Women's Summer Book Club | Week 1: Reading Together | Stephanie Schwartz

Main message: The talk introduced the summer book club reading J. I. Packer’s Knowing God and argued that disciplined reading of rich Christian books is essential for spiritual formation—true "knowing God" (not merely knowing about God) brings lasting joy and practical change in how we live.

Key points:

• The book club aims to sustain summer community and revive slow, thoughtful reading as a spiritual discipline (the early church’s regular gathering in Acts used as a model).
• Reading has become a "lost art" (screen habit/short bites); serious reading shapes language, doctrine, and soul—example: Spurgeon’s wide reading contributed to his ministry.
• J. I. Packer’s life and work: grew up post‑WWI England, formed by hardship, prolific author; Knowing God moves readers from intellectual assent to experiential, practical knowing of God.
• Major theological emphases in Packer: the priority of Scripture’s authority, the interplay of divine sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation, call to holiness, and "weakness the way" (God’s strength in human weakness).
• Practical guidance for the group: read the assigned chunks (≈50 pages/week or use audiobook), use the workbook to note application/questions, share honestly, listen humbly, and aim to be "travelers" who apply what they learn.

Scriptures mentioned: Acts 2:46–47, Psalm 139, 2 Corinthians 12:7–10, Jeremiah 6:16, John 17:3