Putting your summer reading list together? We’ve got a li’l volume for you, something we’re a bit excited about: The Acts Study Guide: Chapters 1–5. Here’s why.
Who
The study guide will be beneficial for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the sermon text each week (especially if you don’t have a study Bible!) and have something to guide your Bible time in between Sundays. It’s also highly recommended for anybody who’ll be leading a small group or Community Group during the Acts sermon series.
The book is a collaborative effort between Pastor Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church staff, the Docent Research Group, and faithful volunteers.
What
This little book is loaded with 11 weeks’ of study material that will correspond to Pastor Mark’s sermon for that week*. Each week has one small group study, one inductive group study, and five daily devotions—i.e., there’s something for every day of the week.
The Daily Devotions were written to facilitate dinnertime conversation with your family. These reflections are geared toward a younger audience but are written in a way that will be challenging to all. Five devotions are provided for each week’s Scripture passage, and you’re encouraged to use these in whatever way best fits the weekly rhythms of your family.
The Small Group Study is intended for small group Bible studies. Many churches encourage these types of mid-week studies, and each shares the same goal: that the people of God gather together in community to study the Word, encourage one another, pray, and be equipped for the mission of making the gospel of Jesus known to each group member, their families, and communities. (See a sample small group study here.)
The Inductive Group Study encourages digging deep into Scripture and employs an in-depth reading technique set in a discussion-based setting. An inductive study asks the questions, “What does the Bible say, and what does it mean?” “What do we observe, and how should we interpret it in light of the whole truth of the Bible?” This portion of the study guide focuses on delving deep into the text in a collaborative environment and is a great complement to the Daily Devotions and Small Group Study material. (We’ll be running a sample inductive study as a daily devo on the blog this coming Sunday, so stay tuned. You can also sign up for a marshill.com account to get the daily post and devotions delivered right to your inbox.)
*Originally, this year’s Acts sermon series was going to go 11 weeks through Acts 5:12–42, but that’s since been shortened to 10 weeks this year, and Pastor Mark will pick up that 11th week at the beginning of next year’s Acts series. So, you can either go through this study guide’s Week 11 content, or you can hold on to it for next spring!
Why
Unlike the Real Marriage and Who Do You Think You Are? campaigns, where the study guides were meant to supplement the trade books, for the Acts sermon series, there’s no book this time—just the study guide! So, if you want to go beyond the sermons and have a resource as you go through the text, this is the one volume to pick up.
If you’re a campaign church, you’ll also have access to the 133-page research document on Acts 1–5.
Where
You can pick up a copy of the study guide online at the Resurgence Store or in person at any Mars Hill Church.
When
We’ll be using this material most of the summer, from now through the end of July, until August when we hit the Best Sermon Ever series, where an all-star roster of pastors from around the country will come preach at Mars Hill.
How (much)?
$10. A mere sawbuck. What else were you gonna spend $10 on?
Want more to read? Right on: Pastor Mark put together an Acts reading list for nerds for those who wanna geek out all the way on this amazing book of the Bible.
