The Long Night

4 Weeks

Big Idea of the Series

A sense of God’s absence is felt by most Christians at some time in their lives of faith. Known as “the dark night of the soul”—a phrase borrowed from the poem of the same name by John of the Cross—this experience is both a crisis of faith and an opportunity for faith to flourish. This four-week series will explore this sense of God’s absence in the midst of distress, suffering, injustice, and temptation, with the hope of encouraging those who may be experiencing it and equipping those yet to face it.

Using This Series Guide

What is the Series Guide?

The Series Guide is a comprehensive resource designed to help you lead your congregation through this sermon series. It includes weekly sermon outlines, discussion questions, and key theological insights to support your teaching preparation.

Each guide has been thoughtfully crafted to provide you with both depth and flexibility as you prepare your messages.

This series includes 4 weeks of content.

What is the Series Guide Not?

The Series Guide is not a word-for-word sermon script. It's not meant to replace your own study and preparation, but rather to complement it with additional resources and structure.

It also doesn't include all media assets - those are available in the downloads section.

How Do I Use this Series Guide?

We recommend starting with the series overview to understand the big picture themes. Then, for each week, review the scripture passages, main points, and illustrations provided.

Use the discussion questions for small groups or to spark your own thinking. Feel free to adapt any content to fit your congregation's specific needs and context.