Direct answer: A Tozer Bible study can support spiritual growth when his writings raise a meaningful question and Scripture supplies the authoritative answer. Use The Pursuit of God to explore spiritual hunger, surrender, faith, worship, and God’s presence, but always connect those themes to biblical context, prayer, obedience, community, and accountability.
What Tozer Contributes to a Spiritual Growth Study
Tozer often writes with urgency. He challenges readers who are content with outward religious activity but neglect personal fellowship with God. This can help a study group name spiritual complacency and recover a desire to seek God.
His value is not that every sentence should be treated as a doctrinal definition. His value is that he asks searching questions that can lead readers back to Scripture.
A Scripture-Centered Tozer Study Method
- Read the chapter. Identify its central spiritual concern in one sentence.
- Name the claim. Write what the chapter appears to say about God, faith, surrender, or Christian experience.
- Select the biblical text. Choose a passage that directly addresses the theme and read it in context.
- Compare carefully. Ask where Tozer clarifies, illustrates, or possibly goes beyond what the passage says.
- Center on Christ. Connect the lesson to the gospel and dependence on Jesus rather than human effort.
- Pray the truth. Turn the biblical teaching into praise, confession, thanksgiving, and request.
- Practice obedience. Choose one action that can be reviewed.
- Share the lesson. Explain it to someone else and invite a response.
Six Themes and Biblical Anchors
| Tozer theme | Biblical anchor | Growth question |
|---|---|---|
| Spiritual hunger | Psalm 42; Matthew 5:6 | What has weakened my desire for God? |
| Surrender | Luke 9:23–24; Romans 12:1–2 | What do I resist placing under Christ’s authority? |
| Faith | Hebrews 11:1–6; Proverbs 3:5–6 | Where am I demanding control before I obey? |
| God’s presence | Psalm 139; Acts 17:24–28 | How can I practice attentive prayer without depending on emotion? |
| Worship | John 4:23–24; Romans 12:1 | Does my weekday life agree with my Sunday worship? |
| Abiding | John 15:1–11 | What helps Christ’s words remain active in my life? |
A Six-Week Spiritual Growth Plan
Week 1
Hunger for God: Psalm 42 and Psalm 63.
Week 2
Surrender: Luke 9 and Romans 12.
Week 3
Faith: Hebrews 11 and Proverbs 3.
Week 4
Worship: John 4 and Romans 12.
Week 5
Abiding: John 15.
Week 6
Fruit and mission: Galatians 5 and Matthew 28.
What Tozer Cannot Do for the Reader
No Christian author can substitute for Scripture, the Holy Spirit, the gospel, prayer, the local church, or personal obedience. Reading Tozer will not automatically produce maturity. His writing may expose a need, but the reader must respond to God’s Word in faith.
Avoid Two Extremes
Do not dismiss devotional writing merely because it is not a commentary, and do not accept devotional language without biblical examination. Receive help gratefully while keeping Scripture supreme.
How to Measure Spiritual Growth
Look for more than strong feelings during the study. Ask whether participants are:
- Reading and understanding Scripture more carefully
- Praying with greater honesty and dependence
- Repenting more readily
- Trusting God in uncertainty
- Showing the fruit of the Spirit in relationships
- Serving within the church and community
- Helping others take steps toward Christ
Group Leader Guidance
Ask participants to read before the meeting, but do not let the discussion become a review of favorite quotations. Read the biblical passage aloud, allow several people to answer, and keep returning to the central question: “What does Scripture teach, and how will we respond?”
End with one action and one person who will ask about it the following week. This turns a Tozer discussion into a genuine spiritual-growth study.
A Related Resource for Pursuing God
The Pursuit of God (Annotated): A Modern Study Guide to A. W. Tozer’s Classic on Abiding in Christ and Making Disciples preserves Tozer’s original text while adding chapter summaries, study resources, word searches, and practical connections to abiding, obedience, spiritual growth, and disciple-making.
View the Book on Amazon← Return to The Pursuit of God Knowledge Catalogue
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tozer’s books replace a Bible study?
No. Tozer can stimulate reflection, but Scripture remains the final authority and the primary text for Christian growth.
Which Tozer book is a good place to begin?
The Pursuit of God is often a practical starting point because its chapters focus on spiritual hunger, surrender, faith, worship, and awareness of God.
How should I evaluate Tozer’s statements?
Read them carefully, compare them with Scripture in context, and hold what is faithful while avoiding conclusions that go beyond the biblical text.
Can this study be used in a church group?
Yes. It works best when a leader keeps Scripture central and includes discussion, prayer, application, and accountability.