first book challenge

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D a v i D E D w a r D s a n D J o h n s t a m p E r


2011 by David Edwards and John StamperAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from NavPress, P.O. Box 35001, Colorado Springs, CO 80935. www.navpress.com

NAVPRESS and the NAVPRESS logo are registered trademarks of NavPress. Absence of in connection with marks of NavPress or other parties does not indicate an absence of registration of those marks.

ISBN-13: 978-1-61521-914-8 (First Book Challenge: Phase 1) ISBN-13: 978-1-61747-166-7 (First Book Challenge: Phase 2) ISBN-13: 978-1-61747-167-4 (First Book Challenge: Phase 3)

Cover design by Kathy Guist

Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved. All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental.

Unless otherwise identified, all Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version (niv). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Other versions used include: the New American Standard Bible (nasb), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version (kjv).

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / 16 15 14 13 12 11

NavPress is the publishing ministry of The Navigators, an international Christian organization and leader in personal spiritual development. NavPress is committed to helping people grow spiritually and enjoy lives of meaning and hope through personal and group resources that are biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical.

For a free catalog go to www.NavPress.com or call 1.800.366.7788 in the United States or 1.800.839.4769 in Canada.


5thE First Book

ChallEngE

In those days the word of the Lord was rare.

1 SamueL 3 :1

in samuEls Day, the Word of God was not spoken, read, or heard. The Word of God had been devalued. It was a wordless world. The same is true in our world today. We are living in a quickly changing culture of people whose shifting values produce a self-stylized spirituality and who are in search for fulfillment for its own sake. It would be easy to assign the blame to music, art, enter-tainment, and government, but a clear grounding in the Word of God has been removed from the landscape of our society.

The shock waves of a wordless society caused by the disappear-ance of the Word of God have resulted in schools removing prayer and the Ten Commandments and a blurring of right and wrong. As students face these changes, they find themselves living in a world of moral gray areas, as evidenced by the rise of social drinking, the decline of moral boundaries, and the loss of respect toward others, along with a heightened sense of entitlement and a driving belief that people are only a means to an end. Certainly, access to the Word of God is not the problem; Bibles fill the lost-and-found


6 F irst Book ChallEngE

boxes in many churches. What is lacking is a personal connection to the Bible, accompanied by a skill set that gives students the abil-ity to read, hear, and receive Gods Word.

Without a working knowledge of Scripture, students become spiritually tone-deaf to the message of Gods Word. This can cause a chain reaction of anger, resentment, lack of purpose, and disap-pointment with life. They are more likely to steal, be physically abusive, cheat on an exam, use illegal drugs, and attempt suicide. The Bible is the change agent for this generation; students need a deeply held belief in God and His Word. This belief will serve as the foundation of their faith so that no matter what comes their way, they will stand strong. The Word of God now and always is speaking as it was in Samuels day, and like Samuel, people are listening. They are tuning in to the frequency of Gods Word.

There is a generation of students who will not bow down to the prevailing trends of society or its relentless pursuit of materialism. They will no longer be led astray by easy believe-ism but instead have embraced Gods standard of absolute truth and the pursuit of godliness. They have heard the call to continue holding on to the priority of Scripture, believing that the Word of God places salva-tion for all of mankind. They believe that the Bible is more than a guidebook or a textbookthat it is the very portrait of Christ, who is our hope for eternal life. The Bible is unique because it unlocks the true identity, purpose, and destiny of our lives. It assures us that God has not left us here to grope our way through life but has given us His wisdom in His Word to be studied, believed, and obeyed. This generation speaks with conviction what the pages of Scripture declarethat God is alive; they have set their lives in motion by His Spirit; they have picked up His book and made it their First Book.


introDuCtion 7

onE-onE-onE

In each session, students will learn one principle, dive into one pas-sage, and discover one way to interact with Scripture. Keeping it simple ensures that students walk away with something practical each week teaching them that the Bible is the First Book. The fol-lowing chart lists each principle, passage, and application.

Principle Passage Off-the-Page Application

God works through His Word.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25

Memorizing Scripture

God is great. Isaiah 46:9-11 Translate, Transfer, Transform

The Bible is a spiritual book written to spiritual people.

2 Timothy 3:16 One Book at a Time

The Bible is the means of our growth.

Ezekiel 36:24-27 What Should I Do About It?

Know before you go. Joshua 1:8 Scripture Meditation

You cant quote it if you dont know it.

Matthew 4:1-11 Memorizing Scripture

Think. Believe. Act. John 8:31-32 Scriptures for Each Thought

Dont forget to breathe. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 Read for Transforma-tion, Not Information

With God, we begin in and then out.

Philippians 2:13 Prayer and Scripture

The passion of the Holy Spirit points us to the presence of Jesus.

John 14:26 Reading and Repeti-tion

When the best and worst of me collide, I must choose sides.

Galatians 5:16-17 Hearing God in Scripture

The Holy Spirit makes the real Jesus real in us.

John 1416 One Book at a Time



how to Join thE First Book

ChallEngE

Pick a launch date for the challenge. Churches across the nation will begin after August 1, 2011.

Plan a weekend launch event such as Back to School, Fall Retreat, or DiscipleNow. Or plan a one-night event at your church or in your community.

Schedule the visionaries and authors of the First Book Challenge to keynote your event (www.davetown.com).

Order all your resourcesincluding a custom version of The Message for First Book Challenge participants, T-shirts, and student booksfrom www.NavPress.com.

Complete phase 1 in four sessions during the weekend, or two sessions in a one-night event.

Continue with phases 2 and 3 during Wednesday-night gatherings, Sunday school, or small-group studies.

how to ChEat using this Book

This is not an endorsement of dishonesty but rather a helpful sum-mary of the seven sections found in each session. The seven sections focus on strategic areas that will allow you to encounter Gods Word, experience the life He has for you, and empower you to live out the First Book Challenge. Here are descriptions of each section:

Principle: This is the big idea phrased in a short and memorable fashion. By the end of each chapter, this is the one thing you should be able to take away and apply. The principle is like a hook on which all the truth of the chapter hangs.


introDuCtion 9

Passage: Each chapter will take one passage and explain the truth behind it to help you encounter God and His Word. Make sure you have a Bible and pen with you while reading. If you need a Bible, visit www.firstbookchallenge .com.

Unpacking the Passage: This is a list of questions for you to answer that will help you internalize the passage and gain a sense of its message. These are not exhaustive explanations; just enough is given to stir your senses with Gods Word.

Off the Page: Reading Scripture can sometimes be very challenging, especially in a culture whose thoughts are reduced to texts or tweets. This section will help you learn new and buoyant ways to read Scripture and get it into your heart, mind, and soul.

Personal Download: Reading or hearing Scripture can be very difficult, especially when you dont see how it is relevant to your life. This section will help you apply the passage to your personal environment.

Student Stories: This section highlights students who have lived out the principles of Scripture. They are true stories about young people who have faced struggles and challenges and have seen God do incredible things in their lives. You will be encouraged to see how God can use you to do amazing things also!

Heart Challenge: After each story, you will be asked direct, soul-searching questions that will allow you to reflect on not only how God is speaking and moving in your life but also how you will allow Him to use you to take the First Book Challenge.


1 1

ovErviEw

This is a list of the Table of Contents from each

of the three phases in the First Book Challenge.

phasE 1:

EnCountEring goD

through sCripturE

The First Book ChallengeHow to Cheat Using This BookIntroduction1. Remembering God2. More Than Words3. God Wrote a Book4. Change AgentConclusionBe a Better Bible ReaderPassing On the First Book Challenge

phasE 2:

ExpEriEnCE thE

transFormational liFE

The First Book ChallengeHow to Cheat Using This BookIntroduction1. Can I Get a Little Help Here?2. The Need to Read


1 2 F irst Book ChallEngE

3. All You Can Eat4. Oxygen for the SoulConclusionBe a Better Bible ReaderPassing On the First Book Challenge

phasE 3:

EmpowErED By thE holy spirit

The First Book ChallengeHow to Cheat Using This BookIntroduction1. God Works2. Back to Life3. Walk On4. The FriendshipConclusionBe a Better Bible ReaderPassing On the First Book Challenge


1 3

thE nEED to rEaD

prinCiplE: you Cant quotE it iF you

Dont know it.

Passage: Matthew 4:1-11The Bible was not divided into chapters and verses until hundreds of years after the individual books were written. Before chapter and verses were added, Sunday school sessions might have sounded something like this: Find the book of Romans. Now look some-where near the beginning at the sentence starting with For all have sinned. No, Sam, youve gone too far. Its kind of near the middle of the pagewell, in my Bible at least. By the time everyone liter-ally got on the same page, the bell would ring and it would be time for Big Church. Can you imagine how long it took everyone to get on the same page in Big Church? The chapters and verses are like addresses for houses; they help you locate the words easily. The chapters and verses also help us know the f low and the order of the thought. They create the context and help us find the Scripture when we need it.

Sometimes Scripture, when taken out of context, makes for some pretty hilarious memory verses for anything you may experience:



For when your siblings are annoying you: Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces. (Malachi 2:3, kjv)

For when the guy you met on Facebook is boring in real life: Some say, His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing. (2 Corinthians 10:10)

For the worst first date ever: All tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. (Isaiah 28:8, kjv)

For when you want a reason to have one more Kit Kat: He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat. (Proverbs 28:25, kjv)

For when you have to defeat the martians: Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to f light the armies of the aliens. (Hebrews 11:34, kjv)

For when the preacher is too long-winded: There was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. (Acts 20:9, nasb)

For eating raw oysters: Lets swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit. (Proverbs 1:12)

As you can see, committing Scripture to memory can be help-ful in any situation. But you cant quote it if you dont know it!

Life doesnt happen in a vacuum. When it comes to living life and following God, things can get messy. We can get worn out from the workload of school, the expectations of others, the drama


samplE ChaptEr 1 5

at home, and all the emotions we experience at once as our lives get busier and more complicated. The stresses of life can affect our sleep, health, and thinking. When you start to feel stressed out, look out! That is when the Enemy likes to attack and get you to make unwise choices and do things you would not ordinarily do.

You are not alone in facing tough times; Jesus also faced them in His life. There was a time when He was tired and hungry and emotionally drained. Matthew records how the Enemy came to tempt Him in hopes of pulling Him away from what He had come to earth to do. However, Jesus knew what it took to defeat tempta-tion. Not once did He ever let the Enemy get the best of Him, as Jesus knew one important thing: how to quote Scripture at the right time and right place. Now, let me ask you one simple question: If Jesus had to quote the Bible in order to fight temptation, how much more should we?

We must know what the Bible says about the issues we are deal-ing with so that the Word can infiltrate our circumstances, thoughts, and behavior. The Word of God keeps us from falling for every temptation thrown at us. Its always been the battle plan of Jesus. Knowing Gods Word in the midst of our daily demands is what gets us through those times. In this session, we are going to look at the role the Bible played in the life of Jesus. It is interesting to see in Scripture that Jesus thought the Old Testament was divinely inspired and made references to it as the Word of God.

The Word of God speaks to our needs and works to bring free-dom into our lives in three very specific ways:

It served as the antidote to temptation: Tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). Scripture is the only remedy for temptation. Scripture dilutes the effects temptation has on our minds and makes it resistible. Knowing Scripture will allow us to conquer the desire of sin and refuse temptation the next time it comes our way.



Heres an example of how Jesus used the Word when He faced temptation. In Matthew 4:1-11, the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. When Satan came to Jesus, he dared Him to prove He had all the messianic power. If Jesus had made bread out of stones, jumped off the temple, or bowed down and worshipped Satan, He would have fallen for the trap, but Jesus applied the antidote of Scripture. The same is true when we face temptation: The Word of God keeps us from falling for every temp-tation thrown at us.

It acted as the arsenal of truth: It is written (Matthew 4:3-4,6-7,9-10). The Word of God was a weapon for Jesus just as it is for us. The Bible is meant to be brought out to defend us against the onslaught of deception, strongholds, and crazy ideas that attempt to undermine the work of God in our lives. The Bible is our ammunition for overthrowing spiritual and emotional battles. This is how Jesus confronted and defeated the work of the Enemy, and this is how we must do it.

The priority in Jesus life was the Word of God. There was a time when Jesus purposefully planted the Word of God deep in His mind so it would be there to draw out when He needed it. Jesus was so well-versed in Scripture that He was able to spot both the slight-est misuse of it and the counterfeit claims made by the Enemy.

The Word of God was more than Jesus devotional material; it was His Bread of Life. He heard His Father in the pages of Scripture. He had left everything to come to earth, but the intimacy He had left behind in heaven was found as He fed on Gods Word. We need to see the time we interact with the Word of God as an investment in intimacy.

The time to make these investments is every single day. You dont know what battle youll find staring you in the face. It will be too late when the next struggle is right upon you. The time to


samplE ChaptEr 1 7

prepare to win is before the drink is offered. The preparation to win out over the temptation to cheat comes before realizing you dont know the answers on a test. Prepare to win over lust before the buttons f ly. The daily investment you make in becoming inti-mate with Gods Word will show up when it really counts.

Every time Satan said, If . . . , Jesus responded with, It is written. For every lie Satan fired at Him, Jesus had a correspond-ing truth. How many It is writtens do you know? If you were in the desert being tempted by Satans Ifs, how many scriptural answers would you come up with? We dont counter lies with more thoughts; we counter them with the Word of God. Not knowing the Word of God will keep us from being effective believers.

Very often I meet students who ask me, Will you come talk to my friend and help him with a problem? To which I reply, Why dont you talk to him yourself? The students will say, Well, you know more of the Bible than I do. Then Ill say, Why do I know more of the Bible than you do? Of course, there are always differ-ent answers given to that question, such things as age or experi-ence. But the reality is that knowing the Bible doesnt come with age; it comes with effort and time spent reading. To be uninformed of Scripture means that we are weaponless, and being weaponless leaves us feeling incapable of speaking to others and helping them in their struggles. Without an arsenal of truth, we are left with our own reasoning, which is of no use in making spiritual progress. Building our arsenal of truth with Scripture places us on the winning side of the battle with the Enemy.

It was applied as the agent of transformation: Then the devil left him (Matthew 4:11). The process of transformation involves taking out the old and putting in the new. Temptation itself is not a sin, but giving in to it is. Keep in mind that Jesus Himself was tempted but still lived a sinless life. What happens is we are



confronted with temptation, which many times leads to desire. Those desires, if not controlled, lead to wrong choices. Gods Word is the force that creates new thoughts that lead to a changed life.

God is in the process of transforming you into the image of Jesus Christ. Transformation means change. We cant change ourselves; we must be changed by something. Gods Word is the agent of transformation: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2, nasb). Every time you are tempted, its an opportunity for God to lead you past the obstacle and into further personal transformation. God wants you changed into Christs image, so expect obstacles.

We are fighting an unseen Enemy. Our Enemy doesnt dig his foxholes in dirt; he digs them in the minds of men and women. Real progress in the Christian life is made when our thinking starts to change. Our thinking starts to change when we regularly apply the Word of God to our minds. The Word of God is the change agent that produces real transformation.

unpaCking thE passagE

1. What was Jesus physical condition when Satan tempted Him?

2. How many days had Jesus fasted?


samplE ChaptEr 1 9

3. What lessons can we learn from this passage (Matthew 4:1-11) regarding Jesus quoting the Old Testament?

4. What does the passage teach us regarding the power of Scripture?

5. How many times did Satan tempt Christ in the passage?

oFF thE pagE

When it comes to memorizing, we have to train ourselves to remember. For most of us, phone numbers, addresses, and vital information are stored on our phones or laptops. The reality is that there will be times that we need Scripture and wont be able to access the technology to find it; well have to be able to recall it with our minds.

Committing Scripture to memory will benefit you in many ways. It will empower you to win in the areas in which you face constant struggle. When life goes into panic mode, recalling the Word will give you peace of mind and release you from intensify-ing fear, panic, and anxiety. When Gods Word lives in your thoughts, youll have more courage to share your faith. Placing Gods Word deep within your mind will also accelerate your



spiritual growth and break you out of dangerous life patterns. It will make you wiser in distinguishing the truth and the lies of the world. Only good can come out of memorizing Gods Word.

The temptations Jesus faced can be placed into three groups: emotion, envy, and ego. We face these same kinds of temptations, and its helpful to have some specific verses memorized to win in these areas of temptation:

Emotional temptations come at times when we are confronted with desires that will take us to a place God doesnt want us to be. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Envy means wanting what someone else has and not wanting that person to have it either. (Proverbs 14:30)

Ego means wanting to impress someone by being someone youre not. (Matthew 16:25-26)

pErsonal DownloaD

1. Describe a time in your life that you struggled with being tempted with something sinful.

2. What steps are you taking to ensure that your arsenal of truth is stocked up?


samplE ChaptEr 2 1

3. How does Matthew 4:1-11 reveal to you who Jesus is? How does this change your outlook on temptation?

4. Jesus was tempted more than once. That said, how do you plan to overcome the obstacles and temptations as they continue to occur in your life?

5. Why is it imperative to grasp and model Matthew 4:1-11?

stuDEnt storiEs

There are so many commercials today that revolve around exercise. The commercials make crazy claims such as if you use their equip-ment only 32.7 seconds a day, youll lose 212 pounds within five weeks. Or if you take just one of their diet pills, youll look like your choice of movie star. The commercials claim that you can select your choice of physique along with the supernatural ability to attract anyone of the opposite sex. Obviously, our culture is obsessed with image. This obsession has caused many individuals, particularly youth, to become frustrated with themselves and their anatomy. This frustration typically leads to individuals



questioning their value and role with their friends and at school, sometimes even within their own homes. The fact of the matter is that we consistently move through life being bombarded by temptations.

At age eighteen, Jeff came home from high school football practice to receive in the mail a letter he had long awaited. It was from a university in Kansas that was offering Jeff a full-ride schol-arship to use his skills in football to help take the university all the way to the championships. This is something that not only Jeff had longed for but his entire family as well. As we all know, football is a priority in the great state of Kansas.

As a jock, Jeff found himself being influenced many times by individuals who had anything in mind for Jeff except what was really best for him. Jeff had everything our culture told him he was to have: popularity, a full-ride football scholarship, a girlfriend he had dated all through high school and was expected to marry. As Jeff was making the transition from high school football player with seniori-tis to up-and-coming university football star, God spoke. He spoke to Jeff in an unmistakable way with a distinct call on his lifeand it was not a call to go to the university to play football.

Jeff was being called by God to be used in full-time ministry. Jeff remembered reading Matthew 4, when Jesus faced His own temptations in the desert. The Enemy had offered Jesus things that would have brought Him momentary satisfaction but would have required Him to give up what God had sent Him to do. Jeff under-stood the way Jesus must have felt when all the kingdoms of the world were placed at His feet. Jeff knew saying yes to the scholar-ship would satisfy him emotionally and make him the envy of all his friends, but pursuing football would mean stepping away from what God was calling him to do.

The time had come for Jeff to make a pivotal decision in his


samplE ChaptEr 23

life. One decision led to lights, fame, and possible trophies and championship rings; the other led to a small Bible college with professors who would look like anything but professional athletes. Jeff decided on the Bible college even though he knew that his teammates and classmates would question why in the world he would give up so much to settle for what they thought was so little. Jeff recalls how difficult it was to call his recruiting coaches to inform them of his decision to follow God on a path with total uncertainties.

When fall came around, Jeff packed his bags, gathered his items, and placed them in the car. His parents made the trip with him to the small college that would equip him for making an astro-nomical impact on the lives of students, adults, and leaders around the world. He had successfully fought the temptation to follow worldly pursuits.

hEart ChallEngE

1. When it comes to the temptation of image, what do you find yourself struggling or being tempted with most?

2. We see that Jesus used Scripture to overcome temptation. What verses do you know of that will best help you overcome temptations you are likely to face? List at least three passages.



3. Overcoming temptation is one of the most challenging things we can do in our Christian walk. The flesh wants what is contrary to the spirit. This internal battle that continually exists within our lives causes incredible strife, and we cant overcome those challenges and struggles alone; we need friends and leaders around us to encourage us during these trying times. Take a few moments right now to pray that God would put in your heart the names of at least three individuals you could turn to for support. After youve written these names down and God has confirmed this in your life, plan a time to contact each one of these individuals to share whats going on in your life and ask them to encourage you on this journey.

passing on thE First Book

ChallEngE

Carry it. Live it. Give it.Every Christian can be a great Christian if he or she is willing to pay the price. Pursuing greatness in Christianity means being will-ing to make choices based on Gods Word. It means letting the relationship you have with God and the knowledge of His Word influence all your decisions along with your relationships with others.

Most students have found they make more progress as disciples when helping someone else do the same thing. Investing spiritually in the lives of others is an amazing experience. Now that you have


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journeyed through this phase of the First Book Challenge and have learned skills about reading and recalling the Word, we are asking you to take the First Book Challenge by leading one person through the phase as well. We are challenging you to be a change agent on your campus and carry your Bible to school every day, be inten-tional about how you live, and find two people you can give a Bible to. You are wired to make a difference. Wherever Gods book becomes the First Book, great things will happen!


first book challenge

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