Customer Reviews

Gospel in Life Study Guide: Grace Changes Everything

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is book/workbook summarizes many of the main themes that Keller teaches on (with the exception of apologetics, which is covered in "Reason for God.") This workbook pulls together what Keller believes are the primary themes of the Bible: gospel-centered living, dethroning idols as the key to real growth, love for the city, personal growth through community, generous giving, etc. It's sometimes difficult to mediate and chew on audio sermons, but this book provides a medium to work out these key biblical disciplines. Keller's work is classic Reformed theology, but this workbook is a fresh application of timeless ancient truths. In his signature style, Keller buils from Scripture, cites cultural references, and appeals to classic writers (C.S. Lewis, Jonathan Edwards).

Familiar themes: a defect in our sanctification is really a defect in our understanding of justification (Galatians, Colossians, Richard Lovelace); failure of any of the 10 commandments (or any commandment, really) is a failure of the 1st 2 commandments; Jeremiah 29 calls believers everywhere to seek to build the world/culture around them and love the world around them (in a sense), without assimilating to the world; you don't really understand the gospel till you practically live the gospel out in giving generously and practice social justice.

In my search for a good small group study comanion to a series on outreach I stumbled upon Tim Keller's 'gospel in life' dvd and study. It is comprehensive and both searching and practical and the dvd production quality is first-class.

The eight sessions are:
City - The World That Is
Heart - Three Ways to Live
Idolatry - The Sin Beneath The Sin
Community - The Context For Change
Witness - An Alternate City
Work - Cultivating The Garden
Justice - A People For Others
Eternity - The World That Is To Come

The series is rooted in a deeply biblical foundation of what it means to be a Christian/the Church in our world and begins by focusing on our relationship to God through Christ and why it matters to the world. Keller stresses a spiritual response to God, rather than just a religious one. So this is not a simple "Ten Ways to Do Outreach" series (although it does guide toward specific small group's response to addressing needs in our community). Keller frequently speaks of the 'city' referring not just to urban centers but wherever there is 'a place of density, diversity, and cultural energy' - something that is true of most of our neighborhoods and communities.

Some quotes:
Session 1 - The City
"In the city you are going to find people that appear spiritually hopeless. You're going to find people of no religion, people of other religions, and people with deeply non-Christian lifestyles, and you're going to discover that many of them are kinder, deeper, and wiser than you. You will also find that many of the poor and the broken are much more open to the gospel of grace and more dedicated to its practical out-working that you are." p. 10

Session 2 -The Heart
"Why do we lie, or fail to love, or break our promises, or live selfishly? Of course, the general answer is that we are weak and sinful, but the specific answer is that there is something besides Jesus Christ that we feel we must have to happy, something that is more important to our heart than God, something that is enslaving our heart through inordinate desires." p. 40

Session 3 - Idolatry
...there are three ways to relate to God - irreligion, religion, and the gospel. The irreligious don't repent at all. The religious only repent of sins. But Christians repent of both their sins and their righteousness." p. 51

Session 4 - Community
We are not simply to study the Bible as individuals; we are to read and argue and study the Bible together to come to deeper unity of faith and to consensus about how to be the people of God in our particular time and place. We are to read the Bible together until it shapes us as a distinct community. p. 66

Session 5 - Witness
The new community required by the Bible cuts across all cultures and worldviews. Put another way: it doesn't fit any worldview but challenges them all at some point. When the gospel "enters" a culture or worldview, it therefore both challenges and affirms; it both retains and rejects. When it enter any culture, it resolves and completes its partly-true story through the gospel. p. 96

Session 6 - Work
Thank God that"...there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!" Ask God to show you ways in which you don't represent Christ as you should in your relationships, in your workplace, in your family life, in your habits and attitudes, and in your relationships within the church. Pray also that you would be able, again within community, to learn better now to "bring the gospel into your work." p. 103

Session 7 - Justice
Session 7 looks at how we relate to our neighbors and our neighborhood. There are many ways to donate our time, money, energy, and effort to help our neighbors. For this Home Study you will want to arrange as a group to volunteer at some form of justice or mercy ministry. Your church leadership should be able to provide you with a list of volunteer opportunities or organizations they know or with which they are associated. Below are some additional volunteer ministry opportunities. p. 104.

A sensitive social conscience and a life poured out in deeds of mercy to the needy is the inevitable sign of a person who has grasped the doctrine of God's grace. p. 108

Session 8 - Eternity
Five attitudes toward the unbelieving, dominate culture:
1. Assimilating the city
2. Reflecting the city
3. Despising the city
4. Ignoring the city
5. Loving the city - Christians engage with the dominant culture, but in ways that reveal the distinctiveness of the values of the kingdom of God. They are at their core very different in the way they understand money, relationships, human life, sex, and so on. Christians are truly residents of the city, yet not seeking power over or the approval of the dominant culture. Rather, they show the world an alternative way of living and of being a human community. For example, they are actively involved in serving those around them in deeds of mercy and justice. Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in chapter 29 is a good example of this.

The final session also includes a comprehensive Gospel self-assessment that addresses areas of the heart, community, and the world.

Individual copies of the book with the study material for each session is absolutely vital to gain the full experience and impact of this study. Watching the dvd and discussing the 10-minute messages is not enough. Each session has a home study portion that should take no more than an hour to complete between group sessions. A comprehensive leaders guide is included in each book and makes up 1/3 of the book leaving the study guide to about 140 pages. Today, the book is available on Amazon for $7 ea (normally $11 ea) The dvd and book combo is $20. Order a single set and review it for yourself. I think you will agree that this will be one of the best small group studies that you've seen anywhere!
If you are a secondchair leader you simply must view this series for your own personal spiritual growth but by all means, find a way to use this for your staff, your small group, your ministry leaders, or any other ministry group you lead.

Disclosure notice: I purchased this book on Amazon.com and did not receive a complimentary copy to review from the publisher or the author.

Has good summary of previous lessons.
Wonderful quotes and readings for during the week or in between study sessions.
Would recommend highly.

Our church body is going through this study together in small groups. It's been wonderful! We are only on Session 4 and the Lord has worked so much on my heart to transform it more to look like Him and to love Him more!

Another book with good insight... stirs you up to think about things in the light of the gospel... good small group study material...

This is a Workbook is an in depth course on the Biblical Gospel is to be lived out in all of your life--internally, and externally (in your community and in the world). It is specifically designed for use in a small group that is working through the companion DVD called "Gospel in Life." If you want to have a better understanding of how the gospel applies to your life not in the past, and not in the future, but NOW - then look no further than this book.

Anything Tim Keller writes is theologically deep, contains biblically sound teaching, and is penetratingly Christ-centered. This study guide is no exception - as a matter of fact, I almost wish it wasn't a study guide - so more people would read it, and work through it as a workbook. In my opinion he is the finest communicator of the gospel in America today.

There are 8 Studies in the Guide that are designed for use with the Gospel in Life DVD:

1) The City - The World That Is
2) The Heart - Three Ways To Live
3) Idolatry - The Sin Beneath The Sin
4) Community - The Context For Change
5) Witness - An Alternate City
6) Work - Cultivating The Garden
7) Justice - A People For Others
8) Eternity - The World That Is To Come

Each session contains an inductive Bible study on the theme, discussion questions based on the DVD, and home studies consisting of exercises, projects, readings, questions, and quotations to help you dig deeper into the topic at hand. A very helpful extensive section of notes is included for those who lead the small group through this study.

I can't recommend this DVD and Study Guide highly enough - I think it's a Top 5 (along with His study on "The Prodigal God" and "The Reason for God") resource to be used in any church that is serious about the Gospel, being missional, church planting, living in community, and fulfilling the great commission.

Keller again does a nice job of bringing out what matters to Christians serious about having an impact upon their city. If you're looking for some kind of study to do with people in your church to help focus your mission then this is certainly a good one to consider.

Tim Keller has done an excellent study of how the Gospel works its way out in church and personal life. The material is thought provoking and stimulates great discussion and applications in a home group setting

I thank God for this opportunity to get to really know Him and live a righteous Christian life. Since I was born in a Christian family and baptized not long after birth, I thought I have been a Christian, but not quite until I am taking the Catalyst course with this study guide.

Keller is his usual awesome ... a few typos here and there which is also unfortunately normal for Keller ... but hey, it's no biggie. The content is super and though-provoking. Also, the format works great for a quick but deep study.

I love it.

Tom
Pastor in Paradise, CA
PCA