FORGIVING CHALLENGE
February 19 - March 26
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During the week of February 19 through the week of March 26 Campus Lutheran will be going through a study that will challenge us to understand forgiveness not as an obligation or duty but as a life-giving gift.
If you currently lead a Bible study and would like to take your group through the “Forgiving Challenge,” or if you would like to start a new 6-week small group, or if you are looking for a “Forgiving Challenge” group to join, you've come to the right place. This study uses the “Forgiving Challenge” book by Rev. Zach Zehnder which is available for purchase below for $20. For more information on the "Forgiving Challenge" and for study resources, see the section below. Book Purchase: You will need to purchase the Forgiving Challenge book. Books are available from the church office for $20. You can fill out a form to request a book by clicking the button below. After filling out the form, you will be presented with a link for electronic payment via VANCO. The payment link will also be sent via email. On the VANCO site, you can pay via Debit Card, Credit Card, or Bank Account. |
Forgiveness. Have you ever taken time to really think about what it means? Whether it's a concept or a feeling or even an obligation? Jesus, knowing how important forgiveness is, included it in the prayer He taught us by teaching us to ask God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Webster's dictionary defines forgiveness as an action, and the word forgive as “to cease to feel resentment against an offender,” which makes forgiveness the act of ceasing to feel resentment toward another person. That can be difficult at times.
Each of us has felt resentment or anger toward another person when we've felt we've been wronged. When the wrong is something that is not too serious, we can quickly let go of those negative feelings and restore the relationship. But there are also times when the wrong is something so unfathomable that the anger and resentment is so deep within us that we can't move beyond it. The feelings start to eat away at us and become so strong that they start to motivate our behavior, even sometimes to the point where they become all consuming, limiting our ability to live life.
Jesus is well aware of the trespasses we inflict on each other and encourages us to do the very thing that can be extremely difficult—to forgive.
Below are resources for kids and small groups to use for the "Forgiving Challenge" study.
Each of us has felt resentment or anger toward another person when we've felt we've been wronged. When the wrong is something that is not too serious, we can quickly let go of those negative feelings and restore the relationship. But there are also times when the wrong is something so unfathomable that the anger and resentment is so deep within us that we can't move beyond it. The feelings start to eat away at us and become so strong that they start to motivate our behavior, even sometimes to the point where they become all consuming, limiting our ability to live life.
Jesus is well aware of the trespasses we inflict on each other and encourages us to do the very thing that can be extremely difficult—to forgive.
Below are resources for kids and small groups to use for the "Forgiving Challenge" study.