Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala
Week 4: Chapter 3 — The Smell of Smoke
Read Chapter 3 of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. Key passages: Acts 2:41–47; Psalm 34:18.
Previewing Week 4 of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
Cymbala begins to describe the tangible changes that came when genuine prayer took root — and invites us to ask whether we have ever truly seen God's fire at work.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Cymbala uses the phrase "the smell of smoke" to describe something unmistakable — when God has clearly been at work, you can tell. Can you think of a time when you "smelled smoke" — when God's presence or power was undeniably evident? Describe it.
2.He shares early stories of broken people — drug addicts, homeless men and women — who began appearing at Brooklyn Tabernacle and being transformed. What does the kind of people God was drawing to the church tell us about the nature of revival?
3.Cymbala observes that as the church began to genuinely pray, it also began to genuinely welcome the most difficult people. Do you think a culture of prayer and a culture of radical welcome are connected? Why or why not?