Additional Small Group Topics, DVD/VHS Based Studies from Zondervan and other sources.
(Note: The links listed below are for the participant guides. COS will purchase the media DVD. Just let us know when you order the guides.)
The Miracles of Jesus (DVD, our thanks to the James' Small Group for donating this study!)
Healer of diseases. Master of Nature. Conqueror of demons and death. Jesus not only preached the kingdom of God in word, but He demonstrated it in power through His miraculous deeds. This unique, in-depth look at the miracles of Jesus will open you eyes to their impact on the lives He touched, what they revealed about God's heart, and their significance for us today.
Each of the 6 sessions is taught by a different instructor and consists of three components:
1) Historical and cutural background,
2) An engaging, close look at the biblical text and its meaning,
3) Accurate, encouraging, and challenging applicationss of the Bible's message to life today.
Deeper Connections Series
Connecting Biblical Truths to Everyday Live
Travel to the lands where Jesus lived and taught in this series of
Bible Study Guides and DVDs. Leading New Testament scholars help guide
participants to a deeper understanding of Jesus' teaching. Participants
will connect more deeply to the Bible with a more thorough knowledge of the
Bible's historical background, of biblical texts, and their application to
everyday life.
This continuation of the Deeper Connections series takes us behind
the scenes of main events in Jesus’ life to understand what made him
extraordinary and to learn how to draw on his transforming power. It is only
when we drink deeply from the life of Christ that we can be rescued from our
failures and spiritual death.
Study topics include:
The Forgiveness of Jesus
The Last Days of Jesus
The Life of Jesus
The Miracles of Jesus
The Prayers of Jesus
The Parables of Jesus
The Odyssey of St. Paul
Author: Dr. Paul Maier (This study is available in the church library.)
Description: Aside from Jesus himself, no one has had a greater influence on the founding of Christianity than Paul of Tarsus. Among his many achievements, three are of prime importance: 1) as a powerful, tireless missionary, he spread the faith to Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy; 2) his letters, which form much of the New Testament, present a basic theology for Christianity; and 3) more than anyone else, he brought Gentiles into the early church, not only Jews, thus “universalizing” the faith.
This eight (8) part video (VHS only) series includes:
- Young Saul
o A survey of his roots in Tarsus and education in Jerusalem, as well as his conversion on the Damascus Road.
- The New Saul
o His desert experience and early ministry in Cilicia.
- The First Mission Journey
o Paul and Barnabas bring the Gospel to Cyprus, Pamphylia, and Galatia.
- Quarrels & The Second Mission Journey
o A great dispute is solved by the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, Paul defends the Gospel in Antioch, and then takes Silas on a second mission journey.
- The Second Mission Journey & Greece
o Paul arrives in Philippi, travels to Thessalonica and Athens, and anchors his ministry in Corinth.
- The Third Mission Journey
o Ephesus in Asia Minor is the target of Paul’s campaign for Christ.
- Arrest & Imprisonment
o Paul is attacked at the temple in Jerusalem, and is tried before the Roman governors Felix and Festus.
- The Voyage to Rome
o Having appealed to the emperor, Paul sails to Rome but is shipwrecked in Malta. The following spring he arrives in Italy and welcomes his fate in Rome
The Case for Faith
Author: Lee Strobel/Mark Mittelberg
Synopsis: Why is there so much pain and suffering in our world? What should we do with our nagging doubts? Is Jesus the only way to God? Former skeptic Lee Strobel brings his tough-minded and engaging approach to these pressing questions. Based on the book The Case for Faith, this six-session, video-driven study addresses the most common obstacles to faith in Christ.
Description: Doubt is familiar territory for Lee Strobel, the former atheist and award-winning author of books for skeptics and Christians. But he believes that faith and reason go hand in hand, and that Christianity is a defensible religion.
In this six-session video curriculum, Strobel uses his journalistic approach to explore the most common emotional obstacles to faith in Christ.
These include the natural inclination to wrestle with faith and doubt, the troubling presence of evil and suffering in the world, and the exclusivity of the Christian gospel. They also include this compelling question: Can I doubt and be a Christian?
Through compelling video of personal stories and experts addressing these topics, combined with reflection and interaction, Christians and spiritual seekers will learn how to overcome these obstacles, deepen their spiritual convictions, and find new confidence that Christianity is a reasonable faith. (Participant Guide.)
Faith Under Fire™
Author: Lee Strobel
Synopsis: Using video clips from the popular PAX-TV program Faith Under Fire, this cutting-edge curriculum features spirited discussions between well-respected Christians, people of other faiths, or people with no faith at all on important spiritual and social issues. Host Lee Strobel, best-selling author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith, provides additional comments to guide small group discussion.
Each Faith Under Fire volume contains a four-session DVD and leader’s guide, and is intended to be used in conjunction with a corresponding participant’s guide (each sold separately):
1: Faith & Jesus Four sessions on Jesus, the resurrection, universalism, and the supernatural, (Participant's guide.)
2: Faith & Facts Four sessions on the Bible, heaven, hell, and science, (Participant's guide.)
3: Tough Faith Questions Four sessions on forgiveness, pain and suffering, the Trinity, and Islam, (Participant's guide.)
4: A New Kind of Faith Four sessions on the relevance of Christianity. (Participant's guide.)
When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box
Author: John Ortberg
Synopsis: Using popular games as a metaphor for our temporal lives, this six-session DVD curriculum neatly sorts out what’s fleeting and what’s permanent in God’s kingdom. Being Master of the Board is not the point; being rich toward God is. Winning the game of life on Earth is a temporary victory; loving God and other people with all our hearts is an eternal one. (Participant’s guide.)
Author: Lee Strobel
Synopsis: In this six-session DVD study, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history.
Description: Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God?
Retracing his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, cross-examines several experts with doctorates from schools like Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis who are recognized authorities in their own fields.
He challenges them with questions like:
How reliable is the New Testament?
Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible?
Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?
Strobel’s tough, point-blank questions make this six-session video study a captivating, fast-paced experience. But it’s not fiction. It’s a riveting quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure.
The six sessions include (Participant's guide.):
1. Looking for Evidence
2. Eyewitness Evidence
3. Corroborative Evidence
4. Fingerprint Evidence
5. Evidence for the Resurrection
6. Reading Your Verdict
Author: Lee Strobel
Synopsis: In this six-session DVD study, Lee Strobel investigates the latest scientific discoveries to see whether they form a solid basis for believing in God.
Description: Former journalist and skeptic Lee Strobel has discovered something very interesting about science. Far from being the enemy of faith, science may now provide a solid foundation for believing in God.
Has science finally discovered God?
Certainly new discoveries in such scientific disciplines as cosmology, cellular biology, astronomy, physics and DNA research are pointing to the incredible complexity of our universe, a complexity best explained by the existence of a Creator.
Written by Lee Strobel and Garry Poole, this six-session, 90-minute DVD curriculum comes with a companion participant’s guide along with a leader’s guide. The kit is based on Strobel’s book and documentary The Case for a Creator and invites participants to encounter a diverse and impressive body of new scientific research that supports the belief in God.
Weighty and complex evidence is delivered in a compelling conversational style.
The six sessions include (Participant’s guide):
1. Science and God
2. The Negative Evidence Against Evolution
3. The Evidence of Cosmology
4. The Evidence of Fine Tuning
5. The Evidence of Biological Machines
6. The Evidence of Biological Information
This dynamic and challenging 12-part DVD series upholds the authority of the Bible from its very first verse. Powerful, foundational teaching that equips Christians to defend their faith against the onslaughts of evolutionary humanism! Must viewing for every teen and every family leader.
Featuring Ken Ham, internationally known speaker and leading apologetics author on the accuracy and authority of the Scriptures, this fast-paced and sometimes humorous series provides solid answers to the most-asked questions about the Bible—particularly the book of Genesis. You’ll think more biblically in all areas of life after viewing this Bible-honoring series. These well-illustrated presentations will teach you how to reconnect the Bible to the real world!
Specially filmed and formatted to run in 30-minute segments, the entire series is ideal for small group Bible studies.
The 12-part series contains the following titles:
(Click here to download all the study material listed below.) or click each topic title for that specific study material.
(Also click here for the above answer key for all of the above titles.)
Dr. Paul L.Maier, (an eight lesson DVD series with study and leader's guide.)
How could a tiny, tortured faith become the most successful phenomenon in all of history?During its first three hundred years from Christ to Constantine, the Christian church had to wait a two-front campaign against external persecution and internal heresy until it finally conquered the Roman Empire - and the future. This eight-part DVD based series includes: Sources of Information, Jesus of Nazareth - What else do we know?, Apostles and Emperors, Persecutions and Bishops, Defenders of the Faith, Martyrs for the Faith, Torments of the Third Century and The Great Deliverance. Contact Jim Matusicky for more information. (Free Study Guide.)
Prayer
Philip Yancy
Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God
In this six-session video, Philip Yancy probes the very heartbeat - the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? How does it work? And more importantly, does it work? In theory, prayer is the essential human act, a priceless point of contact between us and the God of the universe. In practive, prayer is often frustrating, confusing, and fraught with mystery. Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? is an exploration of the mysterious intersection where God and humans meet and relate. (Participant Guide.)
Faith Lessons
Ray Vander Laan, A Walk though Ancient History
Pack your bags. We're going on a journey. A quest to uncover Scripture and its meaning across history. Filmed on location in Israel and Turkey, the Faith Lessons DVD seriers is an adventrue in biblical learning. This interactive study connects history and culture to religion and geography, all while relating biblical truth to modern society. Experience the Holy Land in stunning visual imagery. Illuminate Jesus' teachings as you undertand the contest in which he lived and preached.
Volume 1: Faith Lessons on the Promised Land
Volume 2: Faith Lessons on the Prophets & Kings of Israel
Volume 3: Faith Lessons on the Life & Ministry of the Messiah
Volume 4: Faith Lessons on the Death & Ressurection of the Messiah
Volume 5: Faith Lessons on the Early Church
Volume 6: In the Dust of the Rabbi: Becoming a Disciple
Volume 7: Walk as Jesus Walked: Making Disciples
This three-hour epic feature film on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, draws its audience into antiquity by way of meticulous recreation of the period. The film is adapted precisely Word for Word based on the Good News Translation Bible. (6-35 minute segments). Free Study Materials: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-7, Chapters 8-10, Chapters 11-13, Chapters 14-17, Chapters 18-21.
Boundaries
Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend present a biblical view of what boundaries are, what they protect, and how to develope, repair, and use them. By learning to set limits, participants will become more productive, creative, and better servants of God.
Based on the bestselling, award-winning book, this DVD is designed for use with groups of all sizes and utilizes the proven "group-interactive format. With brief video dramatizatins and discussion starters, Boundaries provides everything needed to conduct nine sessions. (9 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Help couples create marriages filled with lifelong love, intimacy, and growth by teaching spouses that the best marriages have structure and limits! In eight sessions couples will learn to set and respect personal limits, establish values that undergird a godly marriage, protect their marriage from different kinds of intruders, and interact with those who do not respect boundaries. Drs. Cloud and Townsend will lead you through each video session. (8 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Help parents take the guesswork out of raising kids to become godly, productive adults. Boundries with Kids provides practical tools and ways to set firm limits while still a loving parent.
This eight session kit can be used for an adult education class, small group sessions, or a stand-alone Boundaries with Kids class. (8 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
The Bible Jesus Read
Philip Yancey
An 8-Session Exploration of the Old Testament
The Old Testament is God's biography, the story of this passionate
encounters with people and also a prequel to the story of Jesus This study uses video and group discussion to explore the sometimes shocking and cryptic writings in an effort to know better. (Participant Guide.)
What's So Amazing About Grace?
Philip Yancey
This insightful exploration of grace, the most powerful force in the universa and our only hope for love and forgiveness. This 10 session study is the Winner of the Gold Medallion Bood Award, the Christian Book of the Year Award, and the Retailers Choice Award. (Study Guide.)
John Ortberg with Stephen & Amanda Sorenson
Learn how to find God where you least expect Him and how to draw closer to Him. Interactive DVD format. (6 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
How Everyday Problems Can Strengthen Your Marriage, by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrot
Relationship experts and award-winning authors Les and Leslie Parrott believe the same forces that can tear down a marriage can become the catalyst for new relational depth and richness--provided you learn the secrets to using everyday problems to strengthen your marriage. In this book they explore how a marriage survives and thrives when a couple learns to use problems to boost their love life, to literally love each other more. (Participant Guide for Men; for Women.)
If You Want to Walk on The Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat
John Ortberg
Teaches participants the skills essential to “water-walking” in faith with God: discerning God’s call, transcending fear, risking faith, managing failure and trusting God. (6 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
Philip Yancey
A complete study guide and workbook for "The Jesus I Never Knew," this recipient of the 1996 Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year and ongoing best-seller for Zondervan will help the reader in his or her process of rediscovering Jesus. This study reveals the real Jesus beyond the stereotypes, revolutionizing the reader’s passion for Christ. (8 sessions) (Participant Guide.)
John Ortberg
Teaches participants the skills essential to “running the marathon” in the Christian life: slowing down, celebrating joy, practicing prayer, studying Scripture and Trusting God. (6 sessions) (Participant Guide.)