12-Week Study & Discussion Guide
If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat
by John Ortberg·83 discussion questions
Discussion question your group will work through:
1.Ortberg opens by noting that there are two kinds of people in the boat: those who got out (Peter) and those who stayed in. Before reading any further, which person do you most identify with right now — the one who steps out or the one who stays seated? What does that tell you about your current season of faith?
$24.99 for the full 12-week guide·7-day refund·One purchase, whole group
About This Study Guide
John Ortberg's If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat is built around one of the most vivid scenes in the Gospels: Peter stepping out of a storm-tossed boat to walk toward Jesus on the water (Matthew 14:22–33). Ortberg uses this story as a lens for exploring the life of faith — specifically the kind of faith that requires risk, vulnerability, and a willingness to leave behind what feels safe. The book's central argument is simple but bracing: you will never experience the full adventure God has for you as long as you stay in the boat. The "boat" represents whatever zone of comfort, control, or familiarity keeps you from responding to Jesus' invitation to "Come." Growth in character, intimacy with God, and alignment with his purposes are all found outside the boat — and nowhere else.
12-Week Schedule
- Week 1Introduction — The Boat, the Water, and the Call6 questions
- Week 2Chapter 1 — Lord, If It's You6 questions
- Week 3Chapter 2 — Boat Potatoes7 questions
- Week 4Chapter 3 — Discovering Your Call7 questions
- Week 5Chapter 4 — Seeking God in the Storm7 questions
- Week 6Chapter 5 — Facing Our Challenges and Fears7 questions
- Week 7Chapter 6 — Eyes on the Water7 questions
- Week 8Chapter 7 — Learning to Wait on the Water7 questions
- Week 9Chapter 8 — Transformed by Failure7 questions
- Week 10Chapter 9 — The Magnificent Defeat7 questions
- Week 11Chapter 10 — Changing Your World7 questions
- Week 12Review & Reflection8 questions
Week 1: Introduction — The Boat, the Water, and the Call
Free sampleRead the Introduction of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33.
1.Ortberg opens by noting that there are two kinds of people in the boat: those who got out (Peter) and those who stayed in. Before reading any further, which person do you most identify with right now — the one who steps out or the one who stays seated? What does that tell you about your current season of faith?
2.The book's central image is 'the boat' — a symbol of whatever feels safe, familiar, and under control in your life.
a.What is your 'boat' right now? Name it as specifically as you can — a job, a relationship pattern, a spiritual habit, a dream you've been afraid to pursue.
b.What would it cost you, practically and emotionally, to step out of it?
3.Ortberg points out that Peter is the only disciple who walked on water — but he's also the one who got out of the boat. The eleven who stayed behind stayed dry. What does this suggest about the relationship between risk and spiritual experience?
4.The book frames this as a story about the adventure God has designed for your specific life, not a generic call to recklessness. How do you personally distinguish between a God-prompted step of faith and an impulsive or foolish risk? What criteria would you use?
5.Ortberg writes that deep within every believer lies 'the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee.' Do you recognize that longing in yourself? When did you last feel it most strongly?
6.What do you hope to gain — personally, relationally, spiritually — by working through this book? Be specific enough that you can return to this answer in the final week of the study.
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Lord, If It's You
Read Chapter 1 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33.
1.Ortberg observes that Peter doesn't just leap out of the boat — he asks Jesus to command him. Why is this detail significant? What does it reveal about how Peter understood the relationship between his own initiative and divine invitation?
Week 3: Chapter 2 — Boat Potatoes
Read Chapter 2 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33; Hebrews 11:1–6.
1.Ortberg describes 'boat potatoes' as people who are technically in the boat with Jesus but have no intention of getting out. What are the signs of a 'boat potato' faith? How is it different from genuine rest or godly patience?
Week 4: Chapter 3 — Discovering Your Call
Read Chapter 3 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4–10; Ephesians 2:10.
1.Ortberg distinguishes between a general calling (every Christian is called to love God and neighbor) and a specific calling (the unique adventure God has designed for you). Why does that distinction matter, and how have you thought about your own specific calling?
Week 5: Chapter 4 — Seeking God in the Storm
Read Chapter 4 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33; Psalm 107:23–31.
1.Ortberg notes something remarkable: Jesus sends the disciples into the storm. He doesn't protect them from it in advance. What does this tell you about how Jesus views difficulty in the lives of his followers?
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Facing Our Challenges and Fears
Read Chapter 5 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:27; 2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10.
1.Ortberg identifies fear as one of the primary reasons people stay in the boat. He distinguishes between healthy fear (which protects) and toxic fear (which paralyzes). How do you tell the difference in your own experience?
Week 7: Chapter 6 — Eyes on the Water
Read Chapter 6 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:29–30; Hebrews 12:1–2.
1.Ortberg lingers on the moment Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and looks at the wind and waves. He argues this is the decisive turning point. In your own spiritual walk, what are the 'winds and waves' that most reliably pull your gaze away from Jesus?
Week 8: Chapter 7 — Learning to Wait on the Water
Read Chapter 7 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Isaiah 40:28–31; Psalm 27:13–14.
1.Ortberg distinguishes between passive waiting (doing nothing) and active waiting (continuing to prepare, pray, and obey while trusting God's timing). What does active waiting look like in a practical situation you are currently facing?
Week 9: Chapter 8 — Transformed by Failure
Read Chapter 8 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:30–31; John 21:15–19.
1.Ortberg argues that failure is not the opposite of water-walking faith — it is often part of the water-walking experience. How does this reframe the way you think about your own spiritual failures or missed steps?
Week 10: Chapter 9 — The Magnificent Defeat
Read Chapter 9 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Genesis 32:22–32; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10.
1.Ortberg calls Jacob's encounter at the Jabbok a 'magnificent defeat' — a moment where losing to God turned out to be the greatest victory of Jacob's life. Have you ever experienced something like this — a surrender to God that felt like defeat but produced unexpected blessing?
Week 11: Chapter 10 — Changing Your World
Read Chapter 10 of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. Primary Scripture: Matthew 14:31–33; Acts 2:14–41.
1.Ortberg observes that after Peter walks on water, the disciples in the boat worship Jesus — and their faith is deepened by watching someone else step out. Who in your own life has been shaped by watching you take a step of faith, even if you weren't aware of it at the time?
Week 12: Review & Reflection
Review your notes and journal entries from all chapters of If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.
1.Return to the answer you gave in Week 1 about what you hoped to gain from this study. In what ways has that hope been met? In what ways has the book surprised or challenged you in directions you didn't expect?
Why You Can Trust This
What You Get, and Our Promise
Here's exactly what's in every guide — and what happens if it falls short.
What's in every guide
- 9 sections per guide: overview, chapter summaries, discussion questions, key themes, important quotes, thematic analysis, character profiles, timeline, and practice review
- Multi-week format with a closing prayer for each session
- PDF download + permanent web link — keep it forever, share with your entire group
- Delivered to your inbox in about 5 minutes
- One purchase covers the whole group — no per-seat fees, no subscription
7-day money-back guarantee
If the guide doesn't meet your expectations, email support@bookstudyguide.com within 7 days and we'll refund you in full. No forms, no questions. Keep the guide either way.
A note from the founder: I'm Josh, and I built this because most Christian books don't come with study materials — leaving volunteer leaders to build discussion questions from scratch on a Saturday night. That shouldn't be the default. If anything about your guide isn't right, reply to your order email and it comes straight to me.
The free Week 1 sample for If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat is above. Get the full 12-week guide for $24.99 when you're ready.
Get the If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat GuideSkip Saturday-night question writing
12 weeks of discussion questions, reading schedule, closing prayers, and a downloadable PDF — built specifically for If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat, ready in 5 minutes.
- All 83 discussion questions organized by week
- Weekly reading schedule and orientation
- Closing prayers for each session
- Final review and reflection week
- Downloadable PDF to print and share
What you're trading
4+ hours writing your own
Plus the weekly anxiety of “what should we discuss this week?”
$24.99, once
Less than two coffees. Covers your whole group, the whole study.
Continues to secure Stripe checkout. $24.99 one-time, no subscription, 7-day refund.
Related Study Guides
If your group enjoys If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat, these studies pair well with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many weeks is the If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat study guide?
This study guide covers If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat in 12 weeks, with chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.
How many discussion questions are included?
The complete guide includes 83 discussion questions across 12 weeks — an average of 7 questions per week, designed for group conversation.
Can I use this guide for a book club?
Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Any published book — not just bestsellers that have existing curriculum. Whether your group is reading a classic like Mere Christianity or a newer title without a published study guide, we can create a complete discussion guide for it.
Most guides are ready within 5 minutes. We'll email you the link as soon as your guide is complete, and you'll have permanent access from that point forward.
Every guide includes 9 sections: a book overview, chapter-by-chapter summaries, key themes and concepts, important quotes with context and analysis, discussion questions for group conversation, thematic analysis, character and figure profiles, a chronological timeline, and a practice review with model answers.
Yes. One purchase gives you a permanent web link and a downloadable PDF. Share either with your entire group — there's no per-person fee or seat limit.
No. Enter the book title, author, and your email address, complete the $24.99 payment, and your guide arrives in your inbox. No account, no login, no subscription.
We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. If the guide doesn't meet your expectations, email support@bookstudyguide.com for a full refund.
Free discussion questions online tend to be surface-level — "What did you think of chapter 3?" Our guides include questions designed to spark real conversation: questions that connect the book's ideas to personal experience, draw out different perspectives, and help group members open up and share honestly.
Still have questions? Email support@bookstudyguide.com
Get Your Guide