Though this study isn’t designed as a youth ministry resource, it works very well with students in a small group setting. Each week features a short video where Furtick teaches on one central theme of Jesus’ crucifixion and His inevitable resurrection. Furtick teaches through the traditional seven last words (or sayings) of Jesus on the cross. Each video session is meant to incite conversation within a small group that focuses on personal reflection on how Jesus’ sacrifice impacts our lives. This resource definitely will remain in our ministry library and used in our small groups.
—Benjer McVeigh
The Seven Mile Miracle DVD and small group material are great assets to help youth ministers capitalize on the power of the Easter season. Furtick and his team have created an all-inclusive package to help unpack the significance of the last sayings of Jesus during the passion week. The study combines helpful insights, small group questions and a time to reflect on the truths presented through worship. This would be a great addition to a youth minister’s library as they continue to find ways to make the gospel story fresh for a new generation.
—Nathan Cline, Teaching Pastor, REVO Church
Seven Mile Miracle is the new DVD teaching resource by best-selling author and popular pastor, Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. This newest project is a 7-lesson DVD-driven study of the seven final words of Jesus from the cross, just in time for the Easter/Lenten season. Each lesson is partnered with a well-written participant guide study and beautifully shot video segment. The videos are filmed on location in Israel at the actual locations where the words of Christ were spoken. Pastor Furtick brings each study to life with his easy and on-point style. Beyond the actual teaching, each video section ends with powerful worship performed by Elevation church’s worship teams. The participant guide is a perfect partner to the videos with each study divided into study questions, silent reflections, deeper study challenges and week-long personal devotional study. Although, this resource is not written specifically for youth, it is still an outstanding resource for youth ministries. Without much effort, this easily can translate into your youth group night, Sunday School class or small group setting. If you are looking for a last-minute study for this time of year or an additional resource to add to what you already are preparing to teach, grab this resource!
—Dan Istvanik is a MS/JH youth pastor in Mansfield, Ohio, and has been in youth ministry for about 18 years. He shares his resources and “ran-dumb” ideas on his MS/JH blog The JH Uth Guy.
Pastor Steven Furtick’s video-based study Seven-Mile Miracle is a shining gem among many. Each mini-study along the road applies basic and easy-to-follow segments that deal with daily struggles Christians tackle, enabling us to take responsibility and ownership of our own faith and friendship with God. Furtick gives a quenching refresher to Christians, reminding us of Jesus’ sacrifice for us any time of year.
—Tammy Reese, freelance writer, graduate of Northwestern College, Minn.; degree in Communications with an emphasis in Journalism.
While not geared specifically for teens, The Seven-Mile Miracle by Steven Furtick would be a great resource for your small groups or youth group in the lead up to Easter. While the material is serious and deep, both the passion of Furtick and the dynamic visuals in the DVD make this a captivating resource. The discussion questions will challenge your students to open up and be transparent as they interact with the video and wrestle with the material.
—Bill Nance
In his DVD lesson series Seven-Mile Miracle, Pastor Steven Furtick discusses the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke, specifically focusing on the 7-mile walk Jesus did with His disciples on the road of Emmaus. Based on the 7-mile mark, Furtick unpacks seven subjects in this lesson series: Forgiveness, Salvation, Relationship, Abandonment, Distress, Triumph and Reunion. At the end of each lesson, there is a time of worship (courtesy of members of the Elevation Worship Band from Furtick’s church) and reflection. Pastor Furtick does a good job relating the topics within the background of the road of Emmaus. Furtick’s mixture of Scripture and story-telling is engaging and easy to follow. The Jerusalem setting for the video is great because it helps one to get a visual of where Jesus was and the environment where the gospel originated. The lesson segment in the video is high quality and well-timed; however, the worship and reflection time at the end of each video is rather short for worshiping and reflection. The participant’s guide is well-written and follows the video well. The questions in the guide are easy to understand so the reader can answer properly and grow from the study. I would recommend this lesson series for college and/or young adults.
—Chris Ensley, Youth Pastor, Marion Christian Church, Marion, Kan., Adjunct Professor for Tabor College in the Christian Ministry Program.
Pastor Steve Furtick did an amazing job in his 7-part study on the last days of Christ. It is a great illustration of the relentless love and pursuit of Christ, bathed in mercy and grace. In an age when students doubt the everlasting love of God due to broken homes and poor examples of who God is as a Father, Steven shows that despite our shortcomings, God loves us and paid the price. I think this is a great resource for high school through adulthood. This is a study that I will gladly recommend.
—Chris Pope is a 16-year youth ministry veteran and currently lives with his wife and son in Spokane, Washington. He has a passion for youth and discipleship and hopes to see a city transformed in the power of Christ. You can follow him on Twitter.com@cjpope07 or on the web.
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