remains is a sugar coated shell with no content. There is nothing distinctly Christian about evangelism based on "good deeds and my story".

In the last few seconds of the video Mr. Fields quotes 1 Cor. 2:2. "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." He says, "this is what it's all about; Christ and Him crucified. And this truth should be the driving motivation in all of our contacts with the nonbelieving world". Here Mr. Fields adds the missing element to his presentation. My concern is that it's too little too late and inadequate to offset 10 minutes of a badly distorted message. It's little more than a veneer of truth to disguise a false gospel.