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Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard
Josiah Bancroft guides readers in a study of Philippians, show ing how a deep and abiding joy is possible in every circumstance when we understand who Jesus is and who we are in him. When times are hard and overwhelming, the command to “Rejoice!” can feel mocking or even cruel. How can we have joy when circumstances in our lives and those around us are so difficult? Studying the book of Philippians helps us know and understand the implications of all that Christ has done for us, in us, and among us—and how rooting ourselves in our identity in Christ can bring unshakeable freedom and joy, regardless of circumstances. Finding Joy When Life Is Hard helps participants see that through the power of the gospel we can rejoice in the Lord and live confidently on earth as citizens of heaven, no matter what we face.
112 pages, Paperback
Published August 14, 2023
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August 19, 2023
When my wife and I were new-made Christian converts, stationed at Incirlik AB in Turkey from 1981-1983, we stumbled onto some very rudimentary Bible study guides that gave us space to write answers and reflections as they walked us through a book of the Bible. We learned basic facts and details about each book as we went through them, and grew in our new faith. That experience has a very happy memory in our hearts and we’re always on the lookout for such resources. New Growth Press has teamed up with a missions organization, Serge, to pull together a similar Bible study series, “The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible”. One of their newest installments is “Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard”. This 128-page paperback was penned by Josiah D. Bancroft IV, a church planter and director of Missions with Serge. The book is set up for group use, and has a section in the back for study leaders. It is easy-to-use, will walk readers through the whole of Philippians in 9 lessons, and leave them closer to Jesus and more knowledgeable of his Scriptures.
Each chapter of the book has three sections that also have a suggested time limit. There’s the very succinct “Big Idea” section that gives readers questions or highlights to look for as they read the passage. Then there’s the “Article” which covers, fairly broadly, what the major themes are in the Scripture passage just read. This section includes some discussion starters. Next comes the “Exercise” which gives those involved an opportunity to write reflections, answer questions, etc. and then share them with the larger group, which wraps things up with prayers related to what has just been read. Working through each of these sections, I can easily imagine participants growing in Christ together, and coming to appreciate one another more.
The author is very clear about how Paul’s letter to the Philippians impacts our daily lives, especially how we are united to Christ, made right with God because of Christ, and move forward in joyful sanctification secured in Christ. Bancroft is squarely grounded inside of Classic Protestantism and the role of justification and sanctification. And he also sees the importance of how our having been justified in Christ keeps us grounded in suffering, as well as reaching out in mission. In the manual are a couple of reflection or comparison charts that will likely cause participants to slow down and recognize how easy it has been to forget Christ’s work for us. That’s not a bad thing. It’s where many of our personal troubles arise from.
There was one letdown as I read through the work. Paul’s letter to the Philippians has a few main themes, and one of them is robust unity in the congregation. This becomes clear toward the end when the Apostle calls on the two Christian sisters to make up and even asks another Christian to help them. But all the way through the letter this is a central theme. For example, when he prays for the congregation (1:3-11) he tells them that he prays all the time for all of them. Later, as he calls on them to exhibit their gospel citizenship, he uses military legionnaire language about “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (1:27). And he keeps this united teamwork as the centerpiece all the way through Jesus’s redemptive humility (2:1-11) and into the end of chapter 2, with the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus. This central emphasis in the letter is almost completely missed in the study guide until one gets to chapters 4 and 8. Even the two times the participants are asked to take a specific passage from Philippians (such as 1:9-11 which is what Paul prays for all of the believers), the participants are coached to turn that prayer primarily to themself. There’s nothing wrong with that, in and of itself. It’s just that it misses a significant part of the point.
But for all of that, the book does come around to unity when looking at Philippians 4:1-9. The whole discussion in the study guide at that point is about unity. And Bancroft gives several heartwarming, personal stories that show what he means. Rightly, the author notes that in “the Lord, we have the righteousness of Christ, which frees us from having to win an argument. It frees us to move toward one another in love and not demand that the other meet our needs, because Jesus has already met our greatest need” (74-75). That statement in chapter 8 goes well with something the writer stated back in chapter 4, where he observed that the “gospel pushes us into the world to proclaim and demonstrate Christ, loving other people. And it pushes us as believers into the world together, loving each other as a witness” (35). I couldn’t agree more. In fact, this is one of the top-drawer points of Paul in this letter to the Philippians.
If you’re looking for a study guide to take you and your spouse through Philippians, or friends from church, this manual would be beneficial. Or your an older believer working with a younger one, then “Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard” is a rock solid resource. It would also be useful for weekly congregational small groups or an adult Christian education class. I recommend the work.
My thanks to New Growth Press for sending me the electronic copy of the book used for this review. They made no demands, offered no bribes, and no one was held hostage. Therefore, my evaluation is freely made and freely given.0
Each chapter of the book has three sections that also have a suggested time limit. There’s the very succinct “Big Idea” section that gives readers questions or highlights to look for as they read the passage. Then there’s the “Article” which covers, fairly broadly, what the major themes are in the Scripture passage just read. This section includes some discussion starters. Next comes the “Exercise” which gives those involved an opportunity to write reflections, answer questions, etc. and then share them with the larger group, which wraps things up with prayers related to what has just been read. Working through each of these sections, I can easily imagine participants growing in Christ together, and coming to appreciate one another more.
The author is very clear about how Paul’s letter to the Philippians impacts our daily lives, especially how we are united to Christ, made right with God because of Christ, and move forward in joyful sanctification secured in Christ. Bancroft is squarely grounded inside of Classic Protestantism and the role of justification and sanctification. And he also sees the importance of how our having been justified in Christ keeps us grounded in suffering, as well as reaching out in mission. In the manual are a couple of reflection or comparison charts that will likely cause participants to slow down and recognize how easy it has been to forget Christ’s work for us. That’s not a bad thing. It’s where many of our personal troubles arise from.
There was one letdown as I read through the work. Paul’s letter to the Philippians has a few main themes, and one of them is robust unity in the congregation. This becomes clear toward the end when the Apostle calls on the two Christian sisters to make up and even asks another Christian to help them. But all the way through the letter this is a central theme. For example, when he prays for the congregation (1:3-11) he tells them that he prays all the time for all of them. Later, as he calls on them to exhibit their gospel citizenship, he uses military legionnaire language about “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (1:27). And he keeps this united teamwork as the centerpiece all the way through Jesus’s redemptive humility (2:1-11) and into the end of chapter 2, with the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus. This central emphasis in the letter is almost completely missed in the study guide until one gets to chapters 4 and 8. Even the two times the participants are asked to take a specific passage from Philippians (such as 1:9-11 which is what Paul prays for all of the believers), the participants are coached to turn that prayer primarily to themself. There’s nothing wrong with that, in and of itself. It’s just that it misses a significant part of the point.
But for all of that, the book does come around to unity when looking at Philippians 4:1-9. The whole discussion in the study guide at that point is about unity. And Bancroft gives several heartwarming, personal stories that show what he means. Rightly, the author notes that in “the Lord, we have the righteousness of Christ, which frees us from having to win an argument. It frees us to move toward one another in love and not demand that the other meet our needs, because Jesus has already met our greatest need” (74-75). That statement in chapter 8 goes well with something the writer stated back in chapter 4, where he observed that the “gospel pushes us into the world to proclaim and demonstrate Christ, loving other people. And it pushes us as believers into the world together, loving each other as a witness” (35). I couldn’t agree more. In fact, this is one of the top-drawer points of Paul in this letter to the Philippians.
If you’re looking for a study guide to take you and your spouse through Philippians, or friends from church, this manual would be beneficial. Or your an older believer working with a younger one, then “Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard” is a rock solid resource. It would also be useful for weekly congregational small groups or an adult Christian education class. I recommend the work.
My thanks to New Growth Press for sending me the electronic copy of the book used for this review. They made no demands, offered no bribes, and no one was held hostage. Therefore, my evaluation is freely made and freely given.0
October 12, 2023
I love studying the Bible, period and am always looking for books to help me learn, glean, and get deeper in The Word. Josiah Bancroft’s contribution to New Growth Press’ The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible study series is Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard. In Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard gives the reader thought provoking insight on the book of Philippians in the Bible. Following the set up of previous Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible studies I have reviewed it has 3 sections–a Lesson Section, a Article Section, and a Exercise Section– in each chapter as well as Leader’s Guide Notes that complements the study so that it can be done in a group setting.
Philippians is one of my favorite books in the Bible and Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard helped me study it deeper and bring out insights. I used Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard as part of my devotion time, highlighting things that interested me and the new insights I gleaned. Josiah Bancroft’s Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard gets to the root of what Philippians is all about in his study. In Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard I love the practical, yet profound thoughts that Josiah Bancroft has brought about the book of Philippians. I love how Mr. Bancroft dives us deep into the encouragement that is in Philippians and reminds us, that just like Paul, we can get through rough stuff and what true Joy is, that Joy is not defined by our circumstances. I love that through the study, Mr. Bancroft reminds us what God says about our identity in Him that’s in Philippians, that nothing is wasted and our Sanctification is a work process as we grow in our relationship with Him. I also love how Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard can be used as a group study, but works just as well as an individual study. If you are looking for a study that helps assist you to go deeper in The Word than I highly recommend, Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard by Josiah Bancroft!
I would like to thank New Growth Press for giving me a copy of Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on blog, Leslie's Library Escape.
Philippians is one of my favorite books in the Bible and Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard helped me study it deeper and bring out insights. I used Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard as part of my devotion time, highlighting things that interested me and the new insights I gleaned. Josiah Bancroft’s Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard gets to the root of what Philippians is all about in his study. In Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard I love the practical, yet profound thoughts that Josiah Bancroft has brought about the book of Philippians. I love how Mr. Bancroft dives us deep into the encouragement that is in Philippians and reminds us, that just like Paul, we can get through rough stuff and what true Joy is, that Joy is not defined by our circumstances. I love that through the study, Mr. Bancroft reminds us what God says about our identity in Him that’s in Philippians, that nothing is wasted and our Sanctification is a work process as we grow in our relationship with Him. I also love how Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard can be used as a group study, but works just as well as an individual study. If you are looking for a study that helps assist you to go deeper in The Word than I highly recommend, Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard by Josiah Bancroft!
I would like to thank New Growth Press for giving me a copy of Philippians: Finding Joy When Life Is Hard to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on blog, Leslie's Library Escape.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews