Session Extras

Year 1

Created: Session 1
Created Through a New Birth

Digging Deeper:

• Disciples is based on “The Bible’s Teaching on Discipleship,” a paper by David Holwerda, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary. Pages 9 and 10 specifically address the themes of the Created discussion guide.

• Read more about Nicodemus in the article “Seeking in the Night” from the series Losing, Seeking and Finding. Consider the changes that happened in Nicodemus from going to see Jesus at night to burying Jesus’ body (John 7:47-52; 19:39).

• Richard Lischer, Professor at Duke Divinity School, explores the meaning of the words “born again” in the article “Pick It Up, Read It.”

• Read (or listen to) a sermon by John Piper, pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, called “God’s Great Mercy and Our New Birth.”

• Many of us know the hymn “Amazing Grace.” The story of its writer, John Newton, is a dramatic story of change and God’s mercy.

• The documentary video called “C.S. Lewis: From Theism to Christianity” is a dramatization of how C.S. Lewis came to became a follower of Jesus.

• YouTube features a variety of personal testimonies of varying quality. Look for places where these individuals talk about the new life they have in Christ. Here are few to start with:

  • Watch Anil Kant’s testimony. Notice the changes his wife saw in his new life.

• “We can make a beginning in living up to God's Word.” Read the devotional “Buried and Raised with Christ,” based on Colossians 3:1-17, by Adrian Dieleman, pastor at Trinity CRC in Visalia, California.

For Leaders:

• Tom Long’s book Testimony explains the importance of sharing our faith story.
  If your group is interested in sharing their story of new life in Christ, look at the article “How to Share Your Testimony” or check “Telling Your Faith Story” on p. 25 in the Walk On Resource Book (available as a PDF file).

Submit your ideas!

Do you have suggestions for this particular session? Something that was especially meaningful for you or your group? Extra reading you’d like to suggest? Help others get the most out of this session. Send your ideas to editors@FaithAliveResources.org and we’ll consider adding them here!