14-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Nothing to Prove

by Jennie Allen·99 discussion questions

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

Get the complete guide — $29
Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: John 10:10; Matthew 11:28–30.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.Jennie Allen opens by describing a pervasive exhaustion among Christian women — a sense of striving that never quite delivers the peace it promises. Does her diagnosis resonate with your experience? What does your own version of 'striving' look like?

Read all of Week 1 — free, no card

Week 1 is free. Get this guide for $29 once, or every guide for $79/year.

Yearly access renews at $79/year unless canceled · 7-day guarantee before downloading the PDF or handouts

About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 14-week study and discussion guide for Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen, with 99 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen is a passionate, gospel-rooted invitation for women to stop striving and start living from a place of fullness rather than emptiness. Allen's central thesis is deceptively simple: you are not enough — and that is precisely the point. Jesus is enough, and when we finally stop white-knuckling our way through life trying to prove our worth to God, others, and ourselves, we discover a soul-deep freedom and joy we never could have manufactured on our own. Drawing on her own story of exhaustion and striving, as well as rich biblical teaching, Allen points readers toward a life overflowing with the contentment that only comes from abiding in Christ.

This study guide is designed to be used alongside the book, one chapter per week, in a small group or personal study setting. The pattern is simple: read the assigned chapter before your group meets, take time to journal your honest reactions to the questions, and then bring those thoughts into conversation with others (or into prayer if you're studying alone). Don't rush. Allen's book is meant to be savored, not checked off. Let the questions linger. Some will surface old wounds or deeply held beliefs that deserve unhurried attention.

By the end of this guide, you will have walked through the full arc of Allen's argument — from naming the exhausting treadmill of self-reliance, to discovering your deepest needs, to embracing the joyful, purposeful life that flows from a soul completely in love with Jesus. Whether you come to this book burned out, skeptical, or simply curious, expect to be challenged, consoled, and quietly set free.

Week 1: Introduction — The Treadmill We Can't Quit

Free — no card
Open Week 1 →

Read the Introduction of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: John 10:10; Matthew 11:28–30.

Before diving into Allen's argument, take a moment to honestly assess the pace of your own life — are you running hard to prove something, and if so, to whom?

1.Jennie Allen opens by describing a pervasive exhaustion among Christian women — a sense of striving that never quite delivers the peace it promises. Does her diagnosis resonate with your experience? What does your own version of 'striving' look like?

2.Allen argues that many of us are living as if we have something to prove — to God, to others, and to ourselves. Which of those three audiences do you find yourself performing for most often, and why?

3.The book's core claim is that we are 'not enough — but Jesus is.' Why is the first half of that statement (admitting we're not enough) so difficult for many Christians to actually believe and live out, even if they'd affirm it theologically?

Checking your access to the other 4 questions…

Get the rest of Nothing to Prove

All 14 weeks, 99 questions, closing prayers, and printable weekly handouts — plus the full PDF — so your prep is reading it over, not writing it from scratch.

Preview the group handout

See the questions, reading assignment, and space for notes your group can use at the table. The complete guide includes a printable handout for every week.

Week 1 sample · first 3 questions

Group handout: Nothing to Prove

Week 1 sample · first 3 questions. Scroll to read the sample.

Where your receipt and sign-in link go. No password to remember.

For multiple studies

Full Library

Every guide in the library, all year

$59regular price $79

The first-year discount is already applied — there’s no code to type. $59 is the first-year price for new customers, then it renews at $79/year.

  • Every week of Nothing to Prove on the web, plus printable weekly handouts
  • Every guide in the library (200+ and growing)
  • 4 full-guide PDF downloads every 30 days, so you can print a whole study ahead
  • If your group picks a book we don’t have yet, we write the guide — 3 included a year, $9 each after that
  • A leader email each week of the study: that week’s questions and a short prep note

$59 today, then it renews at $79/year.

First-year price for eligible new customers. Everything unlocks right away. We email you 30 days before it renews — cancel or pause online anytime, no phone call.

This Guide Only

One study, no renewal

$29once · yours forever

Nothing renews. 7-day money-back guarantee before downloading the PDF or handouts.

  • Every week of Nothing to Prove (14 weeks, 99 questions)
  • PDF for you, printable handouts for the group
  • A link you can send to everyone in your group
  • One purchase covers your whole group — no per-person fee
  • No account to set up — we email you a sign-in link

Upgrade within 60 days and your $29 comes off the regular $79 year — you never pay for this guide twice.

Full Library, monthly — $25/month, renews monthly until you cancel. The same library, with 2 PDF downloads and 1 requested book a month. Worth knowing: four months of it costs more than a full year.

More than one leader at your church? Church Plan — 5 leader seats for $199/year, then $29 a year per extra seat. Renews yearly at that price plus any extra seats, unless canceled. Pay by card, or ask for an invoice your treasurer can pay. See the Church Plan

  • 30-day money-back guarantee on the year (with 2 or fewer guides downloaded)
  • A receipt you can hand your treasurer for reimbursement
  • Every guide you download stays yours — even if you cancel
  • Secure checkout by Stripe — we never see your card number

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

  • A week-by-week reading plan with a short orienting note for every session
  • Discussion questions, follow-up prompts, and closing prayers for group conversation
  • PDF download + permanent web link — every guide you download stays yours, share it with your entire group
  • Read Week 1 of any guide free before you decide
  • One membership covers the whole group — no per-seat fees. Or take just one guide for $29, one time.

Our money-back guarantees

This Guide Only has a 7-day money-back guarantee if you request it before downloading the PDF or printable handouts. The Full Library year has a 30-day money-back guarantee with 2 or fewer guides downloaded. Email support@bookstudyguide.com from the address used at checkout and we’ll review your request.

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.

You’ve previewed Week 1 of Nothing to Prove. Choose the complete guide once or full-library access above; both include printable handouts and a church-ready receipt.

Review both options

14-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — The Treadmill We Can't Quit7 questions
  2. Week 2Chapter 1 — Thirsty7 questions
  3. Week 3Chapter 2 — Afraid7 questions
  4. Week 4Chapter 3 — Empty7 questions
  5. Week 5Chapter 4 — Loved7 questions
  6. Week 6Chapter 5 — Known7 questions
  7. Week 7Chapter 6 — Enough7 questions
  8. Week 8Chapter 7 — Free7 questions
  9. Week 9Chapter 8 — Purposeful7 questions
  10. Week 10Chapter 9 — Overflowing7 questions
  11. Week 11Chapter 10 — Surrendered7 questions
  12. Week 12Chapter 11 — Together7 questions
  13. Week 13Chapter 12 — Joyful7 questions
  14. Week 14Review & Reflection8 questions

Week 2: Chapter 1 — Thirsty

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 1 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: John 4:1–26 (the woman at the well); John 7:37–38.

1.Allen uses the Samaritan woman's story in John 4 as the opening image for the entire book. What strikes you about Jesus's approach to this woman — his directness, his knowledge of her, his offer? What does he reveal about how God sees our deepest needs?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Chapter 2 — Afraid

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 2 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Psalm 27:1; 1 John 4:18; Isaiah 41:10.

1.Allen suggests that much of our striving and performing is rooted in fear — fear of failure, rejection, irrelevance, or being truly known. Does that ring true for you? What are you most afraid of when you stop performing?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Chapter 3 — Empty

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 3 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Philippians 4:11–13; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10.

1.Allen describes the exhaustion of trying to appear full when you're actually empty. Have you been in a season like that? What kept you from admitting your emptiness to others or to God?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Chapter 4 — Loved

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 4 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Romans 8:38–39; Ephesians 3:17–19; 1 John 3:1.

1.Allen describes the revolutionary freedom of being truly, unconditionally loved by God. Be honest: do you experience God's love as unconditional, or does it feel subtly conditioned on your behavior, consistency, or spiritual output?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Chapter 5 — Known

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 5 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Psalm 139:1–16; John 10:14; Galatians 4:9.

1.Psalm 139 describes a God who knows our sitting and rising, our words before we speak them, and every day of our lives before we live them. Does that level of being known feel comforting or unsettling to you? Why?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Chapter 6 — Enough

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 6 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 4:19; John 15:4–5.

1.The title of the book comes into sharpest focus here: 'nothing to prove' is possible only because Jesus has already proven everything. What does it mean to you, specifically, that Jesus is enough — not as a cliché, but as a lived reality?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Chapter 7 — Free

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 7 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Galatians 5:1; John 8:36; Romans 6:18.

1.Allen describes a freedom that is not the absence of commitment but the presence of grace — a freedom that liberates us for something rather than just from something. How does that reframing sit with you? What have you thought 'freedom' mostly means?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Chapter 8 — Purposeful

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 8 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28.

1.One fear Allen addresses is that if we stop striving, we'll stop being useful. Have you wrestled with that fear? What is the difference between striving for purpose and resting into the purpose God has for you?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Chapter 9 — Overflowing

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 9 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: John 7:37–38; Psalm 23:5; Romans 15:13.

1.Allen paints a vision of a life that overflows — not because of personal greatness but because of consistent connection to the source. What would your relationships look like if you were regularly overflowing with peace, generosity, and joy rather than scraping by on empty?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 11: Chapter 10 — Surrendered

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 10 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Luke 22:42; Romans 12:1; Galatians 2:20.

1.Allen uses the word 'surrender' without softening it. What connotations does that word carry for you — weakness, defeat, passivity? How does she reframe it?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 12: Chapter 11 — Together

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 11 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Hebrews 10:24–25; Acts 2:42–47; John 13:34–35.

1.Allen writes about IF:Gathering and the hunger she observed in women for real, honest, soul-deep community. Does that hunger resonate with you? What kind of community do you currently have, and what kind do you long for?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 13: Chapter 12 — Joyful

All 7 questions →

Read Chapter 12 of Nothing to Prove. Key passages: Philippians 4:4–7; Nehemiah 8:10; John 15:11.

1.Allen's vision of the Christian life is ultimately joyful — not because life is easy but because the soul is anchored. What does joy, as Allen describes it, have in common with contentment, and how is it different from happiness?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 14: Review & Reflection

All 8 questions →

Review your notes and journal entries from the full study of Nothing to Prove.

1.Looking back across the full arc of Nothing to Prove — from 'Thirsty' through 'Joyful' — which chapter or idea landed most powerfully for you? Why do you think that one in particular hit home?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
Book Club QuestionsMore by Jennie AllenMental Health & WellnessChristian LivingSpiritual Growth & DisciplinesFor Women's MinistryFor Small GroupsFor Individual StudyFree Question GeneratorMake a reading schedule for this book

Related Study Guides

If your group enjoys Nothing to Prove, these studies pair well with it.

One Thousand Gifts

by Ann Voskamp

Lies Women Believe

by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

The Next Right Thing

by Emily P. Freeman

About the Nothing to Prove guide

How many weeks is the Nothing to Prove study guide?

This study guide covers Nothing to Prove in 14 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 99 discussion questions across 14 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

What books can I get a study guide for?

Any published book — not just bestsellers that come with a curriculum. If the book is already in the library you can read Week 1 right now. If it isn't, we write the guide for you after you join: the Full Library includes 3 on-request books a year, and This Guide Only covers the one book you pick.

How long does it take to get my guide?

If the book is in the library, it's ready the moment you join. If we're writing it for you, we email the link as soon as it's ready.

What's included in each study guide?

Every guide is organized week by week, with a reading assignment, a short orienting note, discussion questions and follow-up prompts, a closing prayer, web access, a full-guide PDF, and printable weekly handouts.

Do my group members pay?

No — one membership covers your whole group. Share the PDF or a read-only link with everyone in your group; there's no per-person fee or seat limit.

Do I need to create an account?

No password to remember. Your receipt email is your account — when you want to sign in, we email you a sign-in link (or a six-digit code) and you're in.

Sign in →
What renews and when?

Full Library renews yearly at $79 — your first year is $59 with the current code. Month to Month renews monthly at $25. We email you 30 days before yearly renewals and two weeks before monthly renewals, and you can cancel or pause in one click from your account. This Guide Only ($29) is a one-time purchase and never renews.

Manage your membership →
How do I get reimbursed by my church?

You get one receipt, and you can add your church's name to it from your account page. If several leaders at your church want access, the Church Plan puts everyone on one invoice.

See the Church Plan →
What if we finish early or take the summer off?

Pause your membership for up to 6 months from your account page. You keep the time you've paid for, and we email you a week before it resumes.

Pause your membership →
What if I'm not happy?

There's a 30-day money-back guarantee on the Full Library year (as long as you've downloaded 2 or fewer guides) and a 7-day money-back guarantee on This Guide Only if you request it before downloading the PDF or printable handouts. Week 1 is free to preview first. Email support@bookstudyguide.com from the address used at checkout and we'll review it.

How do I cancel?

One click from your account page — no phone call, no forms. Your access continues to the end of what you've paid for, and everything you've downloaded stays yours.

Cancel from your account →
How are the discussion questions different from what I'd find online?

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

Read all of Week 1 free