Why Easter Matters Study Guide

Have you ever been at odds with God? Have you resisted, defied, or tried to bargain your way out of what you thought God wanted? You aren’t alone. Scripture documents similar stories. In this Easter Study Andy Stanley looks at some of the people whose lives intersected with Jesus in the weeks leading to his crucifixion. Each of them had an agenda that put them at odds with God and Jesus. As you’ll see, there’s a little bit of them in all of us. The Why Easter Matters Study Guide includes session overviews, video teaching notes, discussion questions, personal reflection material, and a leader’s guide. Sessions include: The High Cost of Following Christ The Risk of Surrendering to God The God Who Can Be Trusted The Foundation of Our Faith Designed for use with the Who Needs Christmas / Why Easter Matters Video Study (9780310121121), sold separately. Streaming video also available.

In this video Bible study, bestselling author Andy Stanley explores the details behind the remarkable story of Jesus' birth and explains why Christmas is so important for us today. He also looks at the lives of several key people in the Gospels who found their way into the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

Rediscover the improbable story of Christmas. Four thousand years ago, God promised he would do something through the bloodline of Abraham. Two thousand years later, Jesus was born. And two thousand years after that, we’re still talking about it. Why? The story of Jesus’ birth was not what anyone expected: a baby . . . born in the armpit of the Mediterranean . . . to save us from sins that no one thought we needed saving from. This Christmas season, join Andy Stanley as he unpacks why the improbability of the Christmas story is what makes it so believable. No one could have or would have made it up. The Who Needs Christmas Study Guide includes session overviews, video teaching notes, discussion questions, personal reflection material, and a leader’s guide. Sessions include: The Story Behind the Story The Author of Life The Message of Christmas Ready or Not . . . He Is Coming Designed for use with the Who Needs Christmas / Why Easter Matters Video Study (9780310121121), sold separately. Streaming video also available.

Of the many world religions, only one claims that its founder returned from the grave. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very cornerstone of Christianity. But a dead man coming back to life? In our sophisticated age, when myth has given way to science, who can take such a claim seriously? Some argue that Jesus never died on the cross. Conflicting accounts make the empty tomb seem suspect.sHow credible is the evidence for the resurrection? Focusing his award-winning skills as a legal journalist on history's most compelling enigma, Lee Strobel retraces the startling findings that led him from atheism to belief. Drawing on expert testimony first shared in his blockbuster book The Case for Christ, Strobel examines: The Medical Evidence -- Was Jesus' death a sham and his resurrection a hoax? The Evidence of the Missing Body -- Was Jesus' body really absent from his tomb? The Evidence of Appearances -- Was Jesus seen alive after his death on the cross? Written in a hard-hitting journalistic style, The Case for Easter probes the core issues of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead: superstitious myth or life-changing reality? The evidence is in. The verdict is up to you. Book jacket.

Uncover the five key questions that can change everything about your decision-making process and rewrite the story of your life...one decision at a time. Our decisions don't just affect our present circumstances; they radiate into our future. Most of the time, it's impossible to know what will come of the decisions we make. But this doesn't have to paralyze you. You can train yourself to ask well-placed, appropriately timed, thought-provoking questions that will result in stronger decisions and fewer disappointments down the road. In this six-session video study (DVD/digital download sold separately), author and pastor Andy Stanley gives you five key questions to ask when you have a decision to make and you're not sure what to do (or even if you think you do know what to do!). These five simple questions will empower you to: Pause when feeling tension over a decision Take the long view Look for the wise option Focus on the relational impact of decisions Every decision we make impacts our stories and the stories of those closest to us. It's time to start deciding with our heads instead of with our guts. Sessions Include: More Than a Decision The Integrity Question The Legacy Question The Conscience Question The Maturity Question The Relationship Question Designed for use with the Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.

This Easter season, examine the lives of women who intersected the life of Jesus. By taking time to examine the footsteps of Jesus, focus on His teaching, and watch His words in action, this resource is a celebration of Christ's amazing love in the form of an eight-week Bible study for women.

No matter what you believe, no matter how you behave, Jesus invites you to follow him. Lots of people think Christianity is all about doing what Jesus says. But what if doing what Jesus says isn’t what Jesus says to do at all? Jesus' invitation is an invitation to relationship, and it begins with a simple request: follow me. Religion says, "Change and you can join us." Jesus says, "Join us and you will change." There's a huge difference. Being a sinner doesn't disqualify anyone. Being an unbeliever doesn't disqualify anyone. In fact, following Jesus almost always begins with a sinner and unbeliever taking one small step. In this eight-session video-based Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), pastor and best-selling author Andy Stanley takes small groups on a journey through the Gospels as he traces Jesus' teaching on what it means to follow. Sessions include: Jesus Says Next Steps Fearless Follow Wear The Fine Print What I Want to Want Leading Great Unfollow Designed for use with Follow Video Study 9780310823551 (sold separately).

The wood. The thorns. The nails. Christ's sacrifice has defined the very essence of mankind's faith for the past 2000 years. And now, Max Lucado invites you to examine the cross, contemplate its purpose, and celebrate its significance with He Chose the Nails. With his warm, caring style, Max examines the symbols surrounding Christ's crucifixion, revealing the claims of the cross and asserting that if they are true, then Christianity itself is true. The supporting evidence either makes the cross the single biggest hoax of all time, or the hope of all humanity