Walk Worthy Press: The Taste of Good Fruit by Marita Teague

Reading Group Questions

The following list of questions is designed to enhance a group or individual's thinking about or discussing some of the issues we hope you will consider after reading this book. This is designed as a starting point only and is not meant to limit the discussion.

1. Sydney believes she should “practice what she preached” by not allowing her stepdaughter to see her confusion, grief, and strain. Was this the right choice? Why or why not? How might it have been helpful to Maya (and others) for Sydney to be more transparent?

2. When Samuel Hightower wrestles with Sydney's choice of a man who was raised Baptist instead of Pentecostal, Darlene reminds him, “There's one church, and furthermore, holiness is a lifestyle, not a denomination.” How do you handle denominational differences in your relationships with other Christians? How does your pastor and local church interact with other congregations in the community? What does Scripture seem to suggest about such denominational distinctions? (See Ephesians 4:5 to start.)

3. Have you ever felt as Chanel did when faced with Sydney's devastating grief? When is saying nothing better than saying the wrong thing (e.g., Job's friends)? When do we need to speak anyway and allow the Holy Spirit to mediate our meaning (Rom. 8:26-27)?

4. Do you call men? Why or why not? In your opinion, what is the “proper way to approach a sister”? What do you think is God's biggest concern in how a man and woman begin a relationship?

5. More than once, Sherese expresses unwillingness to “give her all to the Lord.” Her reasons include disdain for hypocrisy in the church, reluctance to live a life of sacrifice and self-neglect, and old resentments about feeling neglected herself as a pastor's child. What keeps you from giving your all to God?

6. Sydney's grief over Vance's death isolates her from family, friends, and church. How can someone like Sydney overcome such isolation? How can those who love such a person help her deal with the range of emotions involved in mourning a loved one—even after the initial grief has passed? (See Job 2:11; Rom. 12:15; 1 Cor. 1:3-7.)

7. It's the “small things” that make Sydney's grief hard to bear, and it's the little things about Tommy that really grate on Chanel's last nerve. What is it about the little things that matter so much? How can a person make them a blessing and not a curse?

8. Sherese really resists going to church. Even Sunday mornings are a burden to her. “Why did she have to go to church to get to heaven?” she grumbles. What does Scripture say about corporate worship? (See Neh. 8:1-13; Matt. 18:20; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24-25.) How important is church to you? Why do you think it is so important to God?

9. Sydney realizes that she never really had to press in her faith before Vance's death. Read Philippians 3:12-14 in your Bible. What experience do you have in pressing on? When did you discover what that concept really means?

10. All too aware of her own shortcomings, Chanel marvels at the authority with which she spoke to Sydney. “Why or how could the Lord speak through [a sinful person like] her?” Consider biblical examples of God doing just that through unlikely candidates—and then answer that question for yourself!

11. “God has a way of allowing trials to open up our understanding of who he is.” How did each of the three women featured in this novel discover that truth? How have you experienced it in your own life? (See Mal. 3:3; Heb. 12:7; James 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7.)

12. Are you able to sympathize (or empathize) more with Chanel or with Tommy? Why? What experience have you had with adulterous temptations? What is it about such temptation that bothers you most—the sex (or lust) or the violation of trust? Why do you think Jesus said that lust was just as bad as the sex act itself (see Matt. 5:27-28)?

13. As important as church and fellowship with other believers is, both Chanel and Sydney discover the need for one-on-one with God. Chanel realizes she doesn't need ritual or clergy to usher her into God's presence; Sydney realizes just how dependent on others she has been for her faith. How do you balance the need for corporate and individual fellowship with the Lord? Which comes more easily to you? Why?

14. Sydney feels a loss of identity when Vance dies; Sherese feels lost when she discovers she was adopted. Where do you get your sense of identity? Why? What does Colossians 3:1-4 suggest about our identity?

15. Sherese, like many P.K.s (Pastor's Kids), carries a lot of resentment about her childhood—because of a sense of neglect, unfair standards, and too-intimate knowledge of the “real” church. How can pastoral parents juggle the needs of their family with the needs of the church? Consider that question in light of Paul's exhortations in 1 Corinthians 7:1, 7-8, and in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, especially verse 5.

16. “Instead of just looking like a saint, Sherese finally felt like one.” What does a saint look like? What does it feel like to be a saint?

17. “It's hard to forgive someone who doesn't even acknowledge any wrong doing,” Chanel admits, but that is what Christ did for us (see Luke 23:34; Rom. 5:8). How willing are you to forgive someone without their repentance? What are the benefits to doing so—for you and for them?

18. Rosa would die with the consequences of her youthful mistakes; in contrast, God allowed Jack and Sherese to redeem theirs. What makes the difference? How do you live with the consequences when God does not choose to remove them? In what ways might God redeem even while allowing the consequences to remain? (See 2 Cor. 12:7-10 as an example.)