1. The author begins by asking these foundational questions: “What if the main issue in our culture today is not poverty or sex trafficking, homosexuality or abortion? What if the main issue is God? . . . How would we act if we fixed our gaze on the holiness, love, goodness, truth, justice, authority, and mercy of God revealed in the gospel?” (pages xiv-xv). Why is it important for Christians to put God and his character at the center of discussions about social issues?
2. The author writes, “I’ve seen in my own life, family, and ministry a tendency to actively and boldly engage certain social issues while passively and unbiblically neglecting others” (page xv). Do you identify with the author’s confession here? What issues seem safe or acceptable in our culture? Which issues are more threatening to talk about?
3. “The gospel of Christ is not a call to cultural compromise in the face of fear” (page 22). In what areas of injustice are you tempted to compromise because of fear or because it could prove costly to you personally? How could a greater understanding of God’s holiness, goodness, justice, and grace help you overcome your fears?
4. Do you think there are some blind spots in your understanding of the Bible and God’s message? Does your church have any blind spots?
5. Great disparity exists in a world where people in remote villages are dying of preventable diseases while we are comparatively rich—spiritually and materially. “In a culture that places great emphasis on leisure, luxury, financial gain, self-improvement, and material possessions, it will be increasingly countercultural for Christians to work diligently, live simply, give sacrificially, help constructively, and invest eternally” (pages 33–34). Is God calling you to make some changes in one or more of these areas? (See the points under “Participate” on page 55 to help you get started.)
6. In chapter 2, we are encouraged to respond to poverty in five main ways: work diligently, live simply, give sacrificially, help constructively, and invest eternally. After reading this chapter (especially the recommendations on pages 54-55), what do you think should be your next steps?
7. If your life has been touched by abortion, have you experienced forgiveness and healing from God? Is God prompting you to talk to someone (a pastor, counselor, or trusted Christian friend) about it? The author says, “It is not possible to believe the Bible and deny that the unborn are persons” (page 65). How does this argument address the cultural view that women should have the right to choose when it comes to abortion?
8. Citing James 1:27, the author explains that “to visit orphans and widows means to seek them out with a deep concern for their well-being and a clear commitment to care for their needs. . . . True religion counters culture and results in sacrificially caring for people who can benefit you the least” (page 82). Do you sense God calling you to bring a child into your family through foster care or adoption or to support other families who have done so? How might you intentionally seek out widows, and what can you do to care for their needs?