Is That Really You God?

Chapters 1-5 review

Was that really You, Lord? I wondered, still staring at the wall, amazed.
Young people kids, really going out as missionaries! What an idea.

What happened?

Chapter 1: All That Glitters

How does the book open? Where does Loren find himself?

Loren starts the book as a 26 year old with a visitation to his wealthy Aunt
Sandras home in Florida. (1)

Lorens Grandfather owned a successful laundry, until he received the call to

preach. What tragedy happened after this? How does Lorens Grandfather
respond?

Granddad Cunninghams wife and two sons were stricken with smallpox. The
wife eventually passed away and all her belongings had to be burned. Despite
the tragedy, Lorens Grandfather decided to begin preaching full timeand
put his kids in different homes. (10-11)

As a result of Lorens Grandfathers choices, what attitudes does his kids

have? How about Lorens father?

Aunt Sandra and Aunt Arnette blamed their difficult childhoods on Lorens
Grandfathers calling and wanted nothing to do with Christianity. Lorens
father, Tom, never blamed Grampa Loren, but instead decided to become a
preacher himself. (11-12)

Chapter 2: Family Inheritance

 Describe what it was like for Lorens Dad, Tom Cunningham, to follow the
calling of God on his own life.

Tom Cunningham with his wife Jewell, relied on the voice of God to fulfill the
Great Commission. They lived with meager possessions in order to go
wherever they believed God told them to go. They founded three churches,
all of which are still in existence today. (16-17)

What personal experience of hearing Gods voice did Loren have at the age
of 6?

Loren lost a five-dollar bill, the grocery money for the week. After talking to
his mother, they prayed and asked God to reveal where the five-dollar bill
was hiding. God told Lorens mom that the money was under a bush. They
found the five-dollar bill. (18-19)

Who visited Lorens family while his father was away? What did he say? How
did Lorens mother react to the news?

A man from their church visited them. He claimed he saw Lorens dad
coming home in a coffin. Lorens mom was polite, but immediately went to
God for clarification. She expected God to answer, submitted the issue to
Him, and went to bed. Lorens sister, Janice, had a dream the next day with
Dad coming home on the train wearing his pajamas. Thats exactly what
happened (20-21)

Chapter 3: The Little Girl Who Changed Our Lives

How did Loren first recognize his calling to preach and be a missionary?

Loren was thirteen years old and at his uncles church. As he knelt at the
wooden altar rail, he saw in bold letters, Go ye into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature. He shared it with his mom who confirmed his
vision. (23-24)

Describe what it was like for Loren the first time he preached. What did he
preach on? Was there anything that he struggled with in preparation for his
sermon?

Loren preached on the temptations of Christ in the wilderness. He was 13

years old. He was insecure in being too young to preach on temptation. He
 shared on trying to keep up with other people, the temptation to please other
peers, and testings. (25-26)

Who was the little girl who changed Lorens life? Where did Lorens father
meet her? How did she change the Cunninghams lives?

The little girl who changed Lorens life was an Arab girl who met Lorens father
overseas. She was outside a Palestinian refugee camp in the Holy Land (Israel
and Palestine), around eight years old, and carried a younger girl on her hip.
She begged for money. As Lorens father shared his experience with his
churchs congregation, he shared that he wanted to give the rest of his life to
world missions. Afterwards, the priorities of the church and Toms ministry
were geared more towards overseas missions work. This was also
confirmation for Loren to devote himself to the ministry of missions. (26-28)

Chapter 4: Waves

Where did Loren get the vision of the waves?

Loren received the vision of waves in Nassau of the Bahama Islands. He was
twenty years old (31-32)

Describe Lorens vision.

Loren saw a map of the world, with waves crashing into the nations. The
waves became young people covering every continent of the globe. They were
preaching the gospel and caring for people as they flooded the map. It was a
vision of young people going out as missionaries. (32-33)

How did Lorens meeting with his aunt Arnette go?

It went well. While his aunt Arnette at first did not want to meet Loren, she
relented when Loren called her twice and showed up at her door with a linen
handkerchief as a birthday present. The meeting was short, but she arranged
for Loren to meet his aunt Sandra. Eventually in the next year, Lorens father,
Aunt Arnette, and Aunt Sandra were reunited. (34-37)

Chapter 5: Small Beginnings

Describe Lorens experiences in India. What struck him?

 Loren witnessed a funeral of a sixteen-year old boy killed in a knife fight. He
was struck that the boy hadnt known the love of Christ. The funeral was
surrounded with hopelessness. Yet, Loren also recognized his love for people
all over the world and the need to share Christ. (41-42)

Lorens meeting with his friends, Dallas and Larry, gave rise to a breakthrough
idea. What was that idea?

It was the birth of YWAM. To harness the energy and zeal of young people who
were ready to do something important. Recruitment of young people and sent
out to the missions field, so that they would have a new and deeper purpose
later in life. It would be open to everyone, and everyone would be there for
evangelistic work. Everyone would pay for their own way. (44-45)

What was Aunt Sandras generous offer? Does Loren take it? Why?

Aunt Sandras generous offer was a chance to become part of their multimillion-
dollar family business. Aunt Sandra had even paid Loren through school in order
for this opportunity to happen. Loren doesnt take it, because he wanted to stay
true to the calling God had given him and the vision of the waves. God called
him to the entire world. (50-51)

Notable quotes!

1. Hearing God is not all that difficult. If we know the Lord, we have already heard His
voice after all, it was the inner leading that brought us to Him in the first place. (11)

Do you agree that hearing God is not difficult? Why?

2. We can hear His voice once and still miss his best if we dont keep on listening. After the
what of guidance come the when and the how. Granddad obeyed the what of his call to
preach the Gospel but failed to seek further guidance as to how God wanted him to do
that. (11)

What mistakes did Lorens Granddad make in when pursuing Gods calling?
How might have he avoided them?

3. The high purpose of guidance, Dad kept saying, was to tell people about Jesus. Were
fulfilling an urgent command of Jesus Himself, Dad would say when he and Mom talked
about the guidance they sought. The Great commission, thats the key. Go into all the
world and preach the Gospel, If God did, in fact, commission individuals to the task of
going everywhere and telling people the Good News, He would surely guide them. (16-17)

In what ways, big and small, did Lorens parents obey God? What was the result
of their obedience?

4. Well, sir, Moms tone was kindly, but she spoke with a very distinct firmness, I do
appreciate your coming here to tell me this. [that the man had dreamed Lorens father had
come home in a coffin] Hard as it is, I promise I will ask God if the dream really is from
Him. With something this important, Hell tell me Himself, wont he? (20-21)

What do you think about what Lorens mom said?

5. I explained how we should recruit young people and send them out right after high
school so that later when they went to college they would have a new and deeper purpose.
Wed send them for short periods of missionary service a couple of months or a year.
Everyone would know he or she was there for evangelistic work, not sightseeing. Each
would pay his own way. (45)

What do you think of Lorens idea for youth and missions? What are the pros?
What challenges might arise and how might Loren overcome them?

Think About It

1. Have you ever heard God before? Please share!

2. Do you believe God has a calling on your life? What experiences have led
you to realize this calling?

3. Assuming God has a calling on your life, how do you think your Discipleship
Training School is helping train or take the next step towards your calling?

4. Think of a challenge that Loren has faced. What do you think you would have
done in Lorens circumstance? Are there any other challenges Loren has
faced that you can identify with?

Application!
1. Take some time (15-20 mins) outside of class to ask God two questions:
God, who do you say I am? and God, what sort of destiny do you have for
me? Dont worry if your questions dont get answered immediately. What
matters is that you submit the time to God and wait with expectation. God will
always give an answer in His timing. Write down your experience.

2. Lorens capacity to obey God relied a lot on supporters, mentors, and friends.
Who are the people in your life that have brought you closer to God? Reflect on
how God has blessed you with them. Give them a call, write them a note, or
thank them in some way this week to show your appreciation for their obedience
to God and how they have blessed you.

3. Read chapters 6-10 in preparation for next weeks book reading.