14-Week Study & Discussion Guide

The Awe of God

by John Bevere·99 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

Get the complete guide — $29

Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of The Awe of God by John Bevere. Key passages: Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10; Philippians 2:12–13.

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?

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 The Awe of God by John Bevere, with 99 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

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.

Week 1: Introduction — The Missing Ingredient

Free — no card

Open Week 1 →

Read the Introduction of The Awe of God by John Bevere. Key passages: Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 111:10; Philippians 2:12–13.

Before diving into the chapters, take a moment to honestly assess: what has the phrase 'fear of the Lord' meant to you up to this point — and has it played any real role in your spiritual life?

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?

Checking your access to the other 4 questions…

Get the rest of The Awe of God

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.

230+study guides
2,900+weekly sessions
21,000+discussion questions
130+authors

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

Your email for the receipt

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

For multiple studies

Full Library

Every guide in the library, all year

$59~~$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 The Awe of God 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 The Awe of God (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 The Awe of God. 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

Week 2: What Is the Fear of the Lord?

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: The Goodness Behind the Fear

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Holy Fear and the Word of God

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: The Fear of the Lord and Sin

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: What Grieves God

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: The Fear of the Lord and Obedience

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: The Fear of Man vs. The Fear of God

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Building an Eternal Legacy

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 11: The Fear of the Lord and Intimacy with God

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 12: Finishing Well

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 13: Revival, Renewal, and the Awe of God

All 7 questions →

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?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Week 14: Review & Reflection

All 8 questions →

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?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Book Club Questions More by John Bevere Faith & Theology Spiritual Growth & Disciplines For Small Groups For Churches For Individual Study Free Question Generator Make a reading schedule for this book

Related Study Guides

If your group enjoys The Awe of God, these studies pair well with it.

Knowing God

by J.I. Packer

The Holiness of God

by R.C. Sproul

Holier Than Thou

by Jackie Hill Perry

About the The Awe of God guide

How many weeks is the The Awe of God study guide?

This study guide covers The Awe of God 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.

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