Do Hard Things: The Official Study Guide
If you’re like us, talking with others about what you’re reading helps you decide what you think and how to respond to what a book is saying. This chapter-by-chapter study guide is intended to help you do just that.
Use it for personal study, if you wish, but we think it works best in a group. And the best group is one where you’re surrounded by others who care about the same things you do and are ready to put truth into action.
Don’t feel you have to process every question. It’s not a test, and as often as not, there’s no one right answer. Also, don’t let our questions limit what you ask or where you go. Ask God to direct your thoughts and decisions. And ask Him for courage — lots of it. Because big ideas are weak ideas if we’re not willing to let them shape how we think and live.
So use this study guide to zero in on the ideas, choices, and actions that seem most promising and helpful to you and your friends. Then expect great things to happen in your lives as you do hard things for the glory of God!
Your Fellow Rebelutionaries,
Alex and Brett
June 4th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Looks great guys, thanks for getting it out.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Ok… this is kinda weird, because I was just thinking today that y’all should come out with a study guide for your book! And presto, here it is!
This is going to be a valuable resource! Thanks.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
This looks awesome. My dad’s been asking me every week, “So is the study guide out yet?”, because we’re working on ministering to the kids, teens, and adults in our neighborhood. I look forward to going through this! God bless!
June 4th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
YAY!!!!! w00t! You guys have no idea how excited I am to see this out!!!! I have been working on trying to figure up some of my own questions and stuff, for my group study, but this will be extremely helpful.
Muchas gracias!!
Laura Ansley
June 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Thank you so much, I’ve been waiting for this for a while.
-cj
June 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
YESSSSSSSSS! I’ve been waiting for this since the book came out! Can’t wait to read through the book using the study guide again. I wanna get a friend to do it w/ me too, now! Thanks, guys!
Have you considered making a printed booklet format available?
June 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Hey Everyone!
I went to the Rebelution conference in Hickory, North Carolina, and God radically worked in my life there. I want everyone I know to get the chance to attend this conference, so while I was there at the conference, I started a petition for the Rebelution to come to Michigan. I even got Brett and Alex to sign it! Michigan is a central state, and people from Canada, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin would have easy access to the conference. If u live in Michigan or a surrounding state, please email me at rebelutionmichigan2009@yahoo.com or join the facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19050850875 to get ur name added to the petition! Thanks!
(I realize this is off-topic, but I’ve seen others asking for the Rebelution to come to Michigan on this blog, and I don’t know how else to spread the word)
June 4th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Thanks a lot! I’m looking forward to using it! Thank you for doing even more “Hard Things”.
-Justin
June 4th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Looks great guys! Thank you for all your hard work:-)
June 4th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
My mom and I were just brainstorming ways to apply “Do Hard Things” and some other lessons taught through the blog and conference, practically — it’s been really fun (and challenging). So this’ll be really interesting to read — I’m looking forward to it (and am trying to be patient as I cannot download it for another few days).
Also, I really appreciate that you reminded us to ask God to direct our thoughts and decisions and to ask Him for (lots of) courage. That is so much needed — as we read this, the Bible, ANYTHING. God has really put on my heart lately about decision merely in words vs. decision in action, as well. Thanks for confirming what He’s been teaching me — so encouraging. God bless you guys!
June 4th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Great stuff, guys! A great book now has a great study guide. Thanks a bunch guys!
June 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
yay!!! Thanks so much!!!
June 4th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Awesome. I was just saying to someone the other day that there should really be a study guide to go with this book. Thanks guys!
June 4th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Way cool! Thanks!
June 4th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Saw the store…
June 4th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Thanks SO SO SO much!
June 4th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
YAY!!!! WOOT! (and any other expresion of excitement), I’m so happy this is here I was already think about going back through the book and taking note so I can recap without having to read the whole book again. Anyway great job I havn’t look at it very much but it looks cool.
Miles
June 4th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Whoohoo!!! This is great!!!
My family was going to use this as somewhat of Bible study type thing, and this will be perfect for that!!! An extremely big thank you to you guys!!
June 4th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hey guys, great study guide, it’ll go well with the book!
Is it just me though, or is the page on chapter 5 cut off a little bit?
June 4th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
awesome! thanks!
Yea, the last question of chapter 5 does seems to be cut off a bit, maybe its just Billy and me that cant see it?
June 4th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Now this is cool! Thanks guys! Gives me another excuse to read it again!
June 4th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Billy and Dan: The last line was missing. I’ve re-uploaded it. It should be fixed now. Thanks so much for catching that!
June 4th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Wow, I am so excited to do this!
Thanks a lot, guys.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The 5th chapter looks great now.
So how are we supposed to do it in a group? Something like getting together weekly like for a Bible Study? Or emailing back and forth? I was just wondering if you (or anyone else) have any suggestions as to the practical application of how to organize doing it with others.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Hey everyone,
For those of you who said that you would pray for me, today is the day of my oral surgery. I know I’ll need them today
Brett, Ashley, Mary G., and Aimee,
Thank you so much for your prayers. Just knowing that you will be praying for me is helping give me peace of mind. Thanks again.
Aimee,
I’m praying for you! I pray for a quick and speedy recovery with minimal pain.
God Bless!
Amanda
June 5th, 2008 at 7:25 am
This study guide is wonderful, thank you! During your final challenge of encouragement at your conference, you told us to seek out the secret rebelutionaries. Well, I have been doing that and have discovered that there are a lot of them! I’ve been considering organizing a local group of rebelutionaries to get together to fellowship and encourage one another and this study guide will be a perfect start!
On that note, have you considered any forms of local Rebelution Clubs?
Hannah B: I moved from Clarkston, MI a couple of years ago and I have lots of friends up there that would love to be able to go to the conference. I’ll be sure and sign your petition and encourage my Michigander friends to do the same! And one last thing….Way to go Red Wings!
June 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I know my cousin in MI would probably sign the petition. I want her to get aquainted with the Rebelution because she is one without knowing what the term is
Come to think of it, one of my friends in MI might also sign it. (I moved from Detroit a few years back.) Our parent/youth group is going through it on Sunday mornings (well, all those who want to are).
Alli T: I agree, yay for the Wings! It will be so much fun to wear my Red Wings shirt around all the Capitols fans here in VA.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Thanks this is gonna be helpful
I just printed it out!!
June 5th, 2008 at 8:03 am
This looks really good. I want to try and get my parent/teen group to go through it.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Yay! Thanks, guys! I can’t wait to start a group study with “Do Hard Things.” I’m psyched!
Press on!
June 5th, 2008 at 8:49 am
So exciting! This is a blessing from God.Just when our youth needed it to!
June 5th, 2008 at 9:23 am
hey guys. love your book, Do Hard Things, I was turned on to it by one of my students, I have taught HS Bible for the last 12 years in Cincinnati and have worked with teens for the past 20+ years. It is refreshing to see teens challenge teens in the areas of character, doing the right things, living now for the future. I pray that you will touch lots of lives, blessing on you and your ministry,
Ken Bashford,
JH/HS Principal Cincinnati Christian School
Pastor, Kenwood Fellowship
June 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Yay!
Thanks, guys!
June 5th, 2008 at 11:03 am
This is exactly what I needed! Thanks Brett for responding to my email!
June 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Great! We might be doing the study with our youth group too.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Wow! Haha, I just got the original book from Na 2008, and I haven’t started it yet (I’m in between another book). But when I begin reading Do Hard Things, I believe this study guide would come in handy!
Keep up the wonderful Christ-exalting job!
June 5th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
wow! Sounds awesome! I’ll try to get it soon! It will be cool to reread it and use the study guide to help me!!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
This is so great. I’m so excited to have this. Thanks so much!!!
June 5th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Wow. What timing. I have been asked to lead a book study on your book in my youth group girls sphere, and was starting to produce my own study guide. I am SO glad you have released this! Praise God! Thank you so much… Now I am more equipped to start our study. God bless!
June 5th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
You guys rock!!! You have a great ministry going, keep on with it. BTW- I really like the book too!!! =]
June 5th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Alli Thompson: Thanks for joinging the group and adding ur name to the petition! PLEASE email me with your friends’ and relatives’ (parents, siblings, etc.) names who would like their names to be added!
Nan H.: If you could get ur friend and cousin to email me, that would be awesome! Every name counts!
65 names on the petition after two days…and counting!
June 5th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
WOW! This is amazing guys!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my mom was just saying the other day, that she wanted to start a bible study with
this, and now we have questions that go along with the book!!! WOOHOO!!!!!
God bless you guys, over and over:) We’ll be praying tons for you as you go to your
conferences! one question: would you consider coming to Atlanta, Ga. or somewhere
near there anytime soon, if your able to?
June 5th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
WOW!! Thanks so much guys! This is very much appreciated. I think everybody agrees with me when I say that you guys have perfect timing! I am going to print it out and pass it out at youth group. Thanks Alex and Brett!
June 5th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Totally cool guys!
My sisters and I are definitely going to do this together!
THANKS!
June 5th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Thanks soooooo much, this is going to be so much help!
Thank you!!
June 6th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Hey Laura! We don’t have to make our own anymore! It is sort of disapointing though because I was having a blast doing it. Oh well, now I don’t have to spend hours and hours working on a study guide. Even though our project is done let’s keep in touch.
In Christ,
Olivia
June 6th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Oh my goodness. That last verse on the study guide just *jumped* out at me. It’s the same verse that jumped out at me when my family and I were reading Ephesians 3. And…it *can’t* be just a coincidence. I haven’t got ya’ll’s book yet. I wonder if it’s at Barnes and Noble’s? If it’s there, I’m definitely going to go look for it this summer =). Continue to be blessed and be a blessing!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Thanks so much for the book and the study guide. I am trying to talk my mom and dad into teaching the Junior/Senior High Sunday School class at our church using the study guide. Thanks again!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Jocelyn: Yes, you should be able to find it at any Barnes and Noble.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Hey guys, thanks so much for putting out a study guide! Your book’s really cool and this is even cooler! Thanks for the ministry!
June 6th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Amanda, I’m through with my operation now, and it went really well. How was yours? I’ve been praying for you, and I hope that all went well. I’m recovering really well, and I pray that you do even better!
June 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Hey guys!
I just saw the new t-shirts today! They look really cool!
Are you going to sell them and all of the others at the Gaithersburg conference?
June 6th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Hey Aimee,
However, I am very sore and stiff. I’m trying to keep the ice on, but have found myself drifting off half the time. I am so glad everthing is gong well for you 
Well, I need to go ice again. Thanks so much for your prayers 
As far as I know my operation went well also. I’m doing better than I expected, which is nice
God Bless!
Amanda
June 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I know about the ice–it’s been taking the swelling down, but it’s hard to keep it on. I’ve been sleeping a lot as well…seems to help! Still praying!
Aimee
June 6th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I was at a homeschool conference today, and I saw several vendors had “Do Hard Things”, and not only that, but a couple of different people were talking about either you two (Alex and Brett) or The Rebelution.
The Rebelution spreading….
Seriously though, that’s pretty cool.
June 7th, 2008 at 4:14 am
ok I’m beginning to think you guys are mind readers! I was just thinking that you guys needed to write a study guide and two days later…here it is! Thanks guys!!!!!!
June 7th, 2008 at 6:35 am
I don’t remember you guys mentioning that the shirts were up online! Cool cool.
June 8th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Wow! I haven’t even finished reading the book, but hey! I just got it like, 3 days ago. My mom’s all over study guides. She likes to get me to read stuff I think will be boring, and then I realize it’s STA (So Totally Awesome)!
June 8th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I haven’t finished reading the book yet but I am very impressed with what you guys have said in it so far. I’m a shy person, and reading stories of other shy people breaking out of their comfort zones and talking to new people is very encouraging for me.
I think that the study guide will be very helpful, I will definitely be telling my youth group about it (we are all reading your book right now, so an interactive study guide is exactly what we need!)
June 8th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
My friends and I are reading this book. I have loved it so far! I actually came to the website to see if there was a studyguide! I think it is great what yall are doing! Thanks so much!
June 8th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Hey I just saw the store on the side bar! Awsome!
June 8th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
I would like to get a tee-shirt, but I’m currently saving up money for an intercity ministry thing I’m doing in Tulsa. I’ll try to save up a few extra bucks though, and get one so I can bring it with me!
June 8th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Thats awesome Kole!
I can’t wait to get the study guide!!
June 9th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Hey, thanks for this study guide, it’s going to really help me in my quiet times. My church is in the midst of going through this book and bouncing around new ideas inspired by the Rebelution. Thank God for you guys!
June 9th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Hey Alex and Brett,
I don’t mean to be rude or anything but it would of been really nice if you guys could of emailed me back almost a month ago when I was asking about the study guide because that would of saved me quite a few hours of work that I had to do to make a study guide for section 1 for the group of girls that I am studying it with. But I guess It isn’t that bad because I met Laura that way and it was really fun working on a study guide. Plus I needed it by last Sunday. So oh well. Thanks for putting it up.
June 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Awesome! Thank you..thank you…thank you!
I’m a youth leader at my fellowship and I lead Jr. & Sr. Highers..and even a few college age people. I picked up your book and I can’t seem to put it down! It’s hitting me right between the eyes and the young adults that I work with seem to think I have lost it. I’m always bring up expectations and challenging them constantly to do hard things (Only because I’m applying it..you can’t preach it if you’re not living it!). So, this guide is a blessing. Seriously!
I’m so thankful that there are people out there that are just tired of low expectations!!
June 9th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
The book Do Hard Things came in the mail today I’m so excited!
thanks for the study guide guys!
June 10th, 2008 at 6:35 am
[...] Read the first chapter here. Read a review here and here. Download the book’s study guide here. Check out their popular website and blog here. Listen, read, and/or watch a sermon by John Piper on the subject of teenagers here. Buy the book here. [...]
June 11th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Aimee,
Saturday, I heard that someone I know of got his wisdom teeth pulled Thursday as well. Seems to have been a popular day 
I just wanted to check base, praying that you’re still recovering well and again thank you for your prayers.
How are you doing? I’m doing pretty well. Not quite normal, but getting there
God Bless,
Amanda
June 11th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Thank you sooo much! My youth pastor, a couple friends, and I, are about to start a bible study on the book. He got a copy of the book for me, and was going to give it to me for the bible study, but I could not wait, and persuaded my family to get a copy. As soon as I got my copy, I let one one of my good friends from church borrow it, and it changed his life, as well as mine. This guide will be a lot of help for the bible study! Thanks again!
June 11th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I’m so sorry that I missed your email, Olivia! We were getting dozens of those a day and I tried to respond to as many of them as I could.
Glad to hear God worked it out for good! 
June 12th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I’m so excited for this! Thanks Alex and Brett for putting this out!
June 13th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
[...] Do Hard Things study guide Published 13 June 2008 Culture , Helpful Stuff , Study Tags: Alex and Brett Harris, Culture, Do Hard Things, Teenagers As if the book wasn’t good enough, Alex and Brett Harris are now providing a study guide: If you’re like us, talking with others about what you’re reading helps you decide what you think and how to respond to what a book is saying. This chapter-by-chapter study guide is intended to help you do just that. [...]
June 13th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
WOW amazing!! im so excited. Thanx so much Brett and Alex keep up the awesome work!
June 28th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Hey Brett and Alex, Ever thought about establishing or encouraging “Do Hard Things” or “Rebelution” Chapters in various cities across the country? I’m ready to start one with the 10-20 year olds in our homeschool group. I could see us doing “special projects” once a month as a team in our cities as Rebelutionaries. What do you think?
Anyone else thought of this?
Margie
June 29th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Starting a summer study on “Do Hard Things” with my youth group tonight, and just found the study guide! Thanks guys! Terrific job.
June 29th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Hey Alex,
No problem. I know that you guys get tons of emails. I met you at the conference in MN and when I went back to my brother he asked if I had told you about how I had already started making I study guide, but I forgot and I was already holding up the line. (I talked to you after your dad’s session and I mentioned how I was leading a study and how much you guys have been a blessing to me and how I am praying for you guys. Remember me? I forgot to give you my name when I talked to you, sorry.) If you guys have time, could you check out my blog and tell me what you think. It is just started but I would love your opinion.
In Christ,
Olivia
July 7th, 2008 at 7:38 am
[...] On Wednesday’s I will post questions from the Study Guide. You are more than welcome to read the questions ahead of time in order to formulate your response. However, NO comments will be posted in response to the questions UNTIL I actually post the questions on Wednesday. So this means if you comment on the chapter prior to my posting the questions, your comments will not be approved until that point and time. [...]
August 20th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I am so excieted to use it. Right now I am working on making the DVD and Study Guide into a class at our church for Wednesday nights. I think it will really challange and grow my youth group.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
[...] or encouraged by this book. If so, then in what ways? I’m also going to direct you to this link where you can download the official study guide for free. I look forward to hearing your thoughts! [...]