Chapter One

“Your Story’s Not What You Think: Love Defined You Before Anything Else Did”

Here are some questions for conversation, or you're welcome to post other thoughts:

Bethke begins by talking about the promises offered by some strains of Christianity, saying they are a “bounced check.” Are there ways in which you have felt let down by what the church has offered as the fruits of a Christian life?

Despite the ways in which Christianity is often presented, creation, says Bethke, doesn’t start with sin, but rather with shalom, making a distinction between Genesis 1 and Genesis 3 Christians. How might the story of the prodigal son embody this?

Even if our understanding of Christianity is based in shalom rather than sin, how might we relate this to those in our pews who come from a different background?

The way in which we escape sin, Bethke says, is not by moving away from our humanity, but rather through reconciliation and restoration. How might we participate in that with Christ?

For Next Time: Chapters 2 & 3