On this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Pastor Chris Kennedy joins host Elizabeth Pittman to preview his newest book, Unfailing: God’s Assurance for Times of Change. Pastor Kennedy talks with Elizabeth about finding hope in God’s Word during the big changes we experience throughout life.
Get a copy of Unfailing at cph.org/unfailing.
Show Notes
Change, whether big or small, can unnerve us. The good news is that God does not leave us to go through the ups and downs in our lives alone. Assurance and encouragement can be found in Scripture.
Looking at the life of the prophet Samuel, Pastor Kennedy writes about the changes Samuel endured and uses these examples to show readers how they can trust God to lead them through the shifts in their own lives. Listen to the full episode to hear from Pastor Kennedy as he dives into
Pastor Kennedy’s website: pastorchriskennedy.com
Questions
- Why Samuel? What led you to him as the catalyst for this conversation about change?
- Why do you think it [change] can be so hard for us?
- Is there a time in your life when there's been a change that you'd like to share and what you learned from that?
- In chapter 3, you go through God’s Word and where He speaks about change. Can you speak to some of those verses and where we can find comfort there?
- You reference the research you did with your congregation and with others you know. What did you learn from that survey and what people told you where they struggle with change?
- Sometimes we’re with a friend or a loved one who's experiencing change. What can we learn from Samuel about why we should advocate for that person?
- As you set the book up, you include some discussion questions at the end of every chapter. What do you hope readers will take away from this, whether they're reading individually, or if they're reading this as part of a Bible class or a small group?
About the Guest
Christopher M. Kennedy is the senior pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, School, and Childcare in San Antonio, Texas. He is also the author of Equipped: The Armor of God for Everyday Struggles, Grace under Pressure: Responding Faithfully to Stress, and Jesus Said What? He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication, a Master of Theology, and a doctorate in ministry. Pastor Kennedy and his wife are parents of four children.