1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ - Bible Study Book

by Jen Wilkin

Our inheritance through Christ is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. In 1 Peter, a man of faith and flaws and eyewitness to the life of Christ challenges us to look beyond our current circumstances to a future inheritance. He shares his concerns on big picture issues for the early church, describes believers' true identity in Christ, and ultimately helps readers discover what it means to experience the Living Hope they have in Christ. Key themes of humility, submission, and identity in Christ guide the study of 1 Peter as participants are challenged to read the book in its entirety each week. (9 sessions)

Features:

Personal study segments to complete between group sessions
9-session study with 8 weeks of homework
Verse-by-verse approach to complete a book study
Benefits:

Expand your understanding of 1 Peter for personal spiritual growth by reading the book in its entirety throughout each week of study
Follow a verse-by-verse approach to complete a book study
Discover the gospel of Christ as learners seek to conform fully to the Scriptures
Dig deeper into Scripture individually and alongside other women—both those new to Bible study and those more familiar with Scriptures—with this widely-applicable study

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Faith, Religion, Christian Living, Theology

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. During her thirteen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She is the author of Women of the Word.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. Just more work than I'm willing to do in this season. (Points for honesty?)

[Allison TeVelde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Studying through an entire book of the Bible, rather than jumping around cherry-picking verses, is such a fantastic way to understand scripture. An added benefit was the videos and in-person discussion that I was able to experience.

[Stephanie Greer]

Used this as a guide for my High School girls small group this semester. Great questions drawn from the Scripture and connections to themes throughout the Bible!

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Living Hope




With rain pattering on the roof of the mini-van, I opened my tiny New Testament to the book of I Peter and dove in. I’ve learned that if I wait for perfect conditions to begin anything, I’ll never get started, and the first step to a study with Jen Wilkin is: open your Bible and read. When studying a short book like I Peter, it’s possible to read the whole thing in a sitting, and that’s the first order of business each week of this nine-week study. Therefore, in tackling I Peter: A Living Hope in Christ with Jen Wilkin, the foundation is laid for studying the Bible by . . . studying the Bible. That means no commentaries and no study notes — at least not until after homework is done. However, cross-references, dictionaries, other translations of the Bible are fair game, and the process of working through this study will provide ample opportunity to learn how to use most effectively those aids in study.

When I read Women of the Word, Jen Wilkin’s first book, I was riveted by her firm belief that studying the Bible is a means of training our minds to love God. That means I’m not looking for tiny tweetable truths about me. That step of self-discovery follows on the heels of a deep pondering of this question: “What does the Bible say about God?” Could this be what Paul was talking about when he told his readers to be “transformed by the renewing of your minds?” (Romans 12:2)

Reading in context and reading repetitively are key. Diving into a study of the Bible without considering the who and the where and the why is like receiving a letter, tearing it open, reading part of it and ignoring the return address on the envelope. Jen’s teaching via video provides some of this background — reading and re-reading provides the rest. Five-days-per-week study questions over a period of nine weeks allow for a slow and thoughtful digestion of the truth served up in Peter’s first letter. As one of Jesus’ inner circle and the leader of the early church’s outreach to the Jewish world, his words about our living hope in Christ ring true, for hopelessness is not an option for those who are promised an inheritance, undefiled and unfading! (I Peter 1:4) In Jen’s words:


“We have that which will endure. All the rest can fall away, and we lose nothing.”

Major themes covered in Peter’s letter are our identity in Christ, showing honor to others, and Christ-like conduct, thinking, and humility. Jen Wilkin’s study is an invitation to read deeply on these themes, to engage in open-ended pondering, and to sit in the place of unknowing before rushing into a ready-made answer.

//

This book was provided by LifeWay through the B&H Bloggers program in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great study if you are wanting to dive deeper into 1 Peter without hand-holding. You need to have a certain level of self-discipline to complete it, and the application pieces will be between you & the Holy Spirit (with some application given during the videos).

All that being said, I really enjoyed this study and feel like I'm coming away with a much better understanding of 1 Peter.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study was great! Wilkins does an excellent job at getting her reader to really dive deep into the book of 1 Peter. It was a great way to learn her 'how to read the bible' skills and I feel as though I have such a great understanding of 1 Peter now that I have done this study.
Would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to dive into this book of the Bible.

[Aubrey Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t even have the videos of Jen teaching and the workbook was still so good. I appreciate that she makes you paraphrase EVERY verse so now I have the whole book paraphrased, which is such a good practice. 🙏🙌🏼 easy 5 stars

[Michelle Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Jen Wilkin’s studies. She really makes you think and find connections.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first exposure to Jen Wilkin's Bible studies. The philosophy here is to, through repeat readings of the text, move through three stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application. Each week's lesson is divided into five days. "Homework" includes; highlighting key words in Peter's epistle, examining cross references, and exploring the Greek transliteration of selected words. Additionally, each lesson has a section preparing the student for group discussion. I prefer this workbook over the Precept Upon Precept one, at least for this book of the Bible.

[SarahO · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this study! 1st Peter is very encouraging and I love the format of Jen Wilkins studies, I learn so much about not just 1st Peter but how the whole Bible connects. I used Karen Jobes' 1st Peter commentary along with this study and it was a great help (I only opened it up after I was done with each week.)

[Rebecca Trump · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this study of 1 Peter by Jen Wilkin, she addresses many aspects of a Christian life. There are topics of being a living hope, believer’s identity, submission,self-control and being humble. It’s a wonderful study. If your small group is looking for a well-prepared Bible study, I highly recommend this one.

[Hannah Beth (Hannah's Book Cafe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved both of the Jen Wilkin studies I have done. She really knows how to get you to dig into the text and figure out what it is actually trying to say. This most likely won't be my last study of hers.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, this is a lot of work and a lot of reading, but I went in to this knowing that. I did this as a self-study so didn’t feel pressured that I needed to get it done. It did take me a bit longer than 9 weeks. This isn’t one of my favorite studies of hers.

[Meaghan Recollet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the study, definitely don't agree with Wilkin on everything, but overall I think you get out what you put into it.

[Rachel Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, in-depth study on 1 Peter! I'm using it on a mission trip, along with Jen's other book, "Women of the Word" to teach at a ladies conference. I would highly recommend it!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've wanted to do a Jen Wilkin study for years because I have heard such great things about her work. This was one of the most challenging and thought-provoking study I've done, probably since Beth Moore's Breaking Free and Believing God. The lessons give you so much to contemplate, yet they break down the Word into small portions to focus on for each lesson. This study is well worth the time, and if you're someone like me to tends to fall a little behind, it is worth every moment to just keep working on it after all the group sessions are over. Don't wait, get a group together and let 1 Peter transform your mind.

[Mary Sauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the way Jen Wilkins encourages the reader to come to their own conclusions about the text before consulting with other resources. The method she teaches for study built my confidence in my ability to study scripture without a pre-written bible study or devotional book.

Parts of this study were confusing or hard to grasp, but I just realized towards the end that there are podcast resources for each week that I am sure would have helped clear these things up. Take advantage of those if you are just starting the study!

[Nicole F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jen Wilkin has fabulous Bible studies that really encourage you to dig deep into the scripture and find your answers through only the use of biblical context. I learned SO much about submission, stewarding God's grace, and suffering in this Bible study. Do yourself a favor and do this! 5 days a week of study and very manageable load of homework (10-15 minutes max).

[Tammy Mannarino · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as Jen Wilkins other books. It seemed less substantial and a bit repetitive.

[Amanda Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I ended up not doing this Bible Study in a group I took my time going through this study. I literally sank my teeth into the book of 1 Peter for months and it was very fruitful. I will say this study was challenging and I found myself digging very deep. Wilkin encourages the reader NOT to use a study bible or commentaries at first. While I love a good Study Bible, this was a great personal challenge that caused me to dig a lot deeper into the Word. One of my favorite questions throughout this study was the last question that she included on each day which was to summarize the passage. What a simple question that really helped me to grasp the meaning of each passage. On another note, I didn't have access to the DVD's that accompany this study. I'm sure they are fabulous but they just weren't an option financially. If there is a Bible Study out there that you would love to walk through don't be afraid not to work through the study just because you can't view the DVD sessions.

[Brittany Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome Bible study! I’m always hesitant to do studies because I get tired of busy work where the answers require no critical thinking. This study forces you to wrestle with questions you’re unsure about and makes you realize how much you ‘skip over’ or assume you understand when you read Scripture. Jen will ask what certain words and phrases mean and it’s like- ‘I know what all those words mean but I haven’t thought about how they work together.’ The homework is a bit time-consuming but it truly is essential to understanding 1 Peter and connecting all the themes. The teaching videos were helpful as well and that’s where she would answer some of the harder questions you end up leaving blank. This is solid biblical teaching and I look forward to doing another Jen Wilkin study!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

did not find this study to be inspirational or uplifting. it was too academic with too much repetitive "busy work" type questions. I read these types of Bible studies to be inspired and to delve into my own spirituality, learning how to be more Christ-like in my living. I was disappointed to find nothing like that in this particular study. it was dry and clinical in picking apart the verses of the book of Peter, rather than applying the inspiration in the book to everyday life struggles of today like every other Bible study, I've read up to this point, from this publisher.

[Julie Bihn]

Reading 1 Peter in depth gave me some new insight. I'm never going to be a fan of the "underline X word in all of 1 Peter in orange" etc. that Wilkin likes to do, even though I'm sure it's really helpful for others...but that was toned own here compared to the last study of hers my group did. It was really wild to read during the election season (and reading 1 Peter 2:13-17 made me question if even the American Revolution was even OK!).

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great study, and it was definitely enhanced by Jen's podcasts at the end of each section. I appreciated her in-depth look at 1 Peter using the ESV translation. One thing I did struggle with was that she assumed everyone had different translations to be able to switch from one to the next. I did enjoy the book thoroughly & felt like I learned a lot. I would recommend this study.

[Maegan Spivey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The text of 1 Peter is printed in the book, most days can be done in under 45 minutes, I really liked how she had you rewrite the section you studied in your own words each day. Overall, highly recommend! It’s a little less conversational of a style for the study than a Kay Arthur devotional study, but still has the same depth.

[Sheri Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time doing a study by Jen Wilkin and reading all of 1 Peter. I struggled with the homework questions. My brain wrestled with suffering and persecution in middle class America in 2019, yet couldn’t believe how relevant Peter’s writings were to my life. I felt pushed out of my comfort zone with this study. Glad I did it!

[Kristy Eastridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter brings us so much hope in this letter to believers in the midst of persecution. He never refers to Jesus without "Christ," which shows his assurance of Jesus being the Messiah told by the prophets. This gives me hope -- Jesus Christ is truly the one to save the Father's chosen, His nation, His Kingdom, His people.

[Hayley Bourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've completed most of Jen Wilkin's Bible studies with my house group and we've loved every one of them. We enjoyed this one too, but found it even more challenging than those we've completed in the past. I still feel like I need to complete a further study (or maybe do this one again) to really understand the book of 1 Peter.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many of the homework questions were speculative and "looking up a word in Webster's dictionary and picking my favorite definition" is a reckless approach to biblical word study. I'm disappointed that this was not responsibly edited. It felt more focused on "what I think the bible means" vs a study of "what the bible says." It's a subtle but big difference.

[Chaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic study! This study of 1 Peter truly helps you dig in and understand the word of God. "Therefore preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:13