Wide Awake Study Guide

This past Tuesday night in our APEX Young Adult group, we finished studying the book Wide Awake, by Erwin McManus. This was a very fruitful and challenging study for us. We closed our small groups last night, meditating on this verse of Scripture:

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

I’m believing God to do far more abundantly than each young adult at APEX can ask or think, as they step out and fulfill their dreams.

Here on my blog you can access all the study guide notes for the book.

Wide Awake Study Guide: Final Chapter!

IMAGINE: The Human

•    What is the most memorable insight you gleaned from reading this book?

•    On page 235, what does Erwin say humanity ultimately needs? Do you agree? Why or why not? Record the answer below.

•    Do you need to rethink who you are and who you will become? After reading this book, what steps are you going to take?

“The imagination is the soil from which we grow our lives.”

•    Read Jeremiah 33:3 and 4:48. Stuck in a prison cell, do you think it was easy for Jeremiah to believe what God said?

•    Read Ephesians 3:20. As we finish this study, let’s make this a life verse and never stop believing that God will blow our minds as we dream and act according to His will.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”

Wide Awake Study Guide – Chapter 8

INVEST – The Romantic

•    Tell the group about your closest friend. Why do you consider them so close?

•    Read Mark 2:1-12. What does this passage have to do with close relationships?

“A life well lived isn’t about who walks the fastest but about who has the most people walking with them.”

•    The passage says, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” Why do you think his sins were forgiven because of the faith of the whole group?

•    Writing Exercise: Do you have friends you refuse to leave behind? As you pursue your dreams and goals and ambitions, do you have people in your life who are the kind of friends that, if they were not with you, you could no longer define that endeavor as successful? Write down your answer, naming specific people.

“They had moved to the level of living that they found satisfaction in the healing and wholeness of their friend. His success was their success.”

•    Is it easier to ‘do life’ alone? Why or why not?

Wide Awake Study Guide – Chapter 7

ENJOY – The Hedonist

•    What is a simple pleasure you love in life? Coffee? Twinkies? Sunsets? Nintendo Wii? Share yours with the group.

•    Is life for you ‘an endless exploration of beauty and mystery’? Explain why or why not.

•    Think about someone in your life with a contagious personality. What makes them contagious?

“You were created to enjoy, but make sure you enjoy what you were created for.”

•    What is the difference between proper pleasure and destructive pleasure? What kind of pleasure should we be pursuing? Explain your answer.

•    Erwin says that our darkest moments in life will be when our relationships are a mess. Why is this the case? Explain your answer.

•    Read James 1:2. Why can trials be an opportunity for joy? Explain your answer.

•    Why do we conclude that the people who are truly spiritual are the ones who are sober, serious, and joyless? Do you agree?

“The less you enjoy your life, the weaker you will be on your journey. Why? Because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Wide Awake Study Guide – Chapter 6

CREATE – The Activist

• Have you ever had any inventing ideas? If you’re not embarrassed, share your ideas with the group.

• In what area are you most creative? Share your personal experience with the group.
“God given gifts, fueled by a heart for God and a love for people, brings God great glory.”

• Erwin states, “God created the chicken and the egg. But we created the quiche.” Only God creates out of nothing but we can use what God has given. Do believe you were designed to create? Explain why or why not.

• Read Matthew 25:1-13. Share with the groups what is the theme of this parable.

• What are the two things Erwin says we need on page 165 to prepare for a different future? Write them below and define each.

1.
2.

“If you begin to capture a picture of the life you dream of but do not prepare for the challenges you will face to make them a reality, you will not see it happen. I see this all the time: people who have huge dreams but are unwilling to pay the price to see them through.”
• What does my dream demand of me? Share your thoughts with the group.

• Read the character study (on page 180-181) of Lisa Ma Perez. What inspires you about her life?

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 5

FOCUS – The Seer

•    What stood out to you after reading this chapter?

•    Read Matthew 14:22-33. What was Peter’s focus before he sank? What was his distraction?

“We get distracted by our surroundings and circumstances and everything happening around us, and they pull our attention away from where we are supposed to be going. The nemesis of focus is distraction.”

•    The “waves” and the “wind” are inevitable throughout our lives. What are you focusing on beyond this?

•    What really matters to you? What are you passionate about? Share your thoughts with the group.

•    As a child, Jesus was preparing for who He would be at age 33, when he began his public ministry. What has God created you to do?

“When you have focus, you see beyond the moment into the future. You see beauty when others only see tragedy. You see hope when others only see despair. You see possibilities when others only see problems. You see others when others only see themselves. You see eternity when others only see history. You see God in everything. You are a seer.”

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 4

EXPECT – The Believer

•    What was your favorite insight after reading this chapter?

•    Read Hebrews 10:32-39. What caused these early Christians to persevere through such difficulty?

•    What trials are you facing right now that you need to persevere through with confidence and optimism?

•    Read the Scripture on the next two pages. Do you feel you’ve lessened your dream to match your level of difficulty?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what was seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:1-3).

•    According to these verses, what is faith? How does this apply to your dream for your life?

“Faith is about confidence in God’s character, that he is good and true and beautiful.”

•    Read the middle chapter on page 111. Do you believe you can live a life like this?

•    Are you living for something greater than happiness, prosperity, wealth, or prestige? What are you living for?

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 3

ADAPT – The Alchemist

• Have you ever had huge dreams and ideas for a big life you know you were supposed to live, but you felt you were somehow ill equipped, or improperly trained? Tell the group about your experience.

• Tell someone in the group an aspect of greatness you see in them. What potential do you see?

• Read the quote below. Describe a challenge in your life that God has used to make you a better person.

“The more challenging your circumstances, the greater your opportunity to see God raise you to new levels of living.”

• Read the first paragraph of ‘raising the bar’ on page 71. What does the author mean by unstoppable?

• What is at your core? Do you have any convictions for which you would be willing to risk everything? Name some of them.

“The life of your dreams needs to be rooted in a desire to serve others.”
• Tell the group your current profession. How are you serving others through it?

• Most of us cannot alter our lives in a day. What small steps can you take to fulfill your dream? Share your thoughts.

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 2

DISCOVER – The Explorer

• Describe your most memorable vacation. What made it so memorable?

• Have you forsaken your dream for a life you can manage?

• What are some practical steps you can take to explore; to continue learning?

• As a group, identify something that is wrong with the world. How could you go beyond identifying the problem to creating the solution?

“Real genius, real invention is not about identifying a problem but about solving it.”

• What is your life contributing to the world?

“God seems to free the oppressed, end injustice, feed the hungry, bring victory, and do every good work through men and women who refuse to surrender to the problem.”

• Do you have a career or a calling? Are you where you are by accident or intention?

Wide Awake Study Guide: Chapter 1

DREAM – The Artist

•    What were your childhood dreams or fantasies? What would the world look like if they became a reality?

•    Dreams must be aligned with talent. What are your unique talents?

“God is not going to invest himself in a dream fueled by greed, arrogance, self-indulgence, and self-centeredness. Your passions fuel your dreams. God doesn’t say ‘yes’ to everything we ask because our dreams need to be fueled by the right things.”

•    Where are your dreams coming from? Who or what is informing your dreams? Erwin says God gives God-sized dreams to people with God-shaped hearts (21).

•    Have you ever courageously pursued a dream?

•    Have you ever been discouraged on the path of pursuing your dream because of opposition, trials, and
difficulty? Tell us about your experience. Have you viewed these difficulties as God’s process for you?

•    Are there lies you’ve believed that you need to face head-on in order to pursue your dream? Have you been so discouraged along the journey that you’ve given up?