These studies deal with the ways in which Christians interact with their community. Topics include service, spiritual gifts, stewardship (financial and environmental), racial justice, and more. Resources marked with * are available to borrow from the United Media Resource Center.
*Enough (Revised Edition) Adam Hamilton 2018 4 sessions DVD, leader’s guide, book Enough is an invitation to rediscover the Bible’s wisdom when it comes to prudent financial practices. In these pages are found the keys to experiencing contentment, overcoming fear, and discovering joy through simplicity and generosity. This book could change your life, by changing your relationship with money.
*Gracism: The Art of Inclusion David A. Anderson 2010 7 sayings/11 chapters Book only When people deal with color, class or culture in a negative way, that's racism. But the answer is not to ignore these as if they don't matter. Instead, we can look at color, class and culture in a positive way. That's gracism. Pastor David Anderson responds to prejudice and injustice with the principle of gracism: radical inclusion for the marginalized and excluded.
*Green Church: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice! Rebekah Simon-Peter 2010 6 sessions Book only Climate change is in the news, but what does it mean for Christians and how can you help? This book answers these questions in ways that are both hopeful and engaging. Citing Scripture and science, the author weaves in personal stories of Sabbath, gardening, recycling, camping, and the power of faith. She challenges us to consider our role in the care of creation and to help save the earth for future generations. This study is also available in a children's version (Green Church: Caretakers of God's Creation).
*Serving from the Heart: Finding Your Gifts and Talents for Service Carol Cartmill and Yvonne Gentile 2011 6-7 sessions DVD (includes printable handouts), guide, book Does your ministry match who God created you to be? In this six-week DVD study, participants discover their S.T.R.I.D.E. -- Spiritual gifts, Talents, Resources, Individuality, Dreams, Experiences -- and explore how they can use their unique God-design to help fulfill the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20) and live the Greatest Commandment (Mt 22:37-39). An optional seventh session helps place members in specific ministries. This study is also available in a youth version (Serving from the Heart for Youth).
*When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box John Ortberg 2015 6 sessions DVD, leader’s guide, participant’s guide, book Using his humor and his genius for storytelling, Ortberg helps you focus on the real rules of the game and how to set your priorities. This study helps explain how, left to our own devices, we tend to seek out worldly things, mistakenly thinking they will bring us fulfillment. But everything on Earth belongs to God. Everything we "own" is just on loan. And what pleases God is often 180 degrees from what we may think is important.
*Israel’s Mission: Becoming a Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World Ray Vander Laan 2015 5 sessions DVD, leader’s guide, participant’s “Discovery Guide” God gave an assignment to God’s people thousands of years ago: Bring 'lost sheep' back into the love and safety of the kingdom. It's still our task today. Filmed in Israel and Jordan, Ray Vander Laan helps you discover the mission that can give your life, and the lives of those around you, greater meaning than you ever imagined.