The past couple of weeks have been dominated by these two Bible-Ms. The Gospel of Mark in the New Testament. And the minor prophet Micah in the Old Testament. The snapshot above is our first brunch gathering of our local GCF (Graduate Christian Fellowship). We spent a couple of sessions over the summer looking at how we could grow our fellowship, and what we wanted to do for a topic of conversation. The group is not a solid block of Christian participants. A couple students have voiced that what motivates them to come is simply learning about Christianity. So we decided to pic a curriculum that could take the group through the Gospel of Mark over the course of our monthly meetings this year.

Christianity Explored

If you’re not too familiar with Rico Tice and Christianity Explored, take a few minutes and watch one our teaching sessions. This link will take you to Session Two – The Identity of Jesus. It’s compelling, well taught and structured. If you’re familiar with The Alpha Course, Christianity Explored is a simpler, Gospel of Mark adventure for non-believers and believers alike. We’ll keep you posted on how it unfolds this year! Meanwhile please pray especially for 3 grad students I’m aware of who are curious spiritually but not sure about believing in or following Jesus. This will be a great opportunity for them to consider Jesus in community over an extended season. The rest of the group of course will benefit from a fresh look at Jesus in one of the New Testament gospels. If you want to learn a little more about Christianity Explored follow this link.

The other Bible-M

Last Spring the idea percolated on our team of picking a section of scripture as a focal point for GFM ministry in our area. I think it actually burst forth in a fit of planning for our area team’s annual staff retreat. “Wait, quiet time materials. I have no quiet time materials.” I was facing the crisis of having a three day retreat with my team, but with no quiet time materials. Bad staff managers do that, not me. I knew I wanted something on the theme of Justice. I wanted something from one of the biblical prophets. And I wanted something that could speak to our world’s situation. I found myself knee-deep in Micah chapters 3 and 4. THIS is what I want to encourage our staff with – Micah’s insistence on justice and integrity in the face of a crumbling leadership class. “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” And that is how the Year of Micah got started with my staff team.

Just last week we had the chance to take Micah with us to the U.P. A friend of ours coordinates a week-long program at Cedar Bay (formerly Cedar Campus, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) called Windward. It’s a week of bible teaching and bible study with worship and retreats of silence, and elective seminars. I was invited to come be a track leader – and guess what I asked if I could bring with me? Cheryl of course! And then Micah. They gladly welcomed both!

Our mornings were spent in seminary-lite teaching from Dr. Garwood Anderson on the parables. I had a break-out class of about 20 participants that I took through the book of Micah. It was a terrific week rich in scripture and unexpected time with friends and former staff colleagues. Cheryl and I took a couple extra days on our way back home to visit friends, family and ministry partners. We pulled in our driveway at 10:03 pm Sunday night (and I’ve been off and running into my week ever since).

Thanks so much for your prayers. The week left us a little tired, but mostly energized from a week at one of our favorite places on earth with some of our favorite people on earth! Hope your Fall is off and running. Let us know if there are any updates in your world we should be thinking and praying about!

Blessings,

If you want to check out the trove of resources we used to study Micah, feel free to follow the QR code below or follow the link below the image.