TEAMWORKApplications? For today's CM Group meetings, you should be starting to consider the applications of your text to the church, individually, and in relation to our class. Obviously, this is to be bulit from your exposition of the text; if you as a group feel there is still work to be done in that realm of your study, then certainly do it. As they say, "don't put the cart before the horse."
Project? (This was said last time, but worth repeating.) It is also at this point that many groups (or certain members) start to get frustrated that they don't know what that final project is suppose to be. Well, let me just give you a little direction on that: it will be about your passage, it will concern how your passage informs us about the church, and it will be a presentation to the rest of the class. But as said, your goal for right now is to know your passage, and to know it well. Until you do that, there really is no basis for applications or presentations, so keep after it!
Bloggers, you know the drill, so get it done (remember, you have 24 hours). If you have any questions, you can contact me by email: bhigley@bbc.edu.
Blessings
Bill H
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1 Corinthians 12-14
Today we had planned on meeting with a teacher from the Bible department to discuss questions about our passage in detail, but plans changed, and we ended up on our own. We discussed chapter 13 and how it related to the passage as a unit, and how spiritual gifts are useless without love.
On the issue of tongues again, we talked about the section where it spoke of tongues being used in just speaking to God and not to others, and how the gift was intended for speaking to the masses. We decided that speaking in tongues without an audience was a selfish or wrong use of this spiritual gift.
Thessalonians 2:1-16
Oh yay! it's been yet another glorious day as our group met today. Steven opened up today with a small devo and then we jumped right into our discussion on how our passage directly relates to the local church.
Our text as a whole talks about encouragement. One way that we can relate encouragement to the church would be that church members should be encouraging each other to live righteously, to strive for things that are excellent, and to hold each other accountable. A 2nd example of how we can relate encouragement to the church would be through prayer. We believers ask each other, "What can i be praying for you about?" it can be a form of encouragement, at least for me personally. It's good to know that others in the church care enough about you to be praying for you :)
Every one in our group was present today except for our facilitator, but that's ok i think she was making up a test :) HOORAY!
yay church's ministry!
During our group session this afternoon we dove further into church discipline. We talked about some issues that are going on in churches we know of and then together we discussed how we thought they should be handled. We decided that the Church needs to be aware of what is going on inside of the church. It is the church's responsibility to know says Heb. 12:13.
And then we got onto the topic about confronting others. A lot of times we are too selfish to do that.
We asked eachoter if we think church's are too lenient or are some disciplining just right.
a final thought....If we are not challenged by God's word, something is not right
Romans 12-15
Our group spent the class period talking about the applications of our passage. We talked about how in the passage it told us to be loving toawrds one another and to be submissive. We talked about how this applies to our group in class by listening to the authorities even though we are unsure as to what is going on in the calss. We also talked about how the only thing that stops people from being submissive is that they purposely choose not to submit. The decision ultimately comes down to each individual person. We also talked about how in churches we have developed a very individualistic church. Everyone goes to church looking out for themselves and not for the body. They do not act loving towards each other. If people in the church cared more about the body the church would not have as many problems as it does.
Today our facilitator was gone. The group meeting flowed very smoothly.We plan on going further into the applicaiton next time if given the oppertunity.
1 Timothy 3
Today our meeting was filled with very good discussions. We talked about what the church is lacking. We talked about their being a lack of Christians who are willing to take up leadership positions and sever others in the body. Other relgions, such as Islam, put Christians to shame. They are so loyal to what they believe even though it is a lie. We talked about what a bad persona that Christianity gives and how we lack in representing the truth to a lost world.
That led to a conversation to what the church would look like if Christians were applying the listed qualification to their life personnally. The church would be radically different. There would people serving without being asked and people would ask others to hold them accountable. Accountablity is lost concept in the church. We talked about how we often times do not turn to others for help when we are struggling because we do not want to be judged. Confrontation is ignored by most because people they are afraid of how others will react. God made us to be relation beings and has given as the body to build one another up and to try to keep others from sin.
The church needs to have more than elder and deacons who are leading. We concluded that many of these qualification should mark many if not all of them. This would be revolutionary.
Ephesians 4
As usual, we discussed our next section of verses from Eph. 4; more specifically, we studied verses 17-24. These verses describe the characteristics of an ungodly lifestyle (and there are many!). The unregenerate are morally blind, ignorant of God's truth, apathetic toward spiritual things, and behaviorally depraved. As verse 1 says, we must walk worthy of our high calling in Jesus. This means that we are to forsake ungodly lifestyles and instead we are to exemplify Christ. Salvation involves the mind; this means that at the time of salvation, God gives the believer a new moral capability that a mind apart from Christ could never achieve.
These points are vital concerning the body of Christ in that believers are able to live righteous lives through the work of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God. Believers have a higher purpose than the unsaved and they must be constantly pursuing that purpose.
GALATIANS
Today, everyone in our group was present! We had a great time of sharing what each of us had been studying personally in Galatians. We came prepared with observations, questions, and outlines.
We started out by talking through the possibilities of what the “other gospel” in 1:6-10 was referring to. We thought it might tie in to later in the book where Paul talks about works, so maybe it’s a gospel of works? Whatever the case, the Galatians had either completely turned away or were in the process of being lured away from Christ’s gospel to another false one.
We spent a bit of time on 3:23, that says that before “this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law.” We discussed the fact that the law showed God’s people what sin was and kept them from sinning until “faith came.” That faith, we decided, must be referring to the kind of faith we have now, in Christ, as opposed to the kind of faith people like Abraham had – faith in what was promised to come.
The point was made that while unbelievers have no choice but to live in the flesh, believers have the choice. They can either revert back to their old sin nature or choose the Spirit. Why would you choose to be in bondage to Satan when you could be a servant of Christ?
Galatians
Today our group started out by reading chapter six and writing questions down we had about the text so we can discuss them as a group. One of the questions we had as a group was how in verse 2 it states that we should bear one anothers burdens, but in verse 5 it states each one will have to bear his own load. Abigale talked to her father Dwight about this topic and that helped clarify things for our group. She mentioned how the words for burdens and loads are separate and are talking about two distict things. We also tried to relate this chapter with the previous passages in Galatians. In doing this we noticed how in chapter 5:14-26 is all about walking in the Spirit. Then in chapter six it talks about helping each other conquer sin in the body of Christ. And how first we must walk by the Spirit and put off sin so that we will be able to help each other put off sin and on the fruits of the spirit. We related it to the purpose of the church with the first two steps. First it's to God (Walking in the Spirit) then its to our community(Helping each other with progressive sactification).
This next week were going to read through Galatians and try to connect ideas and concepts through out the passage. It was a very encouraging meeting and everyone has had good input as we study our passage and relate it to the church.
Today was another great day with our group. We again made a lot of progress towards understanding our passages better. Last meeting we attempted to explain ch.1 by looking at it verse by verse. this week we did the same thing only with ch. 17. We divided it into the three different sections as to what Jesus prayed for. We then discussed the relationship between the two passages and compared what we have learned through our passages to what Mr. Higley said about it in class as well as one of the articles we were to read.
next, we talked a little bit about our project once again. We concluded that in order to get anyhwhere with our project we first needed to define what "church" means in our passage. After we did this, our passage made so much more sence to us. We then decided that we would start our presentation off by defining what "church" means in our passage. After this was established we again felt much better about the meaning of our passage as well as the progress of our group!
p.s. (for the group)... Hairy Arms!!!
Friday was a good day for our group, even though Rachel was not there. We went over some of the questions on the sheet and found out that we have already applied the message to our lives. Also we were reflecting on the group discussions the last two class days and found out our small group is doing very well. We really are encouraging each other and overall are working together in a very productive way. Things flow smoothly with our group and there isn't much tension between members.
Philippians 2
On friday our group stole Bill Higley's room and had our group time there. We walked by and noticed how comfortable the room looked with all the couches, and couldn't help but nestle ourselves down and enjoy talking about Philippians in a comfy atmosphere.
Philipians 2 stresses unity. Paul tells the church to complete his joy being in the same mind and having the same love which is Jesus Christ. Paul did not want the church to stray away from the fact that Christ is the one who keeps them together, they are under the same faith in Christ. Philippians is outlined showing how Christ is honored being a servant showing the greatest humility. Paul says in verse 3, that we should look upon the interest of others more than ourselves. Christ pefectly showed this giving up His throne in heaven to become a servant, being obedient to the death of the cross. As humans we have a tendency to be more selfish and care about our own life than the lives of others. If the church today practiced verse 3 (looking upon the interest of others)in all humility, how would that look? Our group discussed and wonder what that would look like. The church would be really successful and fruitful if verse 3 sincerely laid in the hearts of the members there.
In verse 12 Paul tells the church to work out their salvation with fear and trembling more in his absence than in his presence, and to obey as they always have obeyed. Paul could not separate his success from the church. He counted himself successful in Christ, seeing how the church was being led. As pastors of a church, they are the shepherd who leads the flock. God holds the pastor accountable on how the flock is doing, and Paul understood this.
Paul goes on to tell the church to do everything without grumbling and complaining. The closer one comes to the savior, the more his identity becomes like Christ. You begin to have a larger understanding that you are nothing compared to Christ, and your life becomes more like that Servant. Humility is a choice, Christ chose die to for us and humbled himself.
At the end of this chapter, Paul could only think to send Timothy, he was the only one worthy. Paul said that the others only thought of their own interest and welfare. He then thought of Epaphroditus who was ill, who longed to see them, and didn't want them worrying because of his near to death illness. So Paul does send him noting how he looks on the interest of others. Epaphorditus looked over his own illness to help them in service for the Lord. Can christian now today have such a loving heart for people, like that of Epaphroditus?
Romans 12-15
Our discussion today led us into three different topics. The first had to do with politics. Given that the election was Tuesday, Romans 13 is very appplicable. Our group today was only three of us but included a very conservative Republican member, a member quite happy with Obama's election, and a member who is rather apathetic toward politics. This led to an intense discussion from all sides as we sought to understand and accept the truths in this passage.
We secondly discussed how we felt we had found something very specifically important about our passage. In class we've discussed Glorifying, Missional, and Community and although all three could be seen in the passage we felt we were realizing a particular emphasis in the "Community" part in our Romans 12-15 passage.
Lastly we pulled out Scofield, MacArthur, and Weirsbe in a discussion about 14:22-23. We were trying to fully understand what these verses mean practically and will be looking for the opinion of our missing group memebers from today as well.
Today we spent some time just talking about how our week had gone and how out weekend would be. then took time to pray for each other, as well as mention verses from our passage that each person would be able to go to. We also started going over that sheet after we decided that we had delved into the passage very well thus far.
The focus point for our group time on friday was James 3:1-11, which talks about the tongue, and and how it can be tied into James 2:14-26 which speaks of our faith being made known through our works. We said that if one is a Christian then others will be able to tell through the way he speaks, as well as in other aspects of their life.
Our Group continued with the Exposition of I Corinthians passage. After a quick chat and a time of prayer we raided the study resource section of the library and hit the books hard. Each of us took a word/theme from the passage and studied that for the remaining time. The topics researched were love, unity, gifts, tongues, and body.
Though we all were mostly able to complete our individual investigations, time did not allow us to share what we had found. Looking forward to next meeting when we can begin discussing what we learned and how that applies to today's church.
Romans 12-15
Our group first went over everything that we talked about so far this semester on our passage. We then talked a lot about the personal applications that we each individually had for the passage. We talked about how each one of us could follow through with what the passage said and actually plan to put it in action. We also once again talked about the individualistic mindset the church in America has and how we can personally help to change our churches from being me focused to community focused and loving. We also talked about what we thought the project was going to be on and our team leader reminded us to keep in mind everything that we learned thus far.
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