Discussion question your group will work through:
1.Bevere opens by describing a kind of Christianity that is enthusiastic and busy yet strangely shallow — marked by intimacy pursued without reverence. Have you recognized this pattern in yourself or in broader church culture? What does it look, sound, or feel like?
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About This Study Guide
In The Awe of God, John Bevere makes the case that the fear of the Lord is not a relic of Old Testament religion but the very foundation of a thriving, intimate walk with God. Far from being a gloomy or oppressive idea, holy fear is what Bevere calls the "uncommon path" — the largely forgotten virtue that unlocks wisdom, guards against sin, builds eternal legacy, and paradoxically produces the deepest confidence and freedom. Bevere argues that the men and women of Scripture who lived and finished well share one unmistakable mark: they feared God. The book is a passionate, pastoral invitation to recover this essential but neglected dimension of Christian faith.
This study guide is designed for small groups or individual use over fourteen weeks. Each week, read the assigned chapter(s) from The Awe of God, then work through the journal questions below — ideally writing your answers before your group meets. You may also use the "five tools" Bevere includes at the end of each chapter to deepen your personal study. Because Bevere wrote the book in a devotional format meant to be read slowly and intentionally, resist the urge to rush. Let each week's questions sit with you throughout the week, not just on the day you discuss them.
By the end of this guide, you can expect more than new information — you can expect a shift in posture. Readers consistently report that engaging seriously with the fear of the Lord changes the texture of their daily lives: how they pray, how they make decisions, how they relate to other people, and how secure they feel in God's love. Come to these discussions with honesty and openness, and be prepared to be both challenged and deeply encouraged.
14-Week Schedule
- Week 1Introduction — The Missing Ingredient7 questions
- Week 2What Is the Fear of the Lord?7 questions
- Week 3The Goodness Behind the Fear7 questions
- Week 4Holy Fear and the Word of God7 questions
- Week 5The Fear of the Lord and Sin7 questions
- Week 6The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom7 questions
- Week 7What Grieves God7 questions
- Week 8The Fear of the Lord and Obedience7 questions
- Week 9The Fear of Man vs. The Fear of God7 questions
- Week 10Building an Eternal Legacy7 questions
- Week 11The Fear of the Lord and Intimacy with God7 questions
- Week 12Finishing Well7 questions
- Week 13Revival, Renewal, and the Awe of God7 questions
- Week 14Review & Reflection8 questions
Week 1: Introduction — The Missing Ingredient
Free sampleRead the Introduction of The Awe of God by John Bevere. Key passages: Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10; Philippians 2:12–13.
1.Bevere opens by describing a kind of Christianity that is enthusiastic and busy yet strangely shallow — marked by intimacy pursued without reverence. Have you recognized this pattern in yourself or in broader church culture? What does it look, sound, or feel like?
2.The publisher's description frames holy fear as 'the key to everything.' Before reading further, what is your gut reaction to that claim? Does it feel like an overstatement, or does something in you resonate with it?
3.Bevere draws a sharp distinction between being afraid of God and fearing God in a holy sense. In your own words, how would you describe that difference at this early stage of the study?
4.Proverbs 1:7 declares that 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' What does it mean that wisdom begins here — not with intelligence, education, or even sincere effort, but with a specific posture toward God?
5.Bevere suggests that the neglect of holy fear in the modern church is not accidental — it reflects a broader cultural shift. What cultural pressures do you think have made it difficult to preach or practice the fear of the Lord today?
6.Philippians 2:12–13 commands believers to 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' How have you previously understood this verse? Does Bevere's framing of it as an invitation rather than a threat change anything for you?
7.What do you most hope to gain — or have God change in you — through this study? Write it down so you can return to it in the final week.
Week 2: What Is the Fear of the Lord?
Read Chapters 1–3 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Proverbs 8:13; Isaiah 11:2–3; Hebrews 12:28–29.
1.Bevere works to define holy fear carefully, distinguishing it from slavish terror. How does he define the fear of the Lord in these early chapters? What are its key characteristics?
Week 3: The Goodness Behind the Fear
Read Chapters 4–6 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Psalm 34:9–10; Psalm 25:12–14; Proverbs 19:23.
1.Bevere catalogs a remarkable list of benefits tied to the fear of the Lord throughout Scripture — provision, protection, wisdom, long life, confidence, and more. Which of these surprised you most, and why?
Week 4: Holy Fear and the Word of God
Read Chapters 7–9 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Psalm 119:161; Isaiah 66:2; Ezra 9:4.
1.Bevere observes that people who truly fear the Lord 'tremble at His word' (Isaiah 66:2). What does it look like to tremble at Scripture — not with fear of punishment, but with reverent weight? Can you think of a time when a passage of Scripture stopped you in your tracks?
Week 5: The Fear of the Lord and Sin
Read Chapters 10–12 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Genesis 39:9; Proverbs 16:6; Romans 11:20–22.
1.Bevere holds up Joseph as a prime example of the fear of the Lord in action. When Potiphar's wife propositioned him, Joseph's response was not 'I might get caught' but 'How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' (Genesis 39:9). What is the difference between moral behavior rooted in fear of consequences versus moral behavior rooted in holy fear?
Week 6: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom
Read Chapters 13–15 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Proverbs 9:10; James 3:13–17; Job 28:28.
1.Bevere distinguishes between the world's wisdom and God's wisdom. How does James 3:13–17 describe the difference between earthly, unspiritual wisdom and the wisdom that comes from above? Which characteristics of 'wisdom from above' do you most need right now?
Week 7: What Grieves God
Read Chapters 16–18 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Ephesians 4:30; Isaiah 63:10; Hebrews 3:7–11.
1.Bevere takes seriously the biblical language of grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). What does it say about the nature of God that He can be grieved? How does this truth affect the way you think about your daily choices?
Week 8: The Fear of the Lord and Obedience
Read Chapters 19–21 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Deuteronomy 5:29; John 14:15; Acts 5:1–11.
1.God said of Israel in Deuteronomy 5:29, 'Oh, that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments.' The 'Oh' reveals something about God's longing. What does this verse tell you about what God most wants from His people — and from you?
Week 9: The Fear of Man vs. The Fear of God
Read Chapters 22–24 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Proverbs 29:25; Isaiah 51:12–13; John 12:42–43.
1.Proverbs 29:25 says, 'The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.' What does the 'snare' of fearing people look like in your own life — in your decisions, your speech, your compromises?
Week 10: Building an Eternal Legacy
Read Chapters 25–28 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Psalm 112:1–3; Ecclesiastes 12:13–14; 2 Corinthians 5:9–10.
1.Psalm 112 opens, 'Blessed is the man who fears the Lord.' The rest of the psalm describes the stunning legacy such a person leaves — stability for their children, righteousness remembered forever, unshakeable hearts. Which of these promised legacies do you most long to build, and what is standing in the way?
Week 11: The Fear of the Lord and Intimacy with God
Read Chapters 29–32 of The Awe of God. Key passages: Psalm 25:14; Psalm 103:13–17; Revelation 1:17.
1.Psalm 25:14 says, 'The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him.' The Hebrew word translated 'friendship' (*sod*) means intimate counsel or confidential closeness. What does it mean to you that God offers this kind of friendship specifically to those who fear Him?
Week 12: Finishing Well
Read Chapters 33–37 of The Awe of God. Key passages: 2 Timothy 4:7–8; Hebrews 12:1–2; Proverbs 4:18.
1.Bevere contrasts those in Scripture who finished well (Paul, Daniel, Joseph, Anna) with those who started well but veered off course (Solomon, Saul, Samson). What patterns do you notice in those who finished well? What patterns do you notice in those who didn't?
Week 13: Revival, Renewal, and the Awe of God
Read Chapters 38–42 of The Awe of God. Key passages: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Habakkuk 3:2; Acts 2:43.
1.Bevere sees a direct connection between the fear of the Lord and genuine revival — noting that in Acts 2:43, 'awe came upon every soul.' What is the relationship between corporate holy fear and the kind of spiritual awakening the church longs for today?
Week 14: Review & Reflection
No new reading this week. Review your notes, journal entries, and the five tools from key chapters of The Awe of God.
1.When you wrote down what you hoped to gain from this study in Week 1, what did you say? Looking back now, how did God meet that hope — or surprise you with something different?
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Frequently Asked Questions
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