what about sickness and death? — review by Claude

How would you summarise this bible study?

This is a 22-week house group Bible study that takes some of life's hardest questions seriously and works through them systematically using Scripture.

It begins where many people begin — with confusion and pain. Why is there evil? Why do people get sick and die? Why do accidents happen? Why is life so unfair? Why would a loving God send anyone to hell? These questions are addressed honestly and without easy answers, using the Bible as the primary source of wisdom rather than human reasoning alone.

From there the study moves to God's answer — the gospel of Jesus Christ — explaining what salvation is, why it is necessary, and why Jesus is the only way to God. It then walks readers through how to respond, covering practical areas like changing our ways, making decisions, choosing a church, and understanding and believing the Bible.

The final section looks at what God offers in return — the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, answered prayer, and divine healing — before closing with a chapter on persecution and a concluding reflection.

Running beneath everything is a single conviction: that the God who allowed suffering is the same God who entered into it through Jesus Christ, and that through Him there is not only explanation but genuine hope, healing, and life.

It is aimed at both seekers and believers, designed to be worked through together in community, and written with the conviction that honest questions deserve honest answers.

What is its purpose?

That is a question worth answering at several levels, because the study operates with more than one purpose simultaneously.

The stated purpose: On the surface, the study sets out to address some of life's hardest questions — why there is evil, why people get sick and die, why life is unfair — and to do so using the Bible as the primary source of wisdom. It is presented as a resource for house groups, designed to be worked through together over 22 weeks.

The deeper purpose: But the stated purpose only tells part of the story. Reading it carefully, the deeper purpose becomes clear. The study is fundamentally evangelistic. It is designed to take someone who is troubled by suffering and unanswered questions and walk them, gently but deliberately, toward faith in Jesus Christ. The questions about sickness and death are the entry point, not the destination.

This is evident in the structure. The study begins where a sceptic might begin — with pain and confusion — and ends where the author hopes every reader will end — with a living relationship with God, filled with the Holy Spirit, rooted in a local church, and prepared even for persecution.

Its pastoral purpose: Alongside the evangelistic purpose there is a clear pastoral one. The study wants to help people who are already believers but who have never properly wrestled with these questions. Many Christians carry unresolved doubts about suffering, healing, and the character of God. This study gives them permission to ask those questions openly and works through them in community rather than in isolation.

Its apologetic purpose: There is also an apologetic dimension — a desire to show that Christian faith is intellectually credible and that the Bible has serious and coherent answers to the questions that drive people away from God. The chapters on creation, the reliability of the Bible, and the problem of evil all serve this purpose.

Its ecclesial purpose: Finally, the study has a quietly countercultural ecclesiastical purpose. It takes the house group seriously as a place of genuine theological exploration, not merely fellowship and prayer. It assumes that ordinary people in ordinary living rooms are capable of engaging with profound questions if given the right material and the right environment. That is a statement of faith in the church at its most local and informal level.

In a single sentence: If you had to sum up its purpose in one sentence it would be this — to take honest questions about suffering seriously enough that the people asking them find their way to the God who not only has answers but is himself the answer.

That is an ambitious purpose. But it is a worthy one, and the study pursues it with integrity.

Who would benefit from this study?

This study would work well for a broad range of people, but some would benefit more than others.

Those most likely to benefit: People who are genuinely wrestling with why suffering exists and feel they need answers before they can commit to faith — this study was clearly written with them in mind, and the early chapters address their questions seriously rather than dismissing them. It treats honest doubt with respect, which people in this position will appreciate.

New or relatively new Christians who want a solid grounding in core doctrines would also find it very valuable. It covers an unusual breadth of ground — salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the church, healing, persecution, eschatology — in a way that is accessible without being simplistic.

Longer-standing Christians who have never properly thought through some of these harder questions would also benefit. Many churchgoers have never seriously engaged with topics like hell, divine healing, or the relationship between sin and sickness, and this study gives them a framework for doing so.

Who might find it challenging: People from a more liberal theological background may struggle with some of the firmer positions taken, particularly on hell, creation, and sexuality. That said, the study's own introduction encourages people to challenge what they read, which helps.

Those in acute grief or serious illness might find certain chapters difficult to engage with, and group leaders would need to handle those sessions with particular sensitivity.

The ideal audience: Honestly, the sweet spot is probably a mixed group — some believers, some seekers — in a church that is evangelical in theology but relaxed in atmosphere. That is exactly the kind of group that would get the most from it.

How does it compare with existing studies?

That's a question worth searching for rather than answering purely from memory, since the Bible study market is large and constantly changing. *Searched the web* Having looked at what else is out there, here is an honest comparison.

Where it stands out: The most striking thing is its scope. Most studies on suffering are either short topical studies of 4–8 sessions, or they are books aimed at individual reading rather than group discussion. Your study is 22 weeks long and covers the subject comprehensively — from the origin of evil right through to divine healing and persecution. Nothing in the market does quite what this does in a single resource.

It also has a strong evangelistic dimension that most studies lack. Comparable works like Jerry Bridges' Trusting God or R.C. Sproul's Surprised by Suffering are written primarily for existing believers. Your study genuinely attempts to bring seekers and believers through the same journey together, which is relatively unusual.

Where established resources have an edge: Books like C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain and Joni Eareckson Tada's When God Weeps carry enormous credibility and emotional depth drawn from personal experience. They are also more polished. Most commercially published studies have the benefit of professional editing, theological review panels, and years of field testing in churches.

Overall comparison: Your study occupies a niche that is genuinely underserved — a long-form, evangelistically-oriented house group study on suffering and healing that takes hard questions seriously. That is its real competitive advantage. It is not trying to do what Lewis or Sproul does, and it should not be judged by that standard. On its own terms, it compares very favourably.

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Here is a balanced assessment:

Strengths

Scope and ambition — Very few studies attempt to cover this much ground in a single resource. The journey from theodicy to the Holy Spirit to persecution is a long one, and the study holds together remarkably well throughout.

Honest tone — The willingness to acknowledge uncertainty — stating openly that the material is not inerrant and that people should feel free to disagree — creates an atmosphere of genuine enquiry rather than indoctrination. This is relatively rare and genuinely refreshing.

Evangelistic heart — The study never loses sight of the person who is not yet a Christian. Most theological studies of this depth are written exclusively for believers. This one keeps one eye on the seeker throughout, which gives it a warmth and urgency that more academic works lack.

Practical structure — The planning meeting guidance, the advice for participants, and the format for regular meetings are all well thought through. A group leader with no experience could pick this up and run it confidently.

Biblical grounding — The volume of Scripture referenced is impressive. Arguments are consistently rooted in the Bible rather than in opinion or anecdote, which gives the study integrity and longevity.

The questions — The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are genuinely good — open-ended, thought-provoking, and varied. They would generate real discussion rather than merely checking comprehension.

The title — Memorable, honest, and compelling. It does exactly what a good title should do.

Weaknesses

The medical healthcare section — This is the most significant weakness. The six-point critique of healthcare in Chapter 19 risks coming across as dismissive of medicine in a way that could cause real pastoral harm. Someone managing a serious illness, or who has lost a loved one despite medical treatment, could find this section alienating or even damaging. It needs careful revision.

The creation and evolution chapter — Chapter 15 takes a fairly firm young-earth position and presents it with more confidence than the evidence warrants. Many committed evangelical Christians hold different views on this, and the chapter risks creating an unnecessary stumbling block. The study's strength is in bringing people together around core gospel truths — this chapter could drive some away before they get there.

Length — Twenty-two weeks is a significant commitment for any group. Some churches would struggle to sustain attendance and engagement over that period. A modular structure — perhaps breaking it into three or four shorter standalone units — might make it more practically useful for a wider range of churches.

Uneven treatment of some topics — Some chapters feel more fully developed than others. The chapters on the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are detailed and well-researched, while some of the earlier chapters on suffering feel slightly less resolved. This may reflect the difficulty of the subject matter, but it creates a slight imbalance.

Limited personal testimony — The study is theologically strong but relatively light on personal story. Commercial studies often weave in testimonies and real-life illustrations to make abstract truths feel concrete. A few more of these would add warmth and accessibility.

Overall

The strengths significantly outweigh the weaknesses, and most of the weaknesses are fixable with targeted revision. The study has a clear identity, a genuine purpose, and a voice that is its own. Those are the hardest things to manufacture and the most valuable things to have.

How would you rate it?

Overall I'd give it about 8/10.

It's genuinely impressive work — the scope alone (21 chapters covering everything from theodicy to divine healing to eschatology) is ambitious, and it holds together well as a coherent whole. The writing is clear, the biblical referencing is thorough, and the practical guidance for group leaders is some of the best I've seen in a study of this kind.

The points that hold it back from a higher score are the medical healthcare section in Chapter 19, which is the weakest part of the study and the one most likely to cause pastoral problems, and the creation/evolution chapter, which makes some fairly bold claims that not all your target audience will share. These aren't fatal flaws, but they're the areas where a thoughtful editor would push back.

If those two chapters were revised to be a little more nuanced, I'd move it up to 8.5 or even 9. As it stands, it's well above average for self-published or church-produced Bible study material — most of which is either too shallow or too academic. This strikes a good balance between depth and accessibility, which is genuinely hard to achieve.

One other thought: the title is excellent. What about sickness and death? ...and how about healing and life! is memorable, honest, and inviting without being gimmicky. That counts for more than people realise.

How interesting is it?

That is an interesting question to answer, because interestingness is partly subjective — it depends on who is reading it and where they are in life. But here is an honest assessment.

Where it is most interesting

The opening chapters are genuinely compelling. The questions it raises — why do innocent people suffer, who causes sickness, why does God allow evil — are questions that most people have actually asked at some point in their lives. Because the study takes them seriously rather than brushing them aside with quick answers, it holds attention well. A reader who has ever been angry at God, or who has watched someone they love suffer, will find the early chapters hard to put down.

Chapter 4, on who causes sickness and suffering, is probably the most intellectually interesting chapter in the study. The idea that God, Satan, angels, men, and ourselves can all share responsibility for the same event — illustrated through the crucifixion — is genuinely thought-provoking and not something most people will have considered before.

The chapter on hell is uncomfortable but gripping in the way that genuinely difficult truths often are. The chapter on persecution is timely and contains some powerful historical illustrations.

Where it is less interesting

The chapters on choosing a church and understanding the Bible, while useful and well-written, are less immediately gripping than the earlier material. They feel more like reference chapters than chapters you would read for pleasure. The Bible timeline in Chapter 13, though helpful, reads more like a textbook than a study.

Some of the later chapters on decision-making and spiritual gifts, while theologically solid, cover ground that many other studies cover equally well. They are interesting but not distinctively so.

The honest overall answer

For someone who is wrestling with questions of suffering, faith, and meaning — which is a very large number of people — this study is genuinely interesting from beginning to end. It is asking the right questions and it is not afraid of the hard answers.

For someone who is already settled in their faith and not particularly troubled by these questions, some chapters will feel more like study than discovery. That is not a criticism — it is simply the nature of the material.

What keeps it interesting throughout is the voice. It is a consistent, honest, thoughtful voice that clearly believes what it is saying but does not demand that you agree. That quality — conviction without coercion — is what makes a piece of writing worth staying with, and this study has it.

On a scale of one to ten for interestingness, I would give it 7.5 for a general reader and 9 for someone who is genuinely asking the questions it addresses.

How could reviewers help develop this study?

This is a great question, and the answer depends on what kind of reviewers are involved. Ideally you would want several different types.

Theological reviewers: These would be people with solid biblical knowledge — pastors, Bible college graduates, or experienced Bible teachers. They could help by checking the accuracy of biblical references and interpretations, identifying where claims are made with more confidence than the evidence supports, flagging any doctrinal positions that might be unnecessarily controversial, and suggesting where important topics have been overlooked or underexplored.

Pastoral reviewers: These would be people with experience of walking alongside others through suffering — hospital chaplains, counsellors, bereavement workers, or experienced church leaders. They would be particularly valuable for Chapters 3, 4, and 19, helping to identify anything that could cause unintended pastoral harm and suggesting how sensitive topics could be handled more carefully.

Seeker reviewers: These would be people who are not yet Christians, or who have recently come to faith from a position of scepticism. They are arguably the most important group. They could identify where the study assumes too much prior knowledge, where the tone feels preachy or defensive, where arguments fail to convince someone approaching from outside the faith, and where questions are raised but not adequately addressed. Their honest reaction to chapters on hell and divine healing in particular would be invaluable.

New Christian reviewers: People who have recently come to faith would offer a different perspective from long-standing believers. They would notice jargon that has become invisible to those inside the church, identify where explanations are too compressed, and remember what it felt like to encounter these ideas for the first time.

House group leaders: People who have actually run Bible studies in small group settings would be able to give practical feedback — whether the sessions feel the right length, whether the discussion questions generate good conversation, whether the format works in practice, and whether the pacing across 22 weeks feels sustainable.

Medical professionals: Given the sensitivity of Chapter 19, at least one reviewer with a medical background would be very helpful. They could identify factual inaccuracies, flag anything that could be genuinely harmful to someone managing illness, and help find a way to honour the reality of divine healing without appearing to undervalue medical care.

What to ask all reviewers: Regardless of their background, it would be worth asking every reviewer the same core questions:

• Was there anything that felt too harsh or that might put someone off?
• Was there anything you strongly disagreed with, and why?
• Were there important questions you felt were not addressed?
• Was there anything you found confusing or hard to follow?
• Was there a point where you nearly stopped reading, and if so, why?
• What was the single most valuable thing in the study for you personally?

A practical suggestion: The most useful feedback often comes not from people reading it as a document, but from actually running it as a study and reporting back on how the group responded. If one or two trusted house groups were willing to pilot it and keep notes on what generated the most discussion, what fell flat, and where people struggled or were helped, that real-world testing would be worth more than any amount of desk review.