Gather Round is just about complete.  This second part of our March structure has been focussed on pursuing the relational guiding principle that we have recognized.  This has been accomplished by making these nights all about meeting together in small groups.

In review, the theme of this month has been Bring Out the Book.  We have explored this in three parts (The Word Was, The Word Is and The Word Will Be) as seen in three sections of the book we are studying this year: 2 Timothy.

Week One: 3:16-17

The Word Was:  The small groups began this time by creating a collage out of a random assortment of magazines.  They were instructed to cut out pictures and words that have something to do with themselves.  When they were finished, the rest of their group had to try and guess what they had meant by the different images and words.  Once others had a chance to interpret, the creator of the collage provided their explanation.

During the lesson they were challenged to see that we often approach God’s Word in a similar way.  We try to figure out what God has meant in His collage of His Word, without getting to know Him and hearing His explanation.  

The goal of the night was to see that all of Scripture is valuable to us because God has written all of it.  We need to see the beautiful picture He has created and listen to His voice as He explains it.

Week Two: 2:15

The Word Is:  We began this Gather Round with a game that I simply call K.A.G. (Kelly’s Aunt’s Game)  I have a friend (named Kelly) who first learned this game from her aunt….hence the name.  The game is a sort of pictionary meets telephone.  The students write down an adjective…pass their papers…write down a noun…pass them again…and then begin a series of drawings and decipherings that lead to a humorous and creative chain.  Almost every time, the ending drawing looks nothing like the first two words that were written at the beginning.  If it sounds confusing…it is just because it is hard to understand unless you just play it.  The game is a lot of fun and brings many laughs.

Again during the lesson, the game was used to illustrate how we may view Scripture.  We often see the many books, stories, styles, etc. found in the Bible as if they are a random and confusing chain that makes little sense to us.  We discussed that, on the contrary, the Bible is actually a very cohesive book that is all about one thing…well actually about one person…Jesus Christ and God’s plan to save His people through Him.

The goal of the night was to see that we need to do our best to rightly handle God’s Word.  We are God’s workers, called to know and understand what He has given us in the Bible.  When we do this, we will be able to carefully and accurately explain the Word of truth to others.  As we are faithful in this, we may even have the privilege of seeing others become born again through His Word.

Week Three: 4:1-4

The Word Will Be:  This last week focussed on what we are challenged to do moving forward: Preach the Word.  We have seen the value of all of Scripture, we have discovered the consistent and clear story about Jesus that is evident through the Bible, and now we are given something to do with it….we are to preach it.  We are not called to come up with our own ideas based on what we learn through God’s Word….We are simply called to proclaim the Bible itself.  

We spent some time in another activity to display this point.  We blindfolded everyone in the small group and asked them to make a right triangle in 60 seconds or less…First Round: blindfolded but able to talk to eachother.   Second Round: blindfolded with the leader giving direction.  Third Round: one person seeing, leader giving direction to the seeing person.  Fourth Round: All Seeing with the leader giving direction.  

The point of the activity was to illustrate how the only think that makes the goal of the right triangle possible was the word of the leader instructing them and allowing them to see.  This is exactly what God does with us through His Word.  Only when our eyes are opened through His Word are we able to know and obey Him.

All in all, Gather Round was a good time of connection and study with the small groups.  Times like these show us that we are really here to know and support each other as we study God’s Word.  We hope that more opportunities like this will become a regular part of the student ministry here at Faith Church.

Remember: Gather UP is March 29th

Gather UP is our end of the series night of music, prayer and Q & A with our panel of maturing believers.