The Insanity of Obedience Bible Study
Advancing the Gospel When Facing Challenge and Persecution
- Nik Ripken
Insanity - Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
Obedience - Compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
How do we begin to walk and work with God, especially in dangerous places? Based on the documentary The Insanity of God, this Bible study presents missionary Nik Ripken sharing true stories of people who are suffering for the name of Jesus.
This 7 week study is an invitation to open your heart, your mind, and your eyes to the realities of walking with Jesus in difficult places. Engage with Scripture and see what it means to be a true follower of Jesus, not just someone who believes certain truths. Discover the answers to key missiological and theological questions about living sacrificially for the cause of Christ.
Believers play a significant role in God’s divine purpose. Observe how Christians all over the world are not only surviving but also thriving in the midst of persecution.
Timeframe:
Our study will begin on Tuesday, July 6th at 6:30 pm via Zoom with the invitation link found below. All participants will need access to a study book. Please contact Scott Pace at 606.273.1526 or scott.pace@gmx.com for more information.
To get the most out of this study, please watch the related video for each weeks study and complete the sections below before we come together as a group. As you work through the study book, you will find an Old Testament Story, New Testament Story, Personal Study and Group Session. We will watch each video again as a group and focus primarily on the Group Session in our time together.
July 6th - Introductory Session: Please read and complete pages 4-9 of the study book. Also, watch the Introductory Session Video and be sure to complete the 'Respond' section in your book. We will view the video again as a group and allow for discussion in our time together.
July 13th - Missions: Pages 11-26
This session deals with God’s command to be on mission and our response to His command. The Bible is to be lived out in the present active tense.
July 20th - Persecution: Pages 27-42
This session explores faith in persecution and suffering. Is obedience on this level insane, especially in the midst of popular theology that encourages obedience leading to success and comfort?
July 27th - Family: Pages 43-58
This session deals with the spread of the gospel by addition and exponential growth. Faith grows in families and communities, from a single believer to small groups of believers to succeeding generations.
August 3rd - Personal: Pages 59-74
This session deals with the dynamics of healthy growth.
August 10th - Victory: Pages 75-90
This session describes and celebrates the miracle of victorious living through an enduring faith—especially in hostile environments.
August 17th - Church: Pages 91-107
This session is a summary and personal call to action for individuals, groups, and churches to join God’s mission—no matter how insane obedience may look. Why? Because Jesus is worth it.
Zoom Link:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75486150238?pwd=RGRwWWdSWlJSajFiTTVEUUphcmNYZz09
Meeting ID - 754 8615 0238
Bible Study Book:
The Insanity of Obedience - $14.99
Paperback - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/the-insanity-of-obedience-bible-study-book-P006104042
e-Book - https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/the-insanity-of-obedience-bible-study-ebook-P005790928
Features:
• Clips from the feature documentary The Insanity of Obedience
• Biblically rooted and gospel-centered
• Firsthand accounts in the author’s voice
• Individual-study opportunities for ongoing spiritual growth
• Six-week Bible Study Book with group and personal components
• Step-by-step plans for six group sessions
• Promotional content, including a promotional video for the Bible study
• Social-media assets for the group leader
Benefits:
• Confront the misconception that church membership is the same as following Jesus.
• See that the Bible's commands are nonnegotiable.
• Break the grip of the seduction of comfort and ask Christians to face the question, Who is Jesus, and is He worth my life?
• Put aside programs and practices to insert missional sacrifice and calling into the normal rhythms of church culture.
• Give group members examples of ways to identify and respond to God’s call on their lives.
• Show believers how best to respond when persecution comes.
• Demonstrate to groups that the bar of Christianity has become low in Western culture.
• Reveal the Bible as nonnegotiable.
• Lead believers to the conclusion that telling people about Jesus is normal Christianity.
• Celebrate the miracle of victorious living.
• Explore faith in persecution and suffering.
• Provide a means to find courage from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
• Explore the dynamics of the personal call to action for individuals, groups, and churches to join God’s mission.