From Pastor Mike Thomas, Trinity, Macomb
Last year we tried something at Trinity and I was very encouraged about the response. We presented it to the congregation under the following rationale...
- You can't play any game correctly if you don't know what the rule book says.
- You can't get a license to drive a car if you don't know what the State manual for drivers says.
- You can't solve algebra problems if you haven't studied the math book, and,
- You can't drive across the country on vacation unless you know how to read a map (or at least how to enter what you want on GPS)
So, how it is we think we can follow Jesus and proclaim the Gospel with our lives if we really haven't read the Gospel or know what it says. Since most of us read many emails, magazines, newspapers, and books on a daily basis, why not set aside fifteen minutes per week (not per day, but per week) during this Lenten season to do some scriptural reading and discover what Jesus really said, or didn't say.
Each week during Lent, members of the congregation were assigned homework. They were to read three chapters of Matthew's Gospel. Transfiguration Sunday they were asked to read Matthew 1-3 (which ends kind of with John the Baptist talking about repentance....Ash Wednesday stuff). The rest of the schedule was below in terms of assignment for the week:
1st of Sunday Lent: Matthew 4-7
2nd of Sunday Lent: Matthew 8-10
3rd of Sunday Lent: Matthew 11-13
4th of Sunday Lent: Matthew 14-17
5th of Sunday Lent: Matthew 18-20
Palm/Passion Sunday: Matthew 21
Monday of Holy Week: Matthew 22
Tuesday of Holy Week: Matthew 23
Wednesday of Holy Week: Matthew 24
Maundy Thursday: Matthew 25-26
Good Friday: Matthew 27
Holy Saturday: Rest, do no reading
Easter Sunday: Matthew 28
Those reading the Gospel were encouraged to come to the adult forum on Sunday morning to discuss only the materials covered in the past week, and a few minutes were incorporated within the Lenten Wednesday evening message to flesh out (via Greek, or culture) the past week's readings. (A handout sheet with those highlights was distributed as well, so those who missed or wanted to have something printed could have it.) THIS WAS NOT A CANNED SET OF MATERIALS. It encouraged people to wrestle with what they read, (with some pointers being provided.) i.e., Matthew chapter 1: All those names! Notice, however, very occasionally a woman's name is mentioned. Background was provided about Tamar, Ruth, the wife of Uriah.....hum, looks like Jesus has a few skeletons in the family closet. What about you, or your family? Also a brief cultural insight about what it means to be engaged, what recourses Joseph had, and why it is so important we grasp "God with us", not a god far removed on some lofty Mt.
Olympus.
It took me about half hour a week to put the handout together. We had close to sixty people (out of 175 baptized membership) participate. I was thrilled, and so many came up during Lent and said, "I didn't know Jesus said that!"
From Becky Moore, LSSI
I know this thought may be kind of “out there” and is not an actual Bible Study … but IF there are any congregations that may be interested in working on a “service project” (Matthew 25 themed) during Lent to help others and have a hands-on ministry experience… I am sure there would be many many ideas I could suggestions in regard to LSSI mission projects in the areas of Peoria / Champaign / Danville / Decatur / Taylorville / Southern IL / Beardstown and any prison. Just a thought if discussion goes that route for anyone. I’d be happy to chat with you or them about ideas.
From Gerald Carlson, Trinity, Macomb
How about: "The relevance of the pre-Easter Jesus to life today." Sources: Pre-Easter Jesus scriptures, John Shelby Spong, Marcus J. Borg, others.