COLOSSIANS
Confident Christianity
By Mark Meynell
The Good Book Company (http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk)
48 pages. £3.50
ISBN 978-1-90633-424-6
CONTENTMENT
Healing the Hunger of Our Hearts
By Anne Woodcock
The Good Book Company
72 pages. £3.00
ISBN 978-1-90556-466-8
The Good Book Company has served us well with both of these biblically faithful and readily accessible study booklets.
Both are a series of six studies with accompanying notes which assist either the individual or the small group leader should either study format be desired. Indeed, the ‘Leader’s Guides’ are not only full of helpful material but there are even extra notes on how to lead a Bible study.
The editors have done a good job of formatting the material in an engaging and accessible way and each study begins with a thought-provoking question under the heading ‘talkabout’, that naturally leads towards the main point of the Bible passage under consideration.
Then the ‘investigate’ section poses the customary exegetical questions with some suggestions for application (‘apply’) and some directions for responsive prayer (‘pray’) both in terms of praise and petition.
This simple structure is a helpful guide as the study progresses. Where these booklets are especially helpful, however, is in their attempt to both deepen biblical knowledge and address the heart of the Bible student. Under the heading ‘explore more’ there are helpful cross-references and accompanying questions, while a ‘getting personal’ section offers more searching questions seeking to go beyond the customary ‘read your Bible and pray more’ to assist practical change.
Meynell’s studies are expository and Woodcock’s are thematic. Both serve their purpose well and, while I haven’t seen the other themes in the series, the issue of contentment is surely a helpful topic for Christians to consider and Woodcock’s material would be a great starting place.
One of the strengths of these studies, however, is where for some they may fall short. By providing brief and accessible study material there will always be a limit to what can be included and, while I enjoyed them, there were times when I found myself looking for more in terms of detail and explanation.
