Every second Sunday night for about two years now, my husband Michael and I have been getting together with a small group to study the Bible. Last fall we went through 1,2, and 3 John, simply reading them in our own time and then discussing them when we got together as a group.

During the Christmas break however, we decided to enter the New Year by going through a book study together. One of the first authors that came to my mind was Francis Chan. I’m a huge fan of his writing and his videos. I just love the way this guy thinks!

And so we agreed on his book Crazy Love.

His publisher, David C. Cook sent me the books and a DVD for the purpose of reviewing them. I thought it would be interesting, and would give me an opportunity to come back to you and give you some feedback. After all, I’m often asked to recommend books for group study.

So here’s what I think of the series so far… I love the fact that Francis Chan encourages readers toward obedience. That’s one of the things I appreciate most. He’s definitely not shy when it comes to preaching the gospel! He encourages readers to hunger after the Word!!

Some of it could be considered a bit basic, but I think that is dependent on the group that you’re in. We found it to be a springboard for great conversation and good food for thought. With two pastors and one elder in our group we were able to get into some deep discussions.

During our meetings you can often see me scribbling away in the corner as I’m taking notes, because there have definitely been a lot of “aha” moments I’ve had.

If you’re looking to do a group study like this (and I know that there are a lot of other good ones out there too!) I would suggest picking up a copy of the book for each member or one/couple. Michael and I tried to share, but I find that we both usually want to read it on Sunday afternoon, so I got mine on Kindle. 😉

As far as the DVD goes, we have one that we pass on to the new host each week, but from what I can tell on YouTube it looks like all of the sessions are on there already. So that makes it even easier. We find that it’s a nice way to open the meeting before we get into discussion.

If you’re looking for something more girly, his wife has a series of videos called “True Beauty,” but I haven’t had a chance to review those yet. Here’s a link to her website too: http://truebeautyfilms.com/

Here’s a bit more about Crazy Love

God is love. Crazy, relentless, all-powerful love. Have you ever wondered if we’re missing it? It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe–the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor–loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether you’ve verbalized it yet or not…we all know somethings wrong. Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts–it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis Chan describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything. (Amazon)

You are loved by an almighty God,

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