Always Start with the Prodigal Son

The one reliable default entry passage — and why it works with almost anyone.

If you only remember one starting point, remember this: begin with the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–24). It needs no background, anyone can retell it, and it shows God as a Father who runs to welcome the one who comes home — the doorway to everything else. It works as a single one-off study with almost anyone, and it’s the first stop on the Progressive list.

Not sure what a person needs? Start with the prodigal son, watch what God does, and adjust.

Scripture — Luke 15:11–24 (ESV) — “The Father who receives the lost.”