The Transformation
Page 40
What event in your past do you need to let go of? It is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience the renewal that awaits you through saying yes to God’s invitation of heart restoration … and the life-transforming joy that will follow.
Discussion Questions
1.What was your initial response when Samantha Cohen reveals what she planned to do to the church (convert it into a restaurant/nightclub)? Do you think Oliver should have walked away from the project at the outset? Would you? Why or why not?
2.What struck you about Pastor Han’s story? Were you comfortable with him sharing his secrets with Samantha? Explain.
3.How would you describe the relationship between Oliver and Taller, as brothers? In what ways does their perception of each other affect that relationship? Are there ways in which you can relate, with your own siblings?
4.What’s the first hint that Oliver has some “issues” with his mother, and her expectations of him? How are these hints confirmed as the story develops?
5.In what ways has Oliver been affected by his father’s death when he was a young boy? How was the Barnett family dynamic affected? Look back on your own childhood. What issues have influenced the way your family interacts, even now?
6.In what ways has Samantha been affected by her mother’s death—and the manner of her death—when she was a teenager? How was the Cohen family dynamic affected? Looking back on your teen years, do you remember words spoken that you wish had never been spoken? If so, how have those words altered your perspective of that person? Of yourself?
7.How did you feel about Oliver hiring the Pratt brothers as carpenters on the project? If it was your decision, would you have hired them? Is it easy for you to give people “second chances”? Why or why not? What was your reaction when Oliver receives conflicting advice about his decision from Pastor Mosco and Barth? Whose view was closest to your own? Explain.
8.Would you call Paula’s faith “authentic”? Why or why not? What clues can you give as proof of your theory? Do you think Oliver believed her faith was authentic? What would make him think so—or wonder? What, to you, are signs of true Christian belief?
9.How is Oliver different from all of the other men with whom Samantha has had relationships? How did the way he refused to compromise his moral beliefs impact their relationship? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to stick to your guns, morally, and it cost you something? What happened as a result?
10.Besides Oliver’s influence, what other factors came into play to cause Samantha to think about her relationship to God? How did Sarah—a fellow and “completed Jew,” someone more like Samantha than Oliver or Cameron—make a difference in her understanding of Christian belief? In what way(s) can you reach out to those who are similar or different from you in faith and/or background?
11.What’s the difference between law and grace? Explain, using a couple of examples from the book. What do you tend to lean most toward—law or grace? What factors in your background have led you to respond that way?
12.What was your response to Barth’s opinion on how God views suicide? In what way(s) do Barth’s words influence situations you may have faced with hurting people in the past?
13.Do you think there was something special about the church building? The windows? Is there such a thing as “sacred space”? Why or why not?
14.What did you think was going to happen when Paula discovers she’s pregnant? Were you surprised by the outcome? Explain.
15.How did God use Oliver to fulfill His plan for “the church,” even when he struggled with transforming a church building into something else? How might you use your current circumstances and stresses to help touch others’ lives and build “the church”?
What people are saying about …
The Project Restoration Series
“The Renewal is a sweet, gentle, authentic story that sneaks up on you and grabs hold of your heart. It’s an unanticipated gift, a tender unfolding, a tale of two people who carry heavy emotional burdens and their struggle to finally shed those burdens and find new life. This is a very special story written by a very special author—a book of quiet peace, intense realism, and poignant God-inspired truth. I’ll remember this book for a long time to come.”
Kathleen Morgan, author of As High as the Heavens and One Perfect Gift
“The Renovation is a beautifully crafted story about the broken relationship between a man and his son, and the joyful restoration of a mended heart and an old mansion. Engaging characters move the story along at a wonderful pace.”
Lori Copeland, author of Simple Gifts and Monday Morning Faith
“In a captivating and evocative story, Terri Kraus skillfully weaves distance, longing, forgiveness, and redemption into a cast of unforgettable characters. [The Renovation] is a book to savor and ponder.”
Nancy Ortberg, former teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church and author of Looking for God
“Renovate your reading schedule to include this great new title by Terri Kraus! In The Renovation, Kraus crafts a tale that both tugs at the heart and tickles the funny bone.”
Cyndy Salzmann, author of the highly acclaimed Friday Afternoon Club Mystery series
“Terri Kraus has woven an absorbing and deeply felt story of forgiveness that touches both the magnificence of heaven and the tenderly drawn detail of human relationship. Subtly and with compassion she explores the struggle of ordinary people finding their way through the complex emotional legacies of past pain, to the simplicity and peace of experiencing God’s forgiveness and love. This is a compelling, memorable, honest story, offering hope and deepening faith.”
Penelope Wilcock, author of The Clear Light of Day
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