Daniel: Staying strong in a hostile world

Good Book Guides

by David R. Helm

The first half of Daniel is well-known and much-loved. The second half is little-read and less-understood! These seven studies will show how the truths about God in the second half enabled Daniel and his friends to live faithful, courageous lives in the first half; and how they will inspire us and our churches to do the same, knowing that Jesus has won, is ruling, and will return.

88 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2015

About the author

David R. Helm, along with Arthur Jackson, serves as Lead Pastor of the Hyde Park Congregation of Holy Trinity Church Chicago. David is Chairman of The Charles Simeon Trust, a ministry devoted to equipping men in expository preaching.

A graduate of Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, David is ordained in the PCA and serves on the council of The Gospel Coalition. He authored I, II Peter and Jude in Crossway’s Preaching the Word series, and contributed to Preach the Word:Essays in Expository Preaching in Honor of Kent Hughes. In addition, David has written The Big Picture Story Bible, One to One Bible Reading and The Genesis Factor (the latter with Jon Dennis). His forthcoming book on preaching is titled Expositional Preaching: How we speak God's Word Today which will be released in April of 2014.

David and his wife, Lisa, have five children (Noah, Joanna, who is married to Ben Panner, Baxter, Silas and Mariah) and reside in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

Reviews

[Julie Biles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little Good Book Guide is not a deep dive into the dense book of Daniel but it was perfect for the amount of time our group had for a study. The questions are thought provoking and caused us to dig more deeply. At the end of the lessons is The Leader’s Guide and it includes “The Big Idea”, “Summary” and “Guidance for Questions”.

The focus is not “breaking the code” but instead the student is encouraged to stay strong in a hostile world where God has sovereignly placed believers. Our group was invigorated by what we learned.

[Margaret · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Daniel: Staying Strong in a Hostile World explores how the biblical book of Daniel can encourage faithfulness and courage amid challenging circumstances.
David R. Helm focuses on the less-understood second half of Daniel and its significance for understanding the experiences of Daniel and his friends.
The seven studies connect biblical teaching with the challenges Christians face in remaining faithful to God.
The guide also emphasises the Christian hope that Jesus reigns and will return, offering a foundation for perseverance and confidence.
At 88 pages, this paperback provides a concise resource for individual reflection, church groups, and readers seeking a deeper understanding of Daniel.

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series and this one was equally as good as the other ones I have done.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently completed "Daniel: Staying Strong in a Hostile World" by David Helm, and unfortunately, I can’t recommend it. While I absolutely love the book of Daniel and was excited to dive into a study on it, this particular guide fell flat for me.

The study felt very dry and repetitive. Many of the questions simply asked me to write out scripture rather than encouraging deeper reflection or critical thinking. I usually enjoy studies that prompt me to analyze, apply, and engage with God’s Word in a way that stretches my understanding, but this one didn’t provide that challenge.

If you’re looking for a study that sparks thoughtful discussion or pushes you to wrestle with the text, this might not be the right choice. It’s more of a fill-in-the-blank style workbook than an in-depth, thought-provoking resource.

Overall, I left this study feeling disappointed and wishing it had gone beyond surface-level engagement with such a rich and powerful book of the Bible.

[Tammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My bible study group enjoyed this one.