THE

HOLY
WILD
Book Study

a restless rest
preface to chapter 2
why this was written
University Lutheran used “The Holy Wild” by Mark Buchanan
as a part of our required reading for our weekly leadership
meetings.

We encourage you to buy the book and follow along with us.

preface
“Weariness is an epidemic…your manic spurts and sluggish
spells…your restlessness.” (p. 11)
• What leaves you and others you know feeling
“restless”? What keeps you up nights?

Read Hebrews 3:7 to 5:13

• What is God’s “rest”? What does God say prevents
people from entering His rest?

chapter 1 – the God of the

holy wild
“I once heard of a man who…hacked his shin apart with his
spade when a snake slithered up his pant leg.” (p.17)
• Much self destructive behavior – which is sin - comes
from the motivation of self preservation (physically,
socially, emotionally, etc). How do you see people
“hacking their shins apart” in your world?

“How I think about the bed determines whether or not I rest

in it.” (p. 21)
• What images do people have of God that keep them
from resting in Him?
Define the terms “borderland” and “the holy wild” (p.22-23)
• Borderland
• Holy Wild

“There is no other stream.” Read John 14:1-7

• What do you think is behind the urge to “find another
stream” besides our wild God?

chapter 2 – eulogy for a

giant
“Either way, Roger or Lacey, it makes you wonder, Is God
good?” (p. 35)
• What is the difference between Roger and Lacey’s
stories? Are we more likely to respond positively to
one or the other?

“God sometimes seems like that neighbor who keeps

borrowing your stuff and either forgetting to return it or bring
it back damaged…” (p.37)
• How does this quote echo Habakkuk 1:1-4?

“Faith is finally this: resting so utterly in the character of God

– in the ultimate goodness of God – that you trust Him even
when He seems untrustworthy.” (p. 43)
• Think of an “act of faith”. Can you understand that act
as “resting in the character of God”?

God can seem untrustworthy…

• …when He is crushing us with the Law (Martin Luther
even said that He sometimes looks like the devil in
 this role). What is “untrustworthy” about a God who
crushes us for sins? What is trustworthy?
• …When He is weakened, dying, and dead on the
cross. What is “untrustworthy” about this God? What
is trustworthy?

Living in the Holy Wild

• Who feels restless around you and why?
• What are the “brood of snakes” that are keeping you
up at night?
• Are you on the “borderland” or in the “holy wild”?
• In what ways has God become “too safe” in our
culture?

Prayer in the Wild

Lord Jesus Christ, You died on the cross for me in the
wildest act of heroism the world has ever seen. Help me to
find rest in Your wild love for me. Amen.
Please don’t throw this away. If you’re not going to use it, leave it for
someone else to use.