Surprised by Hope Participant's Guide: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

by N.T. Wright

This book is a Participant's guide.
Many Christians believe our future in heaven is all that really matters. But that's not what the Bible teaches. In this six-session small group Bible study, Surprised by Hope , premier Bible scholar N. T. Wright brings you inside the Scriptures to grasp the full, breathtaking hope Jesus offers the world, and its impact on your life today. Gain an exciting new vision for your life on earth in light of your future in heaven. Wonderful as is the promise of heaven, a glorious hereafter is just part of what salvation is about. What about today? Jesus called his followers the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Your life here and now is of tremendous consequence, and what you believe about the future has a direct impact on how you live in the present. In six transforming, faith-inspiring sessions, premiere biblical scholar N. T. Wright opens your eyes to the amazing full scope of what God's Word has to say about the world to come and the world that is. Filled with discussion questions, thoughts for reflection, and ideas for personal application, this study guide will help you get the most out of each session as you explore such questions as What is heaven really like? Is our main duty as Christians simply to help non-Christians get there? What hope does the gospel hold for this present life? In what ways does God intend for us to experience that hope personally and spread its healing power to the world around us? Surprised by Hope provides a clearer vision both of the future and of God's kingdom at hand today. This Participant Guide is designed for use with the companion Surprised by Hope DVD (sold separately) and provides individual and group activities, additional background material, and between-session personal studies that will enhance your experience of the video sessions. Sessions
1. Hope for the World
2. The Hope of the Resurrection
3. The Hope of Heaven
4. The Hope of Jesus’ Second Coming
5. The Hope of Salvation
6. The Hope of the Church

Genres: Theology, Christian

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2013

About the author

N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England (2003-2010) and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. He has been featured on ABC News, Dateline NBC, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air, and he has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities. Wright is the award-winning author of Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Last Word, The Challenge of Jesus, The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the much heralded series Christian Origins and the Question of God.

He also publishes under Tom Wright.

Reviews

[Gary Mcnay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling perspective on how believer and church perspectives on death and our role in eternity- now- has been diminished by popular culture that ignores essential early christian beliefs. How christians show up in relationships and how we respect and care for the created universe we live in must be re-centered, based on the hope that early christians had for their eternal lives and heaven joined with earth. A must read for any believing Christian and anyone who wonders about eternal life and purpose.

[Immanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often I want to read again. Every follower Christ should read