Discussion Questions

Sabina described rebelling against God because her mother claimed to be Christian but asked her to hate people she hated; what does this reveal about what God is like—and what He is not like—when people attach His name to demands that contradict Scripture? JumpstartAnother way to ask: When people use God’s name to demand things that go against the Bible, what does that show about what God is really like—and what He is not like?

Heiko called his upbringing “a Lutheran atheist” life—church membership, church tax, Christmas services, but “nothing to do with the Bible”; what do you think God’s intention is for His church when “being in the church” can exist without knowing Christ at all? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If someone can “belong to church” but not know Christ or the Bible, what do you think God wants His church to be like?

Sabina said she was “always on a quest” for truth and even feared demons might be involved in Tibetan Buddhism; how does their story challenge the modern assumption that spiritual searching is automatically harmless or neutral? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Sabina searched for spiritual truth and even feared demons; how does their story challenge the idea that all spiritual searching is harmless?

The “turning point” was unexpectedly finding the Hutterites’ secret worship place in Italy and Sabina sensing, “this is what you’re looking for”; what does that moment suggest about God’s pursuit and providence, and how would early Christians have interpreted such an interruption in an ordinary family vacation? JumpstartAnother way to ask: When they “accidentally” found the Hutterites and Sabina felt God was leading them, what does that say about God guiding people—and how might early Christians have understood that moment?

Sabina described seeing her sin, apologizing to people, changing their parenting from anti-authoritarian to “wrong and right,” and burning occult items; what does this repentance say about how God expects faith to reshape a household, not just private beliefs? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Sabina repented by admitting sin, making things right, changing how they parented, and getting rid of occult items; what does that show about how faith should change a whole home, not just personal beliefs?

Heiko emphasized that conservative Beachy Amish Mennonites did not criticize his long hair or jewelry, and that pressure would likely have produced rebellion; how do you discern the difference between patient discipleship and fear-of-man silence when someone’s life is clearly “worldly”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How can you tell the difference between patient discipleship and staying silent just because you’re afraid to upset someone when their life clearly doesn’t match God’s ways?

Both tied their marriage’s survival to learning submission, rejecting divorce as a normal option, and admitting “I have nothing under control—God does”; what does this imply about God’s purposes for marriage that might feel offensive in modern Western culture? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If marriage is meant to teach submission, reject divorce as an easy choice, and trust that God is in control, what does that say about God’s purpose for marriage that might clash with modern culture?

Sabina’s pastor warned that leaving a church that had women preaching would prevent her husband and children from becoming Christians because conservative churches are “too strict” and “legalistic”; what does this reveal about competing definitions of “freedom” and “legalism,” and how should a Christian weigh conscience against evangelistic strategy? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If a pastor says leaving a church over women preaching will keep your family from becoming Christian because strict churches are “legalistic,” what does that show about different ideas of “freedom” and “legalism,” and how should a Christian choose between conscience and trying to win others?

Heiko’s outsider observations—what people talk about after the service (football vs. sermon/scripture/life obedience), and how easily an unbeliever can tell whom a church is following—what would your own church’s “coffee break conversations” communicate to an outsider, and what would early Christians likely expect to hear among believers? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What would people hear your church talking about after the service, and what would that tell an outsider about who your church follows—what would early Christians expect believers to talk about?

Their counsel was, “Try it. Try it out… humble yourself… your wishes… are not so important… think about eternity,” and Heiko compared Bible understanding to not fully understanding a car engine; where do you personally demand “120% understanding” before obeying, and what specific obedience have you been delaying under the banner of needing more certainty? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where in your life do you refuse to obey until you feel you understand everything, and what is one clear step of obedience you’ve been putting off because you want more certainty?