April 27th: Potluck!

We're meeting at the Shelleys' house tonight at 6:30pm for potluck. Bring something to eat, and look forward to some time to talk, encourage each other, grow deeper in community, and maybe play a game (if you like that kind of thing).

Also, are you working through Philippians? We'll be discussing this challenge a week from today, so keep reading & thinking about the following questions:

1. Does the book itself state its author?

2. Does the book itself state when it was written?

3. Does the book contain/refer to any historical events?

4. Does the book contain geographical information?

5. What does it say about the recipients?

6. What is the relationship between the author and the recipients?

7. What hints of social customs/manner of life are contained?

8. Does the book appear to give an overall purpose for its having been written? Generally? Specific mention?

9. Are there any special concerns? A recurring word or theme?

10. Can you discern an outline?

11. Are there any other questions or observations you have not covered by the previous questions?

See you there tonight!

Two Week Challenge: Philippians

Here's our new challenge! Since we are having potluck next Tuesday, we have two weeks to complete this challenge, which is probably a good thing because this isn't just a 5-minute task! But I think as you dig into the text, you'll find it meaningful and worthwhile.

Over the next two weeks, take a close look at the book of Philippians. The goal is to read through the book seven times, at least one of those times reading all the way through in just one sitting. (Don't worry, Philippians is one of the shorter Epistles, only 4 chapters long!)

As you read, try to answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Does the book itself state its author?

2. Does the book itself state when it was written?

3. Does the book contain/refer to any historical events?

4. Does the book contain geographical information?
5. What does it say about the recipients?

6. What is the relationship between the author and the recipients?

7. What hints of social customs/manner of life are contained?

8. Does the book appear to give an overall purpose for its having been written? Generally? Specific mention?
9. Are there any special concerns? A recurring word or theme?
10. Can you discern an outline?
11. Are there any other questions or observations you have not covered by the previous questions?

I can't wait to hear what you've learned from this process when we discuss the challenge and continue discussing the Epistles on May 4th!

Also, remember Potluck is at 6:30pm this Tuesday -- start thinking about what you'd like to bring!

April 20th: The Epistles

This Tuesday at small group we'll be continuing our study on how to read & interpret the Bible. Sarah will lead us as we discuss the Epistles, the letters written to the early church (Romans through Jude in the Bible). Also, remember to look at 1 Peter 1:3 in a few different translations and record your observations. If you have time & interest, go ahead and look at the whole passage (1 Peter 1:3-8). We'll be discussing our observations, the differences we saw between the translations, and our overall impressions of which translations seemed most clear to us.

I look forward to seeing you & hearing your thoughts when we meet at the Shelleys' house tomorrow, Tuesday April 20th, at 7:30pm!

April 13th: Interpreting Scripture

First, a quick re-cap of last week's small group (in case you missed it or have forgotten). We talked about the difficulties & benefits of reading the Bible, along with the common pitfalls of reading & interpreting scripture. We also agreed to help each other form good habits of studying the Bible through this series. To that end, on our own this week, we're reading 1st Peter 1:3-9 and writing down all of the observations -- just observations, not inferences -- we can make in that passage. So, come to group on Tuesday prepared to share what you observed. If you were at group last week, make sure to bring your notebook this week! (and if you missed group, we'll have a notebook for you on Tuesday!)

This Tuesday, Sarah will be picking up where she left off, leading us in a discussion about how to interpret scripture rightly and what the differences are among the various Bible translations out there. This kinda goes along with "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth" Chapters 1 & 2, if you're interested in following along in that book. See you at the Shelleys' house at 7:30pm on Tuesday April 13th!

April 6th: Kick-Off!

Get excited! This Tuesday at small group, we're starting our new spring study! We'll be discussing how to dig into the scriptures, really understand them, and apply them to our lives. This week Sarah will be leading us as we get the big picture of why & how to study the Bible faithfully. As we go through this study, the leaders will be using the book "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth" by Fee & Stuart (see the description at Amazon.com) as a reference. You certainly don't need the book to participate in the discussion, but you may find it to be helpful in your own study of the Bible. Do make sure to bring your Bible each week! As usual, we'll also have time for conversation & prayer on Tuesday.

We'll meet at the Shelleys' house (2125 N Summit, Wheaton) at 7:30pm on Tuesday April 6th. I hope to see you there!

Also, keep this Friday night open for some bowling! Details to follow...