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?  

Ongoing Discoveries

This week we continued to explore what God is saying to us and how we step into that in a practical way.  We concluded by identifying the reality that many times we pull back from what God has said about us and in doing so embrace something less than fulfillment in our lives.  Come next week with questions that you have.

For the Audio from Sunday, click on the following link:

The Eagles, Our Destiny and Questions that Emerge Along the Way

The Importance of Asking the Right Questions

There are many times when we are focused on getting the right answer and there are times that this is important.  However, sometimes it is more important to ask the right question.  Many times we respond to God the way that the disciples did in John 4.  They came back from a village and found him talking with a woman, a Samaritan woman who we know had a questionable reputation.  They marveled that he spoke with a woman, yet the scripture is clear that they didn't ask him about it.  We often hesitate from asking questions about scriptures or topics which puzzle us.  This often doesn't serve us well in our search for Truth.  Especially, as teachers it is important that we learn to ask and encourage those we are teaching to ask questions which are real to them.  This is a vital part of learning and owning our faith. 

For the audio from this Thursday evening teaching session, click the following link:

The Importance of Asking the Right Questions

Exploring the Redemptive Gifts in Action

This Sunday, we began to take another step in exploring the redemptive gifts in action.  We look specifically at how the gifts can function in a small group setting.  We also hear from one couple in the group about how the gifts are coming up in the context of their marriage.  As we use the month of December to pursue questions, please come to class on Sunday with yours!

Here is the link to the audio: 

Exploring the Redemptive Gifts in Action

Again, for this Sunday, please bring your questions!

Spiritual Warfare & The Introduction to the Mercy Gift

On Sunday, November 18 we began class by looking at one picture of what spiritual warfare looks like.  We followed this with a personal illustration and prayer prior to introducing the mercy gift and looking specifically at one mercy - the Apostle John - and his journey.  To listen to the audio click the following link:

Spiritual Warfare & The Introduction to the Mercy Gift

Introduction to the Ruler

In this week's class we begin by hearing from a number of people about what is "landing" with them through the teaching.  Then we move into a discussion on the unique ways that God will get our attention.  Finally, we introduce the behavioral characteristics of the Ruler and look at the influence of the ruler as we consider the magnificent accomplishments of some rulers from scripture.

For the audio from the week, click on the following link:

Introduction to the Ruler

The Giver

This week we took time to look more closely at the giver.  When givers understand the significance of the generational blessings and spiritual authority they carry, they can step more confidently into their role in the Body.  For the audio click the following link:

The Giver

To look at some of the scriptures and behavioral characteristics which correspond to the giver check out the giver chart.