On Sunday we had our Carols service and it was great to see so many coming and celebrating community and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you would like to dig deeper into the readings we shared on Sunday please use the bible reading tool below or you can also use the Dig In Tools that Jess has written over on the Devotional Page https://www.vinteract.com.au/client/manage_devotionals
Sunday 29 December – Sunday 28 January
We hope that you have been enjoying Digging into Discipleship during 2019 and deepening your understanding of God’s word and your relationship with him during this time. During our Summer worship period, we will not provide weekly follow up questions in the newsletter, but there will be weekly Dig in at Home resources on the ‘Devotions’ Tab on our App and Website. Instead, we have included here information on the ‘Discovery Bible Study’ method for you to try. It can be used as a handy help in D.I.Y. bible study and is also useful in helping lead a bible study or explaining something you’ve read to another person. It’s designed to work best in a small group of 4-7 people, especially in terms of practising what you might explain to others but you can use it on your own, it just removes the discussion and multiplication part.
Discovery Bible Study
· Choose a bible passage of about 10-15 verses –maybe one that relates to the Sunday preaching (below) or material you or your Explore Group is working through. Then it’s over to the Holy Spirit.
· Read the passage in multiple ways
· first read around the room
· then one read with others listening
· then with everyone pitching in to try and recall what they have read without looking at the passage.
Next, discuss these 4 questions:
· What does this passage tell us about God, Jesus, people and/or life?
· Does it give us any promises, principles, commands or warnings?
· What is God saying to me through this, and what am I going to do about it?
· Who can I tell about what I have learnt here, within the next week?
The first 2 questions are about exploration – what is the passage saying? You should spend half your time on these questions. This is giving space for the Holy Spirit to be speaking through all the members of the group. Follow this with a short pause for people to think on their own about what God might be saying to them (especially important for the introverts in the group!)
Question 3 - is all about application – these two discipleship questions help people process their “Kairos” / light-bulb moments. If you’re not sure what this means here, please ask.
Question 4 - is about reproduction – this helps people to think not just as a disciple, but also as a potential disciple-maker.
Have a go over summer . . . maybe invite someone for a coffee and do it together informally while you get used to it. It’s fun and you don’t have to be an expert. Try it on these readings which we’ll be using over Summer…
December 29 Revelations 21
January 5 John 10:1-16
January 12 Luke 23:26-43
January 19 Acts 1: 1-20
January 26 Acts 10: 9-33
For families with children, the weekly Dig in at Home Resource with videos and other activities will be available under the devotions tab in our App and Website.
In 2020 we will continue to Dig in to ‘Epic Teachings of the Bible’ together as a whole congregation, and we look forward to journeying with you then.
God Bless and Shalom,
Jess, Dom & Helen