Sessions Include:

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #1
Common Men; Uncommon Results

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #2
Peter — The Apostle with the Foot-shaped Mouth

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #3
Andrew — The Apostle of Small Things

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #4
James — The Apostle of Passion

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #5
John — The Apostle of Love

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #6
Philip — The Bean Counter

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #7
Nathanael — The Guileless One

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #8
Matthew — The Party Guy

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #9
James—The Less; Simon—The Zealot; and Judas (Not Iscariot)

Twelve Ordinary Men, Lesson #10
Judas — The Traitor

Why Study Books?

My life has been profoundly impacted by books. Books are great source of supplementary, background material for Bible Study. (The Bible is always the main source of study.) Here are five reasons books make great curriculum.

1. Depth and Richness of Content

Books by Christian authors often delve deeply into theological topics, practical discipleship, and spiritual challenges. Unlike some lesson plans that skim the surface, books allow for a deeper exploration of issues that resonate with adults. Authors like John Ortberg (The Life You’ve Always Wanted), Dallas Willard (The Divine Conspiracy), or Francis Chan (Crazy Love) provide rich, thought-provoking content that sparks deeper conversations.

2. . Can Be Targeted to the Specific Needs of the Group

Books provide an opportunity to address the unique needs of your group. Whether your class is navigating grief, exploring discipleship, or seeking practical ways to live out their faith, there’s a book tailored to meet those needs. This targeted approach makes the material more relevant, ensuring the group engages deeply and personally.. This variety helps everyone engage at their own pace and comfort level.

3. Encourages Personal Growth Between Meetings

A book-centered curriculum encourages participants to reflect during the week. Reading a chapter before class helps them wrestle with the ideas personally before coming together for group discussion. This individual engagement fosters deeper transformation and accountability.

4. Great for Discussion-Based Learning

Books naturally lend themselves to a question-and-answer format, making them perfect for discussion-based classes. This approach encourages participation, allowing everyone to share insights and apply the content to their lives.

5. Accessible and Affordable

Books are easy to access and often budget-friendly. Many Christian titles are available in print, e-book, or audiobook formats, making them accessible to everyone in your group. Some authors even provide free study guides or discussion questions, making preparation even simpler.

Conclusion

Using books as curriculum for adult Sunday School blends the best of personal reflection, group discussion, and spiritual growth. It equips participants to think deeply, wrestle with real-life applications, and engage with Scripture in fresh ways. If you’re looking to spark lively, life-changing conversations in your class, start with a great book—you might be surprised at how it transforms your group.

What is more revealing about these men is that at first they do not impress us as being key men. None of them occupied prominent places in the synagogue, nor did any of them belong to the Levitical priesthood. For the most part they were common laboring men, probably having no professional training beyond the rudiments of knowledge necessary for their vocation. Perhaps a few of them came from families of some considerable means, such as the sons of Zebedee, but none of them could have been considered wealthy. They had no academic degrees in the arts and philosophies of their day. Like their Master, their formal education likely consisted only of the synagogue schools. Most of them were raised in the poor section of the country around Galilee. Apparently the only one of the Twelve who came from the more refined region of Judea was Judas Iscariot. By any standard of sophisticated culture then and now they would surely be considered as a rather ragged collection of souls. One might wonder how Jesus could ever use them. They were impulsive, temperamental, easily offended, and had all the prejudices of their environment. In short, these men selected by the Lord to be his assistants represented an average cross section of society in their day. Not the kind of group one would expect to win the world for Christ.

Yet Jesus saw in these simple men the potential of leadership for the Kingdom. They were indeed “unlearned and ignorant” according to the world’s standard (Acts 4:13), but they were teachable. Though often mistaken in their judgments and slow to comprehend spiritual things, they were honest men, willing to confess their need. Their mannerisms may have been awkward and their abilities limited, but with the exception of the traitor, their hearts were big. What is perhaps most significant about them was their sincere yearning for God and the realities of his life. The superficiality of the religious life about them had not obsessed their hope for the Messiah (John 1:41, 45, 49; 6:69). They were fed up with the hypocrisy of the ruling aristocracy. Some of them had already joined the revival movement of John the Baptist (John 1:35). These men were looking for someone to lead them in the way of salvation. Such men, pliable in the hands of the Master, could be molded into a new image—Jesus can use anyone who wants to be used.

Robert E. Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism (Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 2006), 22–23.

If you would like to explore this new study, it is available on Amazon, as well as part of Good Questions Have Groups Talking