This new study, Guidelines for Fruitful Living, is an examination of one chapter of the amazingly rich book of Romans, Saint Paul's long epistle to the early Church in Rome.

The book of Romans has been the subject of countless writings, discussions and heated disputes over the millennia, and it continues to be.

The purpose of this particular series is much more limited: to delve into the 21 verses that comprise this single chapter, in order to understand and then practically apply some of the insights we find in those verses to our daily lives.

We'll begin the study by exploring the Biblical image of "fruitfulness", and why it is so crucial for us as disciples of Jesus Christ.

After that, we'll examine the background of the book of Romans, and in particular, the reasons why Saint Paul wrote it in the way he did. This hopefully will help you understand this complex and densely theological book better.

We'll then look at this 12th chapter through the lens of five key concepts, seeking specifically to apply each of those concepts to our individual lives by examining some reflection questions, and giving some practical suggestions for how to respond.