This week we began by looking at the high level of synergy which is evident in synchronized swimming. Similarly, there are times and places where God seeks to synchronize a group of people. This seems to be happening in our midst as we take time to share with one another what God is doing and saying to each of us as individuals. In this way, we begin to see and hear more clearly where He is putting His finger and what is on His heart. For me, it seems like the class has been highlighting some work that God is doing in women in our congregation. We moved from this topic into a time of looking more carefully at the story of God's calling to the boy Samuel in I Samuel 3 and looking at what truth stuck to us as we experienced that story. Finally, we spent some more time looking at God's desire to deliver us from a shame orientation. The audio from Week 5 is below:
Week 5 - Samuel Listening...
I also distributed some questions to consider as we look back upon the first month of this elective. Please consider taking time to look over the questions and respond. Think about what God is saying to you, what is taking shape in your heart, in your life during these weeks...in what ways is God synchronizing you with what He is doing in our community?
For a PDF of the questions click below:
Elective Questions for Reflection March 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
What Happens When We Open the Well?
We began this week by considering the question, "What relationship is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about right now?" We then spent time hearing from two women, Carol Ebersole and Gemma Bruner, about what God has been speaking to them during the classes thus far. Each of these women and their journey are prophetic pictures of what God is doing as we dig into the well in this region. The region is designed to bring life to people and especially healing to women. This land was set aside by God, cared for by a variety of stewards until it was given to the Anabaptist pioneers who settled the region in 1710. When we touch God's design for the land, it brings a fresh release of life. We continued to look at the ways of God in dealing with people, and his heart to both use and provoke questions that will result in increased revelation and the knowledge of God. This week's class closed with a look at why Jesus "needed to" go through Samaria in John 4. Just as the history of that region was important, so too is the history of our region and the reason that God has set us here in this hour. To listen to this week's audio, follow the link below:
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Identifying Judgement, Shame and Looking into the Father's Heart
We began our 3rd week by considering the question,
"Are you easily offended?"
And then exploring the reality that Jesus was not (and is not) afraid to offend us. We paused to consider what the Holy Spirit wanted to reveal through surfacing specific memories of our fathers and our earliest memories of shame. Finally, we looked at the destructive patterns of judgment that arise from embracing religious principles which teach about God in preference of walking in relationship with Him as we grow in the knowledge of God.
We wrestled with the question of "How we are to handle those in sin, specifically sexual sin?" and heard a testimony from Bree Henry about how God patiently worked in her life to bring her to salvation through a series of experiences which took place when she was 30 years old.
The class closed by considering the question,
"What did Jesus write in the sand that moved those accusing the woman in John 8 to walk away?"
Action Step:
Ask the Holy Spirit what Jesus wrote in the sand, listen for a response and write down what you hear.
Identify one situation in your life where you need the creative wisdom of God to demonstrate the knowledge of God to a friend, family member or co-worker who is struggling.
For the audio from week 3 click the link below:
Week 3 - Audio - Shame & Judgement - March 15, 2015
"Are you easily offended?"
And then exploring the reality that Jesus was not (and is not) afraid to offend us. We paused to consider what the Holy Spirit wanted to reveal through surfacing specific memories of our fathers and our earliest memories of shame. Finally, we looked at the destructive patterns of judgment that arise from embracing religious principles which teach about God in preference of walking in relationship with Him as we grow in the knowledge of God.
We wrestled with the question of "How we are to handle those in sin, specifically sexual sin?" and heard a testimony from Bree Henry about how God patiently worked in her life to bring her to salvation through a series of experiences which took place when she was 30 years old.
The class closed by considering the question,
"What did Jesus write in the sand that moved those accusing the woman in John 8 to walk away?"
Action Step:
Ask the Holy Spirit what Jesus wrote in the sand, listen for a response and write down what you hear.
Identify one situation in your life where you need the creative wisdom of God to demonstrate the knowledge of God to a friend, family member or co-worker who is struggling.
For the audio from week 3 click the link below:
Week 3 - Audio - Shame & Judgement - March 15, 2015
Week 2 Connecting to Our Past
In our second week together, we look back briefly at the Anabaptist story that began in 1525 and connect it to the birth and life of Samuel Miller, who is considered the first child born in the settlement initiated by Hans Herr, Martin Kendig, Martin Meylin, Jacob Miller, and Wendall Bowman on the land surrounding Willow Street. His birth on January 21, 1711 serves as a prophetic reminder of the birthdate of the Anabaptist movement and stands as a call for us to remember what God initiated in that group of people. I believe that Samuel Miller's life was a prophetic marker...a sign of what God wanted to birth in this region. Therefore tracking his life can give us a picture of some of what was taking place in this region as the Great Awakening was impacting the colonies from north to south. As we look at his life, and the events that shaped Lancaster Conference in those years, we look back to see both what we can celebrate and issues that took root then which need to be dealt with today.
As we shift into how we can embrace this calling into the future, I invite the class to consider two questions as we consider what discipleship looks like. Those questions are:
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you doing about it?
ACTION STEPS:
Look for an opportunity to use those two questions in conversation with someone in your life this week.
For a link to the audio click below:
Re-Digging the Wells - Week 2 - Connecting to Our Past
As we shift into how we can embrace this calling into the future, I invite the class to consider two questions as we consider what discipleship looks like. Those questions are:
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you doing about it?
ACTION STEPS:
Look for an opportunity to use those two questions in conversation with someone in your life this week.
For a link to the audio click below:
Re-Digging the Wells - Week 2 - Connecting to Our Past
Re-digging the Wells 2015 - Introduction - Week 1
One of my favorite passages to imagine is the burial of an otherwise unknown man in II Kings 13. As he is being buried, a band of Moabite raiders are seen and the man is quickly discarded into the tomb of Elisha. What happened next must have been stunning to those watching...the corpse of this dead man touches the bones of Elisha and he revived and stood up on his feet. I love to imagine what that would have been like to see the faces of those who just thrown him into the tomb as he came out of the tomb. The scene is a picture for me of what it is like when we touch treasures from history...those realities like Elisha's bones contain the power to release new life to us.
That is what this class is about...
We began on March 1 by looking back at the birth of the Anabaptist movement in 1525 moving up to the early 1700's when a group of pioneer Anabaptists trekked across the relative wilderness of Pennsylvania to carve out a settlement in the region immediately surrounding Willow Street. The history of those events invites us to consider our identity, both the original calling and those habits which have gotten in the way of that calling. We took time to celebrate the reality that God does not stop pursuing us, but rather continues to speak, often asking questions which will help reveal clues to our calling. We paused to specifically ask God questions and then listen to God, and see if there were any specific questions He was asking us. One of the questions that came out of the time was shared by Jeremy Peifer who said that he was asking God the question,
"Who are you? And because of that Who am I?"
This question is at the core of our moving forward, getting unstuck and living lives that match the quality Jesus dared us to believe in...
At the close of week 1, I invited the group to dig into the scriptures and look for questions that God asked, examining them for clues about the way that God relates to people alongside the reminder that when He asks us a question it is not because He needs information from us.
ACTION STEPS:
1. What question do you have for God right now?
2. Pause and listen, ask God if He has any questions for you...then write them down.
3. Look through the Gospels...jot down some of the questions that Jesus asked...what does this tell you about Jesus?
That is what this class is about...
We began on March 1 by looking back at the birth of the Anabaptist movement in 1525 moving up to the early 1700's when a group of pioneer Anabaptists trekked across the relative wilderness of Pennsylvania to carve out a settlement in the region immediately surrounding Willow Street. The history of those events invites us to consider our identity, both the original calling and those habits which have gotten in the way of that calling. We took time to celebrate the reality that God does not stop pursuing us, but rather continues to speak, often asking questions which will help reveal clues to our calling. We paused to specifically ask God questions and then listen to God, and see if there were any specific questions He was asking us. One of the questions that came out of the time was shared by Jeremy Peifer who said that he was asking God the question,
"Who are you? And because of that Who am I?"
This question is at the core of our moving forward, getting unstuck and living lives that match the quality Jesus dared us to believe in...
At the close of week 1, I invited the group to dig into the scriptures and look for questions that God asked, examining them for clues about the way that God relates to people alongside the reminder that when He asks us a question it is not because He needs information from us.
ACTION STEPS:
1. What question do you have for God right now?
2. Pause and listen, ask God if He has any questions for you...then write them down.
3. Look through the Gospels...jot down some of the questions that Jesus asked...what does this tell you about Jesus?
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