Shepherd Group Resource List

66 Love Letters

Larry Crabb

This book is written in the style of a conversation that Dr Crabb has with the Lord regarding each book of the Bible. The questions Crabb asks are real, deeply personal, and honest. The replies emphasize God’s overarching message: sin, grace, repentance, brokenness before a holy God, self-worshipping rebellion, radical servanthood, self-denial, no gospel without the cross, no salvation without Christ, no spiritual formation without suffering.

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Angels: Who They Are And How They Help; What The Bible Reveals

David Jeremiah

This study provides a basic understanding of the status and role of angels as God’s messengers and guardians. It does this by providing solid biblical teaching based on the relevant bible references, at the same time not overwhelming participants who may only have a passing interest in the subject. There is a study guide with 10 lessons, available with a companion book and CD containing Dr. Jeremiah’s series of messages on the subject.

Counterfeit Gods

Tim Keller

In Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller shows how a proper understanding of the Bible reveals the unvarnished truth about societal ideals and our own hearts. This powerful message cements Keller’s reputation as a critical thinker and pastor, and comes at a crucial time—for both the faithful and the skeptical.

Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament

Nancy Guthrie

This is a one-year devotional with daily readings.

Finding God

Larry Crabb

In today’s world, we are more preoccupied with solving our problems than with finding God. We’ve got things backward, says Dr. Larry Crabb. Instead of using God to solve our problems, we need to use our problems to find God.

The God Who Is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story

D.A. Carson

This book will help improve your basic working knowledge of the Bible as D.A. Carson takes you through the big story of Scripture to help you know what you believe and why you believe it. It is 14 chapters, and there is an additional companion leader’s guide available.

Growing in Christ: A Thirteen-Week Course for New and Growing Christians

NavPress

The first 5 weeks of this study “put beyond all doubt some basic promises God has made to Christians.” The other 8 weeks focus on “the responsibilities and privileges we have in living a life that pleases God.” The study is fairly basic, but it can remind a group of the foundational truths of salvation, and our subsequent walk with Jesus Christ.

Heaven

Randy Alcorn

From Amazon “What will heaven be like? Randy Alcorn presents a thoroughly biblical answer, based on years of careful study, presented in an engaging, reader-friendly style. His conclusions will surprise readers and stretch their thinking about this important subject. Heaven will inspire readers to long for heaven while they’re living on earth.”

The Hole in Our Gospel

Richard Stearns

This book pushes us to be generous and to spend our lives and resources on the gospel. There are 26 chapters in the book, but it could be studied in one or two chapters per week.

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Jesus the King

Tim Keller

This book is excellently written and very easy to read. The chapters range from 12 to 20 pages; a group could go through one or two chapters per week. Dr. Keller walks the reader through the gospel of Mark extremely thoughtfully and sincerely. His passion for the unbelieving reader to understand the basic premise of the Gospel is palpable, and yet he equally helps the seasoned Christian gain a deeper understanding of Scripture. He makes important connections between the New and Old Testaments and does a great job of highlighting the value of Mark’s account and the authority from which he speaks.

Making Sense of God

Tim Keller

Keller invites students of secular philosophy and those skeptical of faith and religion in general to consider a Christian God that still makes sense. What if Christianity provided us with unsurpassed resources to answer questions regarding fulfillment, personal freedom, justice, and hope? Written for the undecided seeker and the secular skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity.

On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision

William Lane Craig

This concise training manual by renowned scholar William Lane Craig is filled with illustrations, sidebars, and memorizable steps to help you stand your ground and defend your faith with reason and precision. Dr. Craig offers four arguments for God’s existence, defends the historicity of Jesus’ personal claims and resurrection, addresses the problem of suffering, and shows why religious relativism doesn’t work. Along the way, he shares his own story of following God’s call.

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Parenting

Paul Tripp

Parenting provides an excellent foundation on how to approach the role of a parent. Its focus is applying the Gospel in the everyday situations for parents. You will be challenged to re-look at both yourself as well as your child. It is written for any parent, but it would be best for parents with preteens or teens.

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

Ken Sande

This book introduces a real Biblical guide to conflict resolution. It has great teaching and practical instruction, very applicable but challenging to implement.

A Praying Life

Paul Miller

This book challenges our normal thinking about prayer and how we approach God. It asks us to examine our hearts and the preconceived notions we have about our conversations with the Father.

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The Pressure’s Off

Larry Crabb

In The Pressure’s Off, best-selling author and counselor Larry Crabb introduces you to a new way of living. God does not guarantee ease or convenience—or even a good outcome as the result of your obedience. But he does promise Himself, no matter what the circumstances of your life.

The Prodigal God

Tim Keller

Within the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus reveals God’s prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.

The Prodigal Prophet

Tim Keller

This book is an outline of the book of Jonah, exploring how God revealed His great love to Jonah, and to the nations, through His “prodigal” prophet. It is fairly short and could be completed in around 10 sessions.

The Pursuit of God

A.W. Tozer

Tozer calls for a slow steady gaze upon God. He urges us to replace low thoughts of God with lofty ones, to quiet our lives so we can know God’s presence and reminds us that life apart from God is really no life at all.

The Pursuit of Holiness

Jerry Bridges

This is a classic book and study guide. It reaffirms the basic disciplines in the faith and is quite challenging. It will help a group to wrestle with lifestyle choices and life decisions.

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The Reason for God

Tim Keller

Reason for God provides insights into addressing tough questions about Does God exist, why is their suffering? Why is Christianity the only way? Did the resurrection really happen. It is great for answering questions from either your kids or co-workers, neighbors, etc. This book works for a 15- to 16-week study.

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Respectable Sins

Jerry Bridges

This study consists of a single volume containing 21 chapters of instructional text and nine sessions (lessons). Each lesson contains separate questions for use in both personal and group study, as well as recommendations for further study and prayer.  The book is very convicting, as it highlights so-called “respectable” sins; sins that we often do not recognize as sins, such as pride, selfishness, impatience, lack of self-control, anger, etc.

Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven

Dr. David Jeremiah

Dr. Jeremiah’s study on heaven successfully answered many of our group’s basic questions regarding what the bible promises about the nature of heaven, at the same time addressing many of the misconceptions we may have had about heaven and the path we will have to follow to get there. The study is supported by both a book containing Dr. Jeremiah’s individual messages on the subject, or a CD containing largely the same text. Playing the individual 35 minute lesson messages at the beginning of each meeting and then basing  discussions on the provided study questions is an effective combination, with the result that Dr. Jeremiah’s recorded messages are fresh in each group member’s mind.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

John Mark Comer

Within the pages of this book, you’ll find a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.

Sacred Marriage

Gary Thomas

This book has a nice mix of theory and practice. It provides a great foundation for newlyweds and definitely sparks discussion among couples, especially outside of the shepherd group meeting. There are discussion questions for each of the 14 chapters.

Tactics

Greg Koukl

“In Tactics, Gregory Koukl demonstrates how to artfully regain control of conversations, keeping them moving forward in constructive ways through thoughtful diplomacy. You’ll learn how to maneuver comfortably and graciously through the minefields of a challenging discussion, how to stop challengers in their tracks, and how to turn the tables on question or provocative statement. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to get people thinking about Jesus.”

Taking God at His Word

Kevin DeYoung

This book is a helpful primer to understanding the majesty of God’s Word and how to approach it, revere it, and study it. The book is fairly short, with eight chapters of around 10-15 pages each. There is a study guide available for download that asks thoughtful questions to spark group discussion.

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Trusting God

Jerry Bridges

“Why is God allowing this?” or “What have I done wrong?” are questions that we may sometimes use during adversities that seem to doubt God’s sovereignty. Jerry Bridges shares the fruit of his personal study on God’s sovereignty exploring God’s power over nations, nature, and even the details of your life; enabling us to trust him more completely—even when it hurts. The book includes a chapter discussion guide that provides central ideas, highlights, and discussion questions.

Why Small Groups

C.J. Mahaney

Small groups provide the ideal context for “working out our salvation” together. But not all groups are created equal. C.J. Mahaney says “a small group ministry won’t ultimately be effective unless it exists to achieve biblical purposes.” From Scripture, he points out the clear goals of a small group: progressive sanctification out of which flows mutual care, fellowship and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. All new RBC Shepherd Groups use this book to begin their small group ministry. Existing RBC Shepherd Groups are also greatly encouraged to take their group through this book.

The Gospel of Mark

Francis Chan

Francis Chan teaches from various sites in Israel directly related to the gospel of Mark. He traces the very steps of Jesus with beautiful videos of Israel  It is powerful, effective, and moving. It makes the Word come alive. There are 11 videos, 5 to 15 minutes long.

The Book of Colossians

Louie Giglio

This video series provides background, context, and application points for Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Between the handouts and leader’s guide, there were good discussion questions as well as supporting materials to understand the book and drive discussion.

Effective Parenting in a Defective World

Chip Ingram

Effective Parenting has 9 sessions, and you can cover one session per meeting. This is a video/workbook study. There is a leader’s workbook that helps facilitate discussions. It is best for the leader to review each session prior to covering with the SG. The study covers concepts for teaching children of all ages.

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Future Family

Andy Stanley

This material is valuable for its focus on familial relationships, conflict resolution, and leaving a legacy. It was applicable for everyone in the group. There are six messages in the series, each one between 39 and 48 minutes.

The Book of James

Francis Chan

From RightNow Media: “True faith produces fruit. A faith without action and without life change is ultimately a dead faith. The book of James speaks to the realities of a living faith in Jesus—the kind of roll-up-your-sleeves and get-your-hands-dirty discipleship that is borne out of an authentic relationship with the risen Lord. Through 12 sessions, Francis works through James verse-by-verse, challenging followers of Christ to move beyond a private, intellectual knowledge of God and His Word, to a vibrant faith that impacts every square inch of life.”

Pack Your Bags

Andy Stanley

This material is valuable for helping group members see how to be preparing for “what’s next” in their lives. There are five videos in the series, each one between 36 and 47 minutes.

Psalm 119

Matt Chandler

This is a 10-part video series on RightNow Media. The video sessions range from 9-19 minutes. There is a leader’s guide available with discussion topics and questions for each session. Matt’s messages were based on progressing through the verses of Psalm 119, but he also brought in many New Testament references that followed the themes of the verses. These themes included dealing with pain, living a surrendered life, and dissatisfaction with worldly pursuits (to name only a few). Our group watched the videos and discussed the questions at each meeting which was enough time to sufficiently cover the topics in about 45 minutes to an hour of group time after the video.

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