Many books have study material included for individual or group use. These courses are specifically for groups.
Courses for Advent and Lent can be found in those categories.
John - For Everyone Bible Study Guides
by Tom Wright
Title – John – For Everyone Bible Study Guides
Author – Tom Wright
Format – paperback
Price – £4.99
Publisher – SPCK
Date of Publication – 18-2-10
ISBN – 978-0-281-06225-6
These guides can be used on their own or alongside Tom Wright’s New Testament for Everyone series, by individuals or for group study. Each of these guides written by Tom Wright and published by SPCK for £4.99 each, offer thoughtful questions, prayer suggestions and useful background and cultural information which all guide you into a deeper understanding of the Christian story and the Christian life.
Each chapter starts with a personal reminiscence by Bp Tom then an opening thought, study questions and finally a prayer.
Others in the series are –
Matthew, ISBN 978-0-281-06179-2
Mark ISBN 978-0-281-06178-5
Romans ISBN 978-0-281-06180-8
Corinthians ISBN 978-0-281-06176-1
Ephesians ISBN 978-0-281-06177-8
Philippians ISBN 978-0-281-06226-372
Colossians and Philemon ISBN 978-0-281-06175-4
1&2 Thessalonians ISBN 978-0-281-06181-5
1-2 Timothy and Titus ISBN 978-0-281-06182-2
Designed as a follow on to the excellent Christianity Explored course, the Good Book Company (GBC) has produced what appears to be another excellent stable-mate that will be well received by any church that uses it. Meticulously crafted, and allegedly well bench tested, the Discipleship Explored Leader’s Guide provides excellent and very relevant advice on how to run the 8 week course. Like much of the material from the GBC this guide is both slick and very usable, backed up by an excellent supporting website www.discpleshipexplored.org and teaching material including a DVD. Discipleship Explored is based around a study on the Epistle to the Philippians that is very suitable for new Christians but it could also be used by other home study groups. Loaded with additional material with well thought out explanations of Bible words and well written questions this course will become a favourite among churches across the spectrum of denominations. If your church is looking to make good disciples here is a resource that will support your aspirations very effectively.
Review by Tim Leffler(01/02/10)
Paperback Price: £6.00
Publisher: Good Book Company Published: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-906-33485-7
Also available, an audio tape £6.99, CD £8.99, transcript of the words spoken on the CD/tape, £2.99 and a ‘taster pack’ with CD for £14.50
I have had this course waiting for review for some time. In some ways I regret not having listened to the CD of the course before, in other respects I am grateful that I have listened in a time of quiet following Christmas, which has given me a chance to really absorb what the different contributors are saying. Albeit they were speaking some time ago, the impact of their words is just as relevant today as in 2002 when the CD was recorded. It was first published as the Lent course for 2003 and we do not seem to have moved very far from that position.
Carefully constructed as a course for groups, with all the help and guidance needed to fulfil that aim, the title New World, Old Faith has enabled the producers Simon Stanley and John Young to ask the contributors to address many subjects of current concern. The sessions range from Brave New World to Environment and Ethics: Church and Family in Crises: One World, Many Faiths and finally Spirituality and Superstition. There is much here to listen to and learn from, but also much food for discussion and prayer within a group.
Review by Mary Bartholomew(09/01/10)
Stapled booklet Price: £2.99
Publisher: York Courses Published: October 2002
ISBN: 978-0-954-05437-3
Foundations For The Faith - A Step-by-step Guide to the Gospel of John
by Roger Ellsworth
This small-groups’ study guide to John is split into fifty-two sections, so that it can be completed within a year. Each in-depth exploration of an incident or a time of teaching is followed by questions and some sort of relevant quiz, the answers to both being found on the publishers’ website. The author says that he has always been reluctant to attempt a book on this much-loved part of the Bible but, since it was originally written at a time when false teachings were diluting and perverting the true Gospel, he feels it is particularly appropriate for today. I learned a lot and found his knowledgeable exposition and application easy to follow and understand – a useful tool in keeping grounded in the truth.
Review by Diane Morrison(20/12/09)
Paperback Price: £7.95
Publisher: EP (Evangelical Press) Published: October 2009
ISBN: 978-0-852-34615-0
A Way Through the Wilderness - Experiencing God’s Help in Times of Crises
by Paula Gooder
This is a five session course for those desiring to explore their faith at greater depth. Paula Gooder is an experienced practical theologian who uses all her skills to encourage greater comprehension of the Biblical text, and this series, based on Isaiah 40, is meticulously structured to achieve that end. Yet it can be delivered by any member of a group – her guidance is enabling and reassuring. Each session offers a plan that is helpful but not restrictive, looking to the experiences of other group members to open their own windows of understanding. It is a course which groups may want to repeat in order to reap the greatest reward in Experiencing God’s Help in Times of Crisis, the book’s subtitle. I warmly recommend it. Reviewed by Dr Paul Scott, Leominster Priory.
Running the Race Marked Out For Us - Lessons from Hebrews 12: Includes Group Material
by Andrew Wooding Jones
The author is the Director of a Christian conference and prayer centre, and this is a discipleship course based on Hebrews 12, that he has developed and uses to great effect with his staff. The strength of the material lies clearly in its use as a communal tool, and I felt it lost something when approached purely as a ‘how to’ book for the individual, but useful group study material is included as an appendix. The race theme is particularly pertinent in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, and this would make a timely ‘re-commissioning’ course for churches and house groups.