One of our congregation’s weekly Bible classes is the highlight of my week. Its’s an anchor for my spiritual well-being as well as a chance to dig deeper into the rich soil of Christianity. Something fairly new in my retired years, this gathering of men and women of Faith is both a source and an outlet for what lies inside of me.
I didn’t always think like this. From admittedly inaccurate perceptions, I used to believe that these opportunities for encountering Scripture didn’t really offer much spiritual meat. That these groups didn’t really dig into texts, that they were too clergy-dependent, and that they were satisfied with the usual questions and answers.
While that might have been true in some places in my dusty past, what I found here at this congregation has been exactly the opposite. Our weekly classes are more like conversations. They’re prompted by discovery-based processes that our pastors facilitate. The participants in our Thursday morning group include long-time Lutherans, Jesuit-trained former Catholics and other lay theologians who insist on digging around in the settings of the original languages. Most of these folks have come through difficult life experiences, which make them inquisitive about how the circumstances of the Bible often address current events. Because they are older, the participants in our conversations pack the wisdom of the ages into their observations. These men and women are admirable examples of faithful Christians who are trying to put into practice what God’s Word proclaims and invites. What God’s words challenge and encourage. These good people know that the Spirit’s presence continues to change lives, civilizations and history itself.
I trust that you are part of Bible conversations like I’ve described here, and that you have reason to exult about it, too!
A highlight for your week….
