The music we listen to, the movies we watch—they're all telling us to keep chasing love, and that we'll finally be happy when we find it. But is love really all we need? The love that the world tells us to pursue is all about self, about following your heart’s desires. But what is the Christian worldview on love? When we follow Jesus, we realize that he invites us to reorient the focus of our lives, so instead of chasing love primarily for our own happiness, we are first and foremost to give love—to God and to others. In Chasing Love, Sean McDowell will invite readers into Jesus’ radical, upside-down approach to love, and in doing so, he’ll answer some of the toughest questions we’re asking about love today: How does Jesus speak to singleness? What does the gospel say about LGBTQ issues? Can sexual sin truly be forgiven? What if I’m not happy in my marriage?
In this 9-session Bible study, Sean McDowell takes us through God's Word to answer some of our toughest questions about love, sex, gender, and relationships.
Is your student ministry healthy? This is a question every student minister has asked. It’s a question that brings both anger and tears. You are growing in numbers, but something just didn’t feel right. It doesn't feel healthy. This is the “there must be more to student ministry than this” moment. Regardless of your ministry context, church size, denomination, or years of experience, it is possible for you to have a healthy student ministry. The three elements, explained by author Ben Trueblood, will lead you to that very thing. Student Ministry that Matters gives you and your leaders a framework to answer this question, "Is my student ministry healthy?" and help you highlight areas of improvement as you seek to lead a student ministry focused on health.
Maybe you’ve never asked the question out loud, but you’ve wondered. You do the things that look good on paper: read your Bible, pray, attend study groups and go to church on Sundays. But you aren’t convinced you really know Him. Angie Smith understands, because she had run circles around the same paths searching for Him, frustrated at her lack of progress. And she probably would have continued to do so had it not been for one realization that changed everything. She wasn’t following God; she was trying to catch up with Him. And without realizing it, you may be as well. It’s a distinction that affects every aspect of our lives with Christ, and it begins with learning where we’ve relied more on man’s explanation of God than God Himself. So many requirements, so many rules, and so much guilt where there is supposed to be freedom. It’s the reason you wonder if you’ve measured up, and the nagging voice that tells you you’re a failure as a Christian. Three simple words changed everything for Angie, and she believes they can do the same for you. Stop chasing God.
Dive into Scripture to see Jesus' mission, miracles, and message as author Angie Smith helps us sort through the confusion to truly understand who Jesus is and how we can know Him.