Discussion Questions

David Brousseau says, “Most Christians know more about the history of their country than they do about the history of Christianity”; what does that expose about our loyalties and imagination, and what would it practically look like for a church to correct that imbalance without becoming merely “history people”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Christians know more about their country’s history than church history, what does that say about what we care about most? How could a church teach Christian history in a healthy way without becoming “history nerds”?

The teaching claims “the faith was complete” by the time the last apostle died (around 100 AD) and then handed down publicly “among many witnesses”; how should that shape the way Christians today evaluate “new” doctrines, emphases, or movements that claim to recover the Bible? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If the faith was already complete by the time the last apostle died, how should we judge “new” teachings or movements today that say they’re getting back to the Bible?

David argues that “the New Testament is our only inspired witness,” yet also insists the early Christian writings are uniquely valuable because they come from a time when “everywhere on earth, all Christians believed the same thing”; what does this assume about early Christian unity, and how does that assumption challenge the modern comfort with endless denominations that all claim “Bible only”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If early Christians mostly believed the same things, what does that say about church unity back then? How does that challenge today’s comfort with lots of denominations that all say “Bible only”?

David insists true research requires primary sources and a “blank slate,” warning that otherwise we’ll only look for what “bolsters your own view”; where do you feel most defensive about starting with a blank slate (baptism, politics, atonement, nonviolence, entertainment, dress, Trinity, etc.), and what would it cost you relationally to actually do it? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What topic do you have the hardest time approaching with an open mind instead of defending your current view? If you really tried, what relationships or social costs might you face?

David’s personal admission—“If I’d lived in the church back in those days, I would be considered a backslidden, really washed-out Christian”—is deliberately unsettling; what specific early-Christian expectations do you think would most likely expose modern “washed-out Christianity,” and why do we instinctively resist that comparison? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What early-Christian standards do you think would make today’s Christianity look weak or “washed out”? Why do we hate being compared to the early church?

Historic Faith intentionally links learning to “obedient love faith relationship with Jesus” rather than “head knowledge”; what habits in your own Bible study or sermon consumption make knowledge feel spiritually safe while obedience feels optional? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What habits in your Bible reading or sermon listening make you feel spiritual just by learning, even if you don’t obey? Where do you treat obedience like it’s optional?

Clark described the shift from a “pseudo-American dream/personal salvation life with Christ” to “the grand story of God and his church”; what parts of your Christianity still function like a personal-salvation project more than belonging to a historic people with a kingdom mission? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where does your faith still feel mostly about “me getting saved and helped” instead of being part of God’s people on a mission? What would need to change for that to shift?

The platform built in quizzes, certificates, gamification, and structured pathways because people might not pay simply to access sermons; what does that reveal about modern attention, discipleship, and the difference between being informed and being trained? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does it say about us that people may not pay attention unless learning feels like a game with quizzes and rewards? What’s the difference between knowing facts about Jesus and being trained to follow him?

Clark celebrated testimonies like “for the first time, I truly understand why I wear a head covering,” emphasizing principles rather than mere practice; where in your church life do you see people keeping practices without understanding, and how does that eventually affect perseverance and love? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where do you see people doing church practices without really knowing why they do them? How can that hurt their long-term faith and love?

Zach described Sattler’s discipleship metrics (prayer, Word, fasting, purity, quality relationships, and sharing faith) and even grading daily devotionals; what does that suggest about God’s intentions for measurable obedience, and how does it confront evangelical instincts that treating disciplines as “requirements” is automatically legalism? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If discipleship includes trackable habits like prayer, fasting, and purity, what might that show about God wanting real, visible obedience? Why do many Christians quickly call any “requirements” legalism?