Saints: Enjoying a Relationship with Jesus When You're Disillusioned with Religion

by Kat Armstrong

Discover the storyline of Scripture as you follow people, places, or things in the Bible. Maybe you are practiced in dissecting a passage and pulling things out of the text to apply to your life. But now you may feel as though your faith is fragmented. The Storyline Bible Studies help you put the pieces back together. You’ll discover cohesive, thematic storylines with literary elements and appreciate the Bible as the literary masterpiece that it is.

In Saints , we will look at characters and themes that are cautionary tales for Christians and Christian leaders. None of us are above the actions described in the Bible, and all of us are in need of the redemption and restoration of God. In the Saints Bible study, we will explore

176 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2023

About the author

KAT ARMSTRONG (www.katarmstrong.com) was born in Houston, Texas, where the humidity ruins her Mexi-German curls. She is a powerful voice in our generation as a sought-after Bible teacher, preacher, coach, and innovative ministry leader. She holds a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and is the author of No More Holding Back, The In-Between Place, and a 6-book series called Storyline Bible Studies. In 2008, Kat cofounded the Polished Network to embolden working women in their faith and work. Kat is the senior director of marketing and content for Integrus Leadership, is pursuing a doctorate of ministry in New Testament context at Houston Theological Seminary, and hosts the Holy Curiosity podcast. She and her husband, Aaron, have been married for twenty one years and live in Dallas, Texas, with their son, Caleb, and attend Dallas Bible Church, where Aaron serves as the lead pastor.

Reviews

[Meredith Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4/5 stars) I read Saints in conjunction with Sinners: Experiencing Jesus’ Compassion in the Middle of Your Sin, Struggles, and Shame and they pair really well together. Saints focuses on the archetype of Christian leaders (those considered "saints" in Jesus' time) who are cautionary tales for Christians and Christian leaders. Armstrong chooses to focus on Nicodemus, Judas, Caiaphas, Peter, and Paul; each chapter is a great balance of research and accessibility. This would be a great study to discuss with a small group (Saints/Sinners is written to be a 10-week paired study). I have read multiple of Armstrong's other studies (you can find my review for Valleys: Finding Courage, Conviction, and Confidence in Life's Low Points here and my review for Stones: Making God’s Faithfulness the Bedrock of Your Faith here. I thought this pair was my favorite Armstrong study series yet.

As I mentioned in previous reviews, the format of this study was helpful. Each chapter was split into four sections: providing context, reading and comprehending the passage, diving deeper into understanding the passage, and then thinking through how the passage applies to our world today. The format was easy to process and I thought the discussion questions were thoughtful without being too leading. I think this study would be really accessible, even if you weren't already familiar with the stories presented.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this study in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Enjoying a Relationship with Jesus When You’re Disillusioned with Religion.”

This is my 5th Kat Armstrong study and I enjoyed it just as much as the rest. Maybe more, as I’ve definitely found myself disillusioned by, if not religion, than the religious.

The book introduces the reader to five ‘Saints’ of the Bible: Nicodemus, Judas, Caiaphas, Peter, and Paul – all characters considered super-godly in their day. I loved how the author balanced out the good and bad of every character. Each comes across as a cautionary tale for Christians (particularly leaders). Not everyone that presents as good is so. The opposite is also true.

Each day, you read a portion of scripture and delve more into context, meaning, and application.

I loved so much about it.

First off, the artwork is stunning. Not the most important aspect, but so beautiful.

I loved that the scriptures appeared in the text.

I loved that the daily homework wasn’t overwhelming. We all love Sister Beth, but we don’t always have hours a day to devote to study.

I loved that there are more in this series. It’s like finishing an excellent novel and knowing you get to spend more time with your favourite characters.

I didn’t really dislike anything, but I’d have liked more cultural context, and I think I would have preferred going through this in community, instead of by myself.

I’m very much looking forward to more from this teacher.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for this tender ARC.

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

4.5 stars = I loved it! Would re-read.

I picked up Mountains and Valleys when they first released - the covers drew me in and the layout of the studies really clicked with me. So when I had the chance to review books 5 &6 in the series, I jumped at them.

I really enjoy the structure for these studies, and especially liked the grouping of Bible passages for both Saints and Sinners. I found both studies thought-provoking. They are the sorts of books I would read from cover to cover. They are easy reads, and the writing is conversational and engaging. I like that they can be used for individual or group study, and I plan to work through the entire line.

[Abigail Leventhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first bible study in a long time that I have enjoyed and learned. Thank you, Kat. Your wisdom and personality create a professional and academic standpoint of knowledge and learning, while also making it deeply personal. This study tackles the head and heart knowledge of Jesus Himself - for sometimes it is knowledge that gets us to Jesus, and the heart that lets us connect with Him.

[Alex Wilks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Bible study from Kat, but it will not be the last! I love her unique style and set up in the Storyline Series. This felt like a departure from every other Bible study I’ve purchased over the year in the best way. Questions were thought provoking, Kat taught a lot in just a hand full of paragraphs each day. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Jeremy Jernigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly, I did not realize how much of a Bible study format this uses rather than a regular book. That's not a knock on the book; it just wasn't obvious to me going in. Rather than reading this solo, I think this book would shine if incorporated into a group (whether a life group or book club, etc.).

The premise is an exploration of five "saints" in the Bible (Nicodemus, Judas, Caiaphas, Peter, and Paul). The list seemed a bit odd to me as these are not normally names that go together. The connecting point was how each of them failed and then had an opportunity for restoration. What continued to make the list strange was that not all of them actually experienced restoration.

Kat does a good job engaging the reader with the text and also offering perspectives that may not be immediately obvious. An example of this is the way she highlights how John presents the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night next to the story of Jesus talking to a woman at the well in the middle of the day. By comparing the time of day, she then compares and contrasts Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Samaria. These types of insights would make for a great discussion with a group reading it together.