Discussion Questions:
- Andrew Root refers to our time as “an age of despair.” What do you think contributes most to this widespread sense of sadness and loneliness in both our culture and in the church?
- How has the church in the West experienced its own form of despair, particularly in relation to fears of decline and extinction? Have you witnessed this in your own context?
- Andrew Root suggests that focusing solely on happiness can ironically lead to deeper sadness. How does this idea challenge or affirm your own perspective on the pursuit of happiness?
- Evangelism is often viewed as a strategy for church growth. How does Root reframe evangelism, and what do you think about his view that evangelism should be rooted in consolation rather than utility?
- The concept of ‘consolation’ is central to Root’s approach to evangelism. What practices or experiences have you seen (or could you imagine) in which the church effectively consoles people in their moments of sorrow?
- Root discusses loneliness as a defining feature of our cultural moment. In what ways can churches become communities where people do not have to grieve or suffer alone?
- Comparing contextual approaches, how do you react to Sherwood Lingenfelter’s idea that the Four Spiritual Laws were a contextual gospel message for UCLA students in the 1950s? What might an effective, contextual evangelism look like today?
- What do you think of Root’s idea that evangelism is more like a pilgrimage than a single event? How might this understanding change the way a church approaches outreach and discipleship?
- How might embracing ‘attending to’ or ‘walking with’ the lost differ from traditional modes of evangelism that focus on persuasion or convincing? What are the challenges and opportunities in making this shift?
- At several points, Root speaks about the presence of Christ meeting us in our sorrow. How do you personally, or in your community, experience the presence of Christ during difficult seasons? How might the church help others recognize this presence?
