Church Is Changing

This semester, our church did something different.  For nine weeks (Aug-Oct), all small groups in the church followed the same lessons - 5 questions each week, written by the pastors based on what was studied in church on Sunday morning.  I am a video lesson and book kind of Bible studier, so I was a little leery of doing something different.  But something wonderful happened.  With no pressure for homework, people came every week, no matter what their week was like before.  With questions to discuss instead of homework to discuss, people opened up a lot more and the Holy Spirit could move more than if I had planned something to say myself.  Also, I talk a lot less and the ladies share a lot more.  Every single woman said they open up and share more in this Bible study than anywhere else.  It's amazing.  While our traditional lessons are mostly on Sundays, our small group time is discussing the application of that lesson.  People have opened up and asked for our prayer and guidance over their family members who are addicts, over divorce, over not being able to have children, over abusive ex husbands, over teenagers.  I can't even tell you how much this time means to me.  And I know it means a lot to the ladies because attendance is at an all time high.

Then this morning at church, the pastor was sick and someone else preached.  It wasn't a neat and tidy three point lesson, but more of sharing the wonder and beauty and power of who Jesus is.  Let me tell you, people lined up for invitation after that sermon like they haven't done in quite a while.

Even though I am a bullet point, book studying, note taking person, maybe not everyone out there is.  Maybe these new methods are pretty awesome and God is moving through them.

I'm excited to see what's next.