Short answer: Case studies help a group apply The Pursuit of God when the facilitator makes participants distinguish what is known, what is assumed, which Tozer theme is relevant, which Scripture governs the response, and what faithful action would look like. The goal is not to guess the “right answer” about a fictional person. The goal is to practice wise biblical judgment before applying the same themes to real life.
How to use a case without turning it into gossip practice
- Read the case once without solving it.
- List facts and assumptions separately.
- Name the relevant chapter or theme from Tozer.
- Open a biblical passage that actually governs the issue.
- Identify two plausible responses and compare their wisdom.
- Ask what additional information you would need before advising a real person.
Case 1 — The secure plan: surrender without irresponsibility
Daniel believes God may be leading him toward a costly act of service, but he rejects every option that could reduce income or disturb a carefully protected future. His spouse calls it fear; Daniel calls it wisdom.
Group task: Use Chapter 2. Distinguish prudent provision from possessiveness. What evidence would show that money has become a master? Which responsibilities must remain in view before Daniel makes a dramatic decision? Read Matthew 6:19–34 and 1 Timothy 6:17–19 before advising him.
Case 2 — The admired leader: meekness without passivity
Maria leads a successful ministry. When another leader suggests changing a long-standing practice, she becomes defensive and quietly stops inviting that person into planning meetings.
Group task: Use Chapters 3 and 9. What might self-protection look like here? What facts could make Maria’s caution legitimate? How can she receive correction without surrendering her responsibility to make a wise decision? Read Philippians 2:3–8 and James 1:19–20.
Case 3 — The constant listener: God’s voice and Scripture
Ethan says God gives him frequent personal messages. He acts quickly on impressions but rarely studies Scripture in context or invites correction.
Group task: Use Chapter 6. Separate Tozer’s language about God’s speaking voice from the authority of Scripture. What should Ethan do before acting on a major impression? What kinds of claims should never be based on an impression alone? Read 2 Timothy 3:14–17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22.
Case 4 — The distracted parent: private devotion versus whole-life worship
Jordan reads Christian books every morning but remains absorbed in a phone at family meals and reacts impatiently whenever children interrupt the schedule.
Group task: Use Chapter 10. How does whole-life worship test the value of private devotional habits? What would repentance look like if the problem is not the morning reading but the failure to carry worship into ordinary relationships? Read Colossians 3:12–17.
Case 5 — The grieving believer: presence without blame
Alicia continues praying and attending church after a painful loss but feels little emotional nearness to God. Friends tell her that she needs to “pursue God harder.”
Group task: Use Chapters 5 and 7 carefully. How can the group affirm God’s presence without treating emotional dryness as spiritual failure? What kind of companionship is more appropriate than a technique? Read selected lament psalms and Romans 8:31–39.
Case 6 — The multiplying program: mission without machinery taking over
A church launches a disciple-making system with ambitious goals and rapid reporting. Participation grows, but leaders are exhausted, prayer is shrinking, and relationships feel increasingly mechanical.
Group task: Compare Tozer’s preface with John 15:1–8 and Matthew 28:18–20. How can the church keep mission and structure while refusing to let measurable activity replace abiding, prayer, love, and actual formation?
Do not let the group diagnose fictional people too confidently
Cases are intentionally incomplete. A mature discussion should regularly say, “We do not know enough yet.” That habit matters because real pastoral and discipleship situations also contain missing information.
Ask what you would need to know before confronting, advising, or assigning motives.
A facilitator debrief that prevents abstract discussion
After the case, ask each participant to complete one sentence: “The mistake I am most tempted to make in a situation like this is…” Examples might include judging too quickly, avoiding correction, over-spiritualizing, rescuing, controlling, or giving advice before listening.
Then ask one final question: “What biblical practice would help correct that tendency?”
Choose cases by chapter, not by novelty
Do not use all six in one meeting. Pick the case that fits the chapter under study. Ten or fifteen minutes is enough if the group stays with the text and Scripture.
For the broader meeting structure, see How to Lead a Pursuit of God Group Study. For live discussion skills, use the facilitation playbook.
Groups that want case discussion alongside chapter summaries and leader tools can also review the expanded study edition.