Church: Why Bother? Case of 84

We all love the benefits of technology and social media, but even with the incredible upsides, many of us suspect there are unintended negative consequences beyond our control. The more we compare ourselves with others, the less satisfied we are. The more we interact online, the more we crave face-to-face intimacy. The more filtered our lives become, the more challenging it is for us to be authentic. The more information we receive about the pain and crises in the world, the more difficult it is for us to care.

In this timely five-session video-based study, New York Times bestselling author Craig Groeschel taps in to some of the most up-to-date studies on social media to help us understand how it affects our emotions, our relationships, our attitudes, and our beliefs. He offers real-life examples to reveal the depths to which each of us battles with social media, how it masks our real struggles, and how we can reclaim a Christ-centered life. He encourages us to regain control over our lives by rediscovering the principles real life with Jesus brings: contentment, intimacy, authenticity, compassion, and rest.

#Struggles will show you the ways technology has enslaved you rather than served you and what changes your need to make in your life to restore balance. Above all, it will point you to Christ and help you understand the healing he wants to do in you. As you follow his leading and seek him first, you will find you are no longer defined by who follows you but by the One you follow.

We all love the benefits of technology, but even with the upsides, many of us suspect there are negative consequences beyond our control. In this timely small-group study, pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel shows how we can stay engaged with technology in our social-media saturated world while still keeping our eyes focused on Jesus.

Sessions include:

1. Recovering Contentment (10:00)
2. Restoring Intimacy (10:00)
3. Revealing Authenticity (10:00)
4. Resurrecting Compassion (10:00)
5. Replenishing Rest (10:00)

Designed for use with the #Struggles Study Guide (9780310684855).

Let five premier teachers of God's Word lead you to a closer, more intimate understanding of God's message to His people. Intended as companions to the Blackaby Study Bible, these guides also stand alone as a complete study of a book of the Bible.

The lessons include:

• Leader's Notes
• 7 studies based on reference materials included in the Blackaby Study Bible
• An explanation and interpretation of Scripture
• A story that illustrates the passage in focus
• Other Bible verses related to the theme
• Questions for reflection
• Suggestions for application in everyday life.

The Chronicles are more than a history of ancient Israel under the ascent and rule of the Davidic dynasty. They are a story whose grand theme is hope. Great battles are fought, heroes and tyrants vie for power, Israel splits into rival kingdoms, and the soul of God’s holy nation oscillates between faithlessness and revival. Yet above this tossing sea of human events, God’s covenant promises reign untroubled and supreme. First and Second Chronicles are a narrative steeped in the best and worst of the human heart—but they are also a revelation of Yahweh at work, forwarding his purposes in the midst of fallible people. God has a plan to which he is committed. Today, as then, God redirects our vision from our circumstances in this turbulent world to the surety of his kingdom, and to himself as our source of confidence and peace. Exploring the links between the Bible and our own times, Andrew E. Hill shares perspectives on 1 and 2 Chronicles that reveal ageless truths for our twenty-first-century lives. Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don’t discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable—but the job is only half done! The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our postmodern context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today.