I had not realised just how much of scripture really spoke to my situation, living away from family in a culture that is, in some ways, “foreign”. I recommend this book to anyone living away from “home”.
The bible is full of people living away from home
Join them on a journey to discover what God has to teach you about living an incredible life in the place in which He has put you.
Life abroad, in ways distinct from life ‘at home’, changes you. It forces you into uncomfortable learning places more often, and with less support, than would otherwise be the case. And in dealing with those challenges, you create shared experiences and friendships with people from the nations, all thrown together, often only for a season.
More often than not, the people we meet in scripture have been displaced in some way from their ‘home’. From a chosen people wandering in the wilderness, to a baby left to the meanderings of a river. From ordinary men sent out to share the good news, to a Saviour, born one week’s journey away from home.
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What’s inside?
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Suitable for individuals and groups
The study works well in a small group bible study setting, and also as a personal devotional.
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Leader′s guide included
Whether you’re leading the study with a group, part of a group, or doing it as self-study, the leader’s guide provides a place to flick for extra guidance as you work through the questions.
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Scripture Passages Included
While it’s always good to have a bible on hand, we include the passages being studied (from the ESV version) in each study to make it easier to reference as you work through the questions.
This study takes a look at Acts 13:42-52 where we see Paul being sent far and wide to spread the good news of the gospel. Paul spent much of his time ‘on the road’ and had to deal with peoples that embraced him and plenty that ran him out of town.
Turning to Philippians 3:8-21, we reflect on the idea of citizenship. There are certain rights and duties which flow from the citizenship(s) we hold and this can help us understand better the concept of having “our citizenship …in heaven.”
Recognising that relationships with family are some of the things most impacted by life overseas, this study seeks to draw lessons from Matthew 12:46-50 as Jesus interacts with his earthly family.
This studies moves to the Old Testament with a deep dive into Exodus 2:1-15. Here, we find Moses torn from one culture into another and struggling with his own identity as he comes of age.
Looking at Ephesians 2:11-22, we look again to the ministry of Paul and his vision of the church that God is building. We are each called to play a part even across languages and cultures.
Leading us towards eternal truth, the final study looks at Hebrews 6:13-20 and challenges with big questions about how we see the future – particularly as those spending a sometimes undefined period of time living abroad.
Meet the author
Robert Clarke was born and raised in the United Kingdom but had spent almost seven years living abroad by the time he turned 30. A barrister by training, he has volunteered abroad, studied abroad, and worked abroad. He now lives in Vienna, Austria, with his wife and daughter.
As a small group leader, he worked through a number of different study guides, all great, but none tailored towards some of the particular aspects of living life in a foreign culture. Like most labours of love, the idea for this study came after searching extensively for something similar and eventually coming to the conclusion that it did not exist.
