11-Week Study & Discussion Guide

More Than a Carpenter

by Josh McDowell·79 discussion questions

Lead your group with the discussion already prepared: a reading plan, thoughtful questions, and printable handouts for everyone.

Last updated August 16, 2026

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Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction and Chapter 1 of More Than a Carpenter.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.McDowell describes himself as a college student who actively argued against Christianity and put down Christians. What was his original motivation for investigating the claims of Jesus? What did he expect to find?

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About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 11-week study and discussion guide for More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell, with 79 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell is one of the most widely read apologetics books ever written, with more than eight million copies in print worldwide. Originally written for skeptics and seekers, the book grew out of McDowell's own journey from hostile critic of Christianity to convinced believer. His central thesis is straightforward and urgent: Jesus of Nazareth cannot be dismissed as merely a great moral teacher or an inspiring historical figure. The evidence — from his own claims, from history, from the testimony of transformed lives — demands a verdict. Either Jesus is exactly who he said he was, Lord and God in human flesh, or he is something far darker. This book exists to help readers think clearly and honestly about that choice.

This study guide is designed for small groups or individual use over eleven weeks. Each week, read the assigned chapter before your group meets or your personal study time begins. As you read, underline passages that challenge you, surprise you, or raise new questions. Consider keeping a journal alongside the guide — jot down your honest reactions, doubts, and moments of recognition before you engage the discussion questions. The questions are arranged to follow the arc of each chapter, beginning with comprehension and moving toward personal application and reflection. Take your time with them; there are no wrong answers, only honest and dishonest ones.

By the end of this guide, you will have worked through the key historical and philosophical arguments for the deity and resurrection of Christ, examined McDowell's case against alternative explanations, and — most importantly — been invited to apply your conclusions to your own life. Whether you come to this book as a skeptic, a new believer, or a longtime Christian who wants firmer ground beneath their faith, the goal is the same: not merely to know more about Jesus, but to encounter him more honestly and respond more fully to who he actually is.

Week 1: Introduction — A Skeptic's Journey

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Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of More Than a Carpenter.

Before diving into arguments and evidence, McDowell invites us to understand where he started — as someone who considered Christians intellectually out of their minds. Take a moment to locate yourself honestly on that same spectrum.

2.He credits a small group of Christian students — and particularly one young woman — with sparking his investigation. What was it about their lives, not just their arguments, that got his attention? What does that suggest about the relationship between evidence and witness?

3.McDowell says he 'didn't want to become a Christian.' What fears or resistances do you think he was protecting? Can you identify any similar resistances — intellectual, emotional, or social — in your own approach to questions about Jesus?

a.What would it cost you, concretely, if Jesus's claims turned out to be true?

b.Is that cost shaping how you approach the evidence?

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11-Week Schedule

Week 2: Chapter 2 — What Makes Jesus So Different?

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 2 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.McDowell opens by noting that Jesus is unique in the way he made himself the central focus of his own teaching — unlike Moses, Muhammad, or Buddha, who pointed away from themselves to a law, a path, or a god. What is the significance of that difference? Why does it matter for how we evaluate Jesus's claims?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Chapter 3 — Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

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Read Chapter 3 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.Explain the 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' trilemma in your own words. What logical work is it designed to do, and why does McDowell (following C. S. Lewis) consider it a decisive framing of the question?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Chapter 4 — What About Science?

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 4 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.What is the core objection McDowell is responding to in this chapter? How does the rise of 'new atheism' (referenced in the book's subject listing) sharpen that objection in the contemporary context?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Chapter 5 — The Bible's Reliability: Can We Trust It?

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 5 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.McDowell uses three standard tests of historical document reliability: the bibliographical test, the internal evidence test, and the external evidence test. Briefly explain each in your own words. Which did you find most persuasive?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Chapter 6 — Who Would Die for a Lie?

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Read Chapter 6 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.McDowell draws a sharp distinction between dying for a belief you hold sincerely (even if it is wrong) and dying for something you know to be a lie. Why is that distinction so important for evaluating the disciples' testimony about the Resurrection?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Chapter 7 — What About the Resurrection?

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Read Chapter 7 of More Than a Carpenter. Key passages: Matthew 28; Luke 24; John 20–21; 1 Corinthians 15:1–20.

1.McDowell surveys the alternative theories that skeptics have offered to explain the empty tomb: the swoon theory, the theft theory, the wrong tomb theory, and the hallucination theory. Briefly summarize each. Which do you think is the most plausible alternative to the Resurrection, and what are its weaknesses?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Chapter 8 — Did Jesus Fulfill Old Testament Prophecy?

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 8 of More Than a Carpenter. Key passages: Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2; Psalm 22; Zechariah 11:12–13.

1.McDowell presents a series of Old Testament prophecies that he argues were fulfilled specifically and verifiably in the life of Jesus — including the place of his birth, the manner of his entry into Jerusalem, the price of his betrayal, and details of his crucifixion. List two or three of these that struck you as most specific or surprising.

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Chapter 9 — Are the Gospels Mythology?

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Read Chapter 9 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.What does McDowell mean when he distinguishes between 'myth' and 'history'? Why does the distinction matter so much for evaluating the Gospel accounts of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Chapter 10 — Jesus Changes Lives

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Read Chapter 10 of More Than a Carpenter.

1.McDowell closes the book's argument not with more historical data but with the evidence of changed lives — including his own. Why does he consider this a legitimate and important category of evidence, rather than mere anecdote?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 11: Review & Reflection

All 8 questions →

Review your notes, journal entries, and any underlined passages from More Than a Carpenter.

1.Looking back across the whole book, which chapter or argument had the greatest impact on you — intellectually, spiritually, or personally? What made it land so powerfully?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Book Club Questions More by Josh McDowell Apologetics Faith & Theology For Small Groups For Youth Groups For Individual Study Free Question Generator Make a reading schedule for this book

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About the More Than a Carpenter guide

How many weeks is the More Than a Carpenter study guide?

This study guide covers More Than a Carpenter in 11 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

How many discussion questions are included?

The complete guide includes 79 discussion questions across 11 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.

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