Margaret Feinberg
Zondervan, 2011, Participant’s Guide, 142 pp.; DVD, 6 sessions, 12-20 min.
Pursuing God’s Beauty
Margaret Feinberg
Zondervan, 2011, Participant’s Guide, 141 pp.; DVD, 6 sessions, 15-20 min.
Margaret Fienberg, speaker and author of numerous books, including Hungry for God and Scouting the Divine, brings us two DVD studies designed for small group study and discussion.
In Pursuing God’s Love, Feinberg takes participants on a journey through Genesis, revealing God’s love and pursuit of humanity. Part history lesson, part spiritual application, these DVD sessions paint a picture of the stark contrast between human weakness and God’s unchanging love for His people. Margaret digs into the stories of major characters such as Adam, Eve, Cain, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Esau and Joseph, and helps connect their stories with our own. In session one, for example, Margaret contrasts the fall of man with God’s rising love, grace and forgiveness, helping viewers see that God can overcome their own failures—great or small. Although the teaching has its dry moments, Pursuing God’s Love will leave students with a fresh perspective of familiar stories, all while highlighting God’s incredible love.
In the second study, Pursuing God’s Beauty, Feinberg offers a look at the entire Book of John through DVD sessions which highlight various stories of interactions with Christ. Despite the title of the study, Feinberg seems to focus less on God’s beauty and instead highlights Christ’s intimacy in our lives through relationship with Him. In her third session, Feinberg retells the story of the blind man whom Jesus healed by using mud to cover his eyes. She connects this story with our own personal blind spots and how those can keep us from true relationship with Christ. Throughout Pursuing God’s Beauty, themes of art are woven into Feinberg’s discussions on Christ’s interactions with the disciples, the woman at the well, the blind man and others in the Book of John. Because of its illustrations and artistic themes, this particular study may resonate more with female participants.
Each study set includes a 6-session DVD, as well as a participant’s guide, which offers more than just discussion ideas. Groups are equipped with an experiential activity, as well as icebreakers to get started. In addition to starters, the guide also offers “Afterhours” daily personal studies, which help participants dig deeper into the study on a daily basis and prepare for the next session. Both of these studies are primarily designed for adult use, and Margaret’s teaching style falls on the intellectual side; however, these resources still can be used for youth and will offer students a deeper look at the books of Genesis and John through a fresh lens.
