The Group
Three and a half years ago 12 guys started a 10 week Dads Teach the Bible workshop (DTTB) at the church I attend. At the end of the 10 weeks I suggested that they teach others what they had learned. Seven took me up on it. So that September we started studying Philippians together, with the idea that they would lead a Sunday school class through what they had learned. One guy had to drop out of – I called them the Magnificent 7 (M7 in my notes) – because of travel for work.
They led the Sunday school after we finished the book. But they did not want to stop meeting.
Sustained
It is now three years later. We are still meeting. Men have joined and left. One of the original men had family issues that prevented his continuing. One left to start his own study. One move on to another church. Right now we are in Acts.
Deepening
Over the three years we have been consistently applying the skills we covered in DTTB. We have studied both short and long books. We have gotten into some difficult issues. The quantity, quality, and depth of the guys’ observations have consistently increased over the last three years. They are, and have been seeing things that I miss. This morning was no exception.
Nuggets
There were several, but I want to highlight one and share a bit about the discussion it generated. One of the men observed that Acts 2:42 was a direct answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1 – 26. Then he connected the awe that everyone was feeling in Acts 2:43 as the result of what was going on in Acts 2:42. It was an astute observation.
Attitude of the Early Church
The new converts were devoted to listening to the apostles relate to them their experiences with Jesus and the content of His teaching which they had experienced over the previous 3 years. The teaching that now the Holy Spirit was bringing back to their remembrance, John 14:26 and John 16:12 – 14. They were not only devoted to this but were engaged in that teaching continually…
Stay Tuned
There are two more things I need to say about this and the M7 group. I will finish that tomorrow…
Three and a half years ago 12 guys started a 10 week Dads Teach the Bible workshop (DTTB) at the church I attend. At the end of the 10 weeks I suggested that they teach others what they had learned. Seven took me up on it. So that September we started studying Philippians together, with the idea that they would lead a Sunday school class through what they had learned. One guy had to drop out of – I called them the Magnificent 7 (M7 in my notes) – because of travel for work.
Sustained
It is now three years later. We are still meeting. Men have joined and left. One of the original men had family issues that prevented his continuing. One left to start his own study. One move on to another church. Right now we are in Acts.
Deepening
Over the three years we have been consistently applying the skills we covered in DTTB. We have studied both short and long books. We have gotten into some difficult issues. The quantity, quality, and depth of the guys’ observations have consistently increased over the last three years. They are, and have been seeing things that I miss. This morning was no exception.
Nuggets
There were several, but I want to highlight one and share a bit about the discussion it generated. One of the men observed that Acts 2:42 was a direct answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1 – 26. Then he connected the awe that everyone was feeling in Acts 2:43 as the result of what was going on in Acts 2:42. It was an astute observation.
Attitude of the Early Church
The new converts were devoted to listening to the apostles relate to them their experiences with Jesus and the content of His teaching which they had experienced over the previous 3 years. The teaching that now the Holy Spirit was bringing back to their remembrance, John 14:26 and John 16:12 – 14. They were not only devoted to this but were engaged in that teaching continually…
Stay Tuned
There are two more things I need to say about this and the M7 group. I will finish that tomorrow…
Just caught the typo in Nuggets. Fixed it...
ReplyDelete