I've been teaching!
This is a bit out of my tradition, to teach a class at the Church I've been attending. I usually avoid such activities as I have a strong tendancy to try to tie some sense of self worth to the activity. For me it is important to only be defined by how God defines me. Nothing I can do will add to my worth and nothing I can do will diminish my worth. About three months ago an elder asked me if I would concider teaching the adult class. I told him I would and then related my concerns. After much discussion we concluded I would be ok so I agreed.
What I have been teaching is mostly about being disciples(learners) and a method for reading that has served me well. It is about viewing Jesus as an older brother. As one who knows the ropes and is showing us how to do what our father wants. One thing I am having the class do is read a given section two or three times per day all week. What this does is makes us frustrated and once that happens then we are most ready to listen. Listen to whatever God wants to tell us. Free from what we think we know, the scripture takes on a life of it's own. As the class is free to share what they are learning without condemnation, we start building a picture that is far more perfect than what right religion allows. It has been fun. It also ends in about four weeks. The cool thing is that they are actually doing it and the participation has been great. So I am not telling them what I think the Bible means. We are telling each other what God has taught us. My fondest hope is that they come away with the idea that the scripture can always be fresh. That God is eager to share something with them and they will have something to eagerly share with each other.
What I have been doing is not political nor is it very scholarly or much anything else for that matter. It just seems that in the conservative churches we have been holding on to what is correct according to our religion for so long that we forgot about the simplisity of just listening without any fear. Not affraid that God will tell me something outside of or even opposed to my religion.
Fred
What I have been teaching is mostly about being disciples(learners) and a method for reading that has served me well. It is about viewing Jesus as an older brother. As one who knows the ropes and is showing us how to do what our father wants. One thing I am having the class do is read a given section two or three times per day all week. What this does is makes us frustrated and once that happens then we are most ready to listen. Listen to whatever God wants to tell us. Free from what we think we know, the scripture takes on a life of it's own. As the class is free to share what they are learning without condemnation, we start building a picture that is far more perfect than what right religion allows. It has been fun. It also ends in about four weeks. The cool thing is that they are actually doing it and the participation has been great. So I am not telling them what I think the Bible means. We are telling each other what God has taught us. My fondest hope is that they come away with the idea that the scripture can always be fresh. That God is eager to share something with them and they will have something to eagerly share with each other.
What I have been doing is not political nor is it very scholarly or much anything else for that matter. It just seems that in the conservative churches we have been holding on to what is correct according to our religion for so long that we forgot about the simplisity of just listening without any fear. Not affraid that God will tell me something outside of or even opposed to my religion.
Fred
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