Ephesians: Finding True Love

By Sarah Howell

WHERE MOVIES AND IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY COLLIDE In Ephesians: Finding True Love, you will journey through Paul's letter with today's most popular films and screen actors as your guides. This six-week... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0899571115
• ISBN13: 9780899571119
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: AMG Publishers
• Length: 164 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher

Customer Reviews

Learn to Look for God in Everything!

From the opening sentences of the Introduction to the final prayer, Sarah Howell had me hooked. She opened my eyes to a new way of looking at Ephesians, and she's right...it really IS a love story. I don't think any other writer has generated so much excitement about beginning a Bible study. Not only did Sarah do that, she also kept the excitement going, day after day for six weeks! It didn't hurt that she chose the love stories from some of my favorite movies (The Notebook and Sweet Home Alabama among others) to draw parallels with the love stories in Ephesians. Sarah not only relates parts of the movies that fans will know, but also little-known "behind the scenes" stories about the actors, screenwriters, and directors which are used to show just how relevant the Bible still is in our daily lives. What an exciting way to explore the Word! And even if you haven't seen all the movies she discusses, she gives enough of the key story lines to clearly illustrate her points. Sarah doesn't overload the reader with verses to memorize, or leave entire blank pages on which to write responses to her probing questions. Instead, she includes a VOW or Verse of the Week and uses fun icons to guide the reader in various activities. As a busy woman, I appreciated the limited space provided to respond to her thought-provoking questions because I know I have to be succinct in my responses, and I don't have to stress about how long I'm going to spend working on it. Sarah's ability to make the Bible relevant and interesting is priceless. Reading this book will give any reader a new appreciation for the Bible, and probably have you watching popular movies in a whole new light as well.

Authentic, Contemporary, Relevant

"Ephesians: Finding True Love" is written for today's generation with the purpose of increasing the reader's strength in their understanding and knowledge of God's love. It is a love story of God's pursuit of those willing to accept the unconditional love He offers. The thought provoking questions and related narrative are designed for individual study or for group use. The six week study is made up of lessons formatted in five daily segments to be completed each week. Each lesson contains a verse of the week, brief commentary, questions for consideration or discussion, and a contemplative prayer. Contemporary stories and illustrations are drawn from real people from a generation of young people. Sarah has also used a unique approach for creating interest by using familiar popular movies as a backdrop for each week's lesson while introducing Biblical truths through movie trivia questions and movie mania insights as discussion starters. Background material from Old Testament writing as well as references to other New Testament passages reinforce the Ephesians passage as well as open up another level of understanding of the truth being uncovered. Sarah has a gift for extrapolating personal application from the scripture passages through her narrative, Biblical exercises, and the thought provoking questions suggested for study, reflection and contemplation. "Ephesians - Finding True Love" is purported to be a scriptural guide for today's woman and will appeal primarily to that audience, however, the practical illustrations and study material can easily be adapted for use by any serious young person eager to find Biblical truths from the book of Ephesians. This is an important, timely, study for contemporary young adults.

Excited about studying the Word?

I enjoy a good love story. Even more, I love God's love story, the Bible. After reading Ephesians: Finding True Love by Sarah Howell, I'm reminded again of how important it is to maintain my relationship with my first love, God. Sarah's ability to bring Ephesians to contemporary life through the use of movies is a great way to relate the truths of the Ephesian church of Paul's day to the Church today. Sarah does not compromise the truths of Scripture but incorporates cross-referencing and history of Ephesus as well as solid commentary and her personal vulnerability as a woman of God to engage the reader/student to the important point of personal application. I commend this sister in Christ for walking in faith to pen this book in addition to her first, Galatians: Breakaway to Freedom. Both studies are conducive for group use as well as personal quiet time. So, with the Word, a copy of Sarah's book, a pen, and some popcorn, some quality time in fellowship with God is sure to follow.