DISCUSSION GUIDE

-----JOEL MAYWARD

SPOILER ALERT!
This may contain information related to the plot of
THE REMAINING and is for use by group and
individuals as a companion to the film after viewing it.

INTRODUCTION AND SYNOPSIS:

THE REMAINING is an action-packed supernatural thriller that addresses

questions of life, love and belief against an apocalyptic backdrop. A group of
close friends gather for a wedding, but the celebration is shattered by a series of
cataclysmic events and enemies foretold by biblical end-times prophecies. The
survivors face a horrifying, uncertain future as they scramble for safety, but as
their world collapses around them in chaos and terror, will they choose real life
through faith, or just try to survive?

USING THE DISCUSSION GUIDE

As you use this guide to foster discussion about the themes and ideas presented
in THE REMAINING, we encourage you to have an open mind and a spirit of
humility. The characters caught in this apocalyptic nightmare must wrestle with
deep personal convictions and beliefs, and find that their beliefs have direct
consequences in their relationships with each other and God. There are different
portions of the guide, including a Suggested Activity for movement and play, a
series of Discussion Questions for having a conversation about the themes in
the film, and some Deeper Questions for viewers who want to further examine
particular scenes and theological ideas.

AN IMPORTANT REMINDER

THE REMAINING is a thriller/horror film, and engaging with the films content
requires caution, wisdom and discernment as you mine the depths of what this
film and the Bible have to offer.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY:
WALKING IN THE DARK. This activity works best in a darkened home or building.
Get into groups of three people and line up in a straight line, holding hands.
The person in the direct middle of the line is then blindfolded. This person is
led by their two partners through the house/building on a designated course;
partners are allowed to talk and share about incoming obstacles or steps the
blind person must take. Once the course is completed, the same blindfolded
person must navigate the same course on their own, without holding the hands
of their partners. Depending on time and group size, the group leader could have
time trials between two teams, or have multiple groups attempt to navigate the
course at once. This is a great discussion starter for feelings of fear, being alone,
and the importance of being in community.
Ask the blindfolded person how they felt navigating the course with people,
then alone.
Ask the people guiding the blind how they felt both in leading them, then
having to watch as they navigated the dark alone.

DISCUSSION GUIDE:
QUESTION:
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR GREATEST FEARS? WHY DO YOU
THINK YOU HOLD THAT PARTICULAR FEAR? CAN YOU TRACE
IT BACK TO AN EXPERIENCE OR MEMORY?
Have you ever been caught up in a sudden and unexpected storm? Depending on
your climate, it could have been an earthquake, tornado, dust storm or hurricane.
In THE REMAINING, a group of beloved friends are gathered for the wedding of
Dan and Skylar, only to find themselves in a storm of epic proportions. Millions of
people appear to die in a single instant, collapsing with the empty stare of death
in their eyes. Fire falls from the sky; huge blocks of hail rain from the heavens.
Earthquakes shake the ground, and the world is thrown into chaos. The friends
have no idea what is going on, making guesses that range from aliens to climate
change to war to a simple, I dont know.

QUESTION:
IF YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN THE SAME STORM, WHAT DO
YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO? WHERE WOULD YOU GO? HOW
WOULD YOU HANDLE IT?

EACH CHARACTER IN THE FILM HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON FAITH:

Skylar has attended church all her life and is familiar with the Bible (she even
recognizes the apocalyptic events as the biblical end times), but she doesnt
have true faith in God despite her parents genuine belief.
Dan believes in science and reasoning; he becomes angrier with God as
the apocalyptic events get worse.
Jack is a skeptic and remains that way until tragedy and the testimony of
a loved one force him to reconsider his beliefs.
Allie is a seeker, searching for God in the chaos.
Tommy is unsure about it allhe only knows he wants to survive this
ordeal and see his friends make it out okay, too.

QUESTION:
WHICH CHARACTER IN THE REMAINING RESONATED
WITH YOU THE MOST? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? WHICH
CHARACTER DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST LIKE YOU?

After Skylar is brutally attacked by a frightening creature, the friends find refuge
in the church where Allie has been hiding. The pastor of the church, Shay,
begins to explain the events based on the Book of Revelation:
The people who died from Instant Death Syndrome are the faithful who
have been taken up in the rapture.
The loud sound at the beginning of the tribulation is the trumpet blast in
Revelation 8:7, signaling the onset of fire and hail.
The creature that attacked Skylar was one of the locusts from Revelation
9:3-11, with stingers like scorpions, which are let loose to torture and
torment the remaining people on earth.
When the friends wonder why a pastor wasnt raptured with the rest, Pastor
Shay explains that even though he is a pastor, he never truly believed: Just
because you have a church and a title doesnt mean you have real faith.

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PASTOR SHAYS

EXPLANATION? HOW CAN SOMEONE BE A PASTOR AND NOT
HAVE TRUE FAITH IN GOD? WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF REAL FAITH IN GOD?

The creatures grow in strength and boldness, eventually breaking into the
church and forcing the survivors to hide in the basement. When the friends
finally escape, they flee to a hospital in order to find medical help for Skylar,
who is succumbing to her wounds from the creature.
In the hospital, each characters faith in God is tested as pain and death force
them to consider their personal fate. Over and over, each of them realizes a
profound truth: we all have to make a choice. Every person must choose for
himself or herself whether or not to believe and trust in God. Regardless of
church attendance, good morals, or involvement in ministry, a persons faith is
a matter of the mind and heart.

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD? WHAT DO

YOU BELIEVE ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL? HOW DID YOU
COME TO THOSE CONCLUSIONS?

While THE REMAINING is based on the frightening images found in the Book of
Revelation, the last book of the Bible also gives us a beautiful picture of hope in
the heavenly city of God:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I
saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling
place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will
be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away. (Revelation 21:1-4, NIV)
For those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus, this is the beginning of an
eternal story. In Scripture, believers are citizens of the Holy City, where there
will be no more death or pain.

QUESTION: WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU THE MOST

FROM THIS PASSAGE IN REVELATION 21? HOW DOES
THIS COMPARE WITH THE EVENTS PORTRAYED IN THE
REMAINING?

DEEPER
QUESTIONS

- How can our group (small group, family, youth group, etc.) be more faithful to
Jesus in light of watching this movie? What themes and truths stand out for us?
- What does the end times mean to you? Do you know what you believe about
the Book of Revelation and similar passages of Scripture?
- When Skylar is looking in the Bible, she cries out, Rapture. Its not in
here! Its true; the word rapture never actually appears in Scripture. What
do you think of the idea of the rapture? Why do you think Christians choose to
believe there will be a rapture?
- What is the purpose of the Book of Revelation? Why do you think God included
it in the Bible? If youve read it, what was your reaction to it? If you havent
read it before, why not?
- The Bible instructs us that the day and the hour of Jesus return will remain
unknown to us, regardless of our best guesses. Why do you think God doesnt
reveal the day and time? Why do we as humanity still insist on trying to figure
out when the end is coming?
- What do you think of the horror genre in general? Do you think a scary movie
is an appropriate way to explore biblical themes and content? Why or why not?

- Think about the pros and cons of the horror genrewhat are some strengths
and weaknesses? What are some criteria for Christians to decide whether or not
to watch a horror movie?
- When people fixate on the end times in an unhealthy (i.e. unbiblical) way,
what are some ways to respond?
- On the other hand, some people completely ignore books like Revelation and
Daniel for their strange and sometimes intimidating or terrifying prophecies.
What is a good response to someone who is ignoring the idea of end times?
- Matthew 24:42 says, Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on
what day your Lord will come (NIV). What do you think keep watch in this
passage means? How can we keep watch as we wait for Jesus to return?
- Mark 8:35 says, For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever
loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it (NIV). What does this
mean for our daily lives when the apocalypse isnt happening around us?
SPOILER: When Tommy realizes that the creatures seek out and destroy
people who express faith in GodTheyre drawn to faith!he tries to
save Jack, who is killed immediately after getting baptized. In the world
of THE REMAINING, what do you think happens to people who die after the
rapture?

Copyright Information

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978,
1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
2014 Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Inc. All Rights Reserved.