Chapter 1: The Need for Discipleship
Chapter 2: The Word
These chapters go together nicely, so we combined them. I'd love to hear your general thoughts on this study - how you think it's going to go, any way that it's already helped you, etc. But I also have some specific points and questions, so let's just jump right in!
I do want to point out something she mentions - that the verses in this book use the King James Version of the Bible. I understand her reasons for using this version, and if you are already comfortable with the KJV then by all means, continue to use it. If not, though, please take the time to look up the verses in your own Bible translation - it's totally worth it!
Here are some questions for you to consider, and to respond to in the Comments section below. You can respond to all of them or as many as you choose.
Now, I know for a fact that Teri Maxwell does not believe we can receive new revelation from God, nor does she practice Contemplative Prayer or any other mystical discipline. She is referring here to the idea that we learn from God’s Word what He wants to “say” to us – what we need to “hear.” She is NOT saying that if you do this study you will hear God’s voice speaking audibly to you.
But this wording does bring up a question – how can we respond when someone says, “I heard the Lord telling me…” or indicates some belief that God speaks audibly to people in this day and age, or that they wish He would?
My Big Takeaway From These Two Chapters:
I love
the story she tells about how she and her husband, when they were first saved,
were “satisfied with being spoon-fed the Word at church,” but that how later
they realized that their spiritual growth had been stunted from lack of
nourishment.
She goes on to say, “Would a baby grow and thrive if he only drank milk once a week? Yet somehow we have come to think that if we are in church every Sunday, we’ll receive the spiritual nourishment we need. A once-a-week bottle isn’t enough sustenance for a human baby, nor is a once-a-week drink from the spiritual milk of the Word enough sustenance for a Christian.” Later she reminds us again that spiritual growth doesn’t come about “just by attending church. Instead, it is achieved when we make the commitment, and keep it, to be in the Word every day and stop making excuses for why we aren’t.”
Chapter 2: The Word
These chapters go together nicely, so we combined them. I'd love to hear your general thoughts on this study - how you think it's going to go, any way that it's already helped you, etc. But I also have some specific points and questions, so let's just jump right in!
I do want to point out something she mentions - that the verses in this book use the King James Version of the Bible. I understand her reasons for using this version, and if you are already comfortable with the KJV then by all means, continue to use it. If not, though, please take the time to look up the verses in your own Bible translation - it's totally worth it!
Here are some questions for you to consider, and to respond to in the Comments section below. You can respond to all of them or as many as you choose.
Question 1:
In the first chapter, Teri reminds us to actually put forth the effort to read the Bible verses and not just skip to the questions. What is the danger in skipping the actual reading of the verses and just looking at the question? After all, a lot of these questions are what we would call “basic” questions – we could probably answer them without looking at the verses.Question 2:
Critical Thinking Question: Near the beginning of chapter 2 (right after the long letter), she states, “…if she will begin to do this project, she will start hearing from the Lord what she needs to hear for the solutions to her difficulties.” (emphasis mine)Now, I know for a fact that Teri Maxwell does not believe we can receive new revelation from God, nor does she practice Contemplative Prayer or any other mystical discipline. She is referring here to the idea that we learn from God’s Word what He wants to “say” to us – what we need to “hear.” She is NOT saying that if you do this study you will hear God’s voice speaking audibly to you.
But this wording does bring up a question – how can we respond when someone says, “I heard the Lord telling me…” or indicates some belief that God speaks audibly to people in this day and age, or that they wish He would?
My Big Takeaway From These Two Chapters:
I love
the story she tells about how she and her husband, when they were first saved,
were “satisfied with being spoon-fed the Word at church,” but that how later
they realized that their spiritual growth had been stunted from lack of
nourishment. She goes on to say, “Would a baby grow and thrive if he only drank milk once a week? Yet somehow we have come to think that if we are in church every Sunday, we’ll receive the spiritual nourishment we need. A once-a-week bottle isn’t enough sustenance for a human baby, nor is a once-a-week drink from the spiritual milk of the Word enough sustenance for a Christian.” Later she reminds us again that spiritual growth doesn’t come about “just by attending church. Instead, it is achieved when we make the commitment, and keep it, to be in the Word every day and stop making excuses for why we aren’t.”
Sound Off!
I
feel like this sums up her whole point and purpose for this book - we
have a duty to learn and grow from the Word, and we need to get busy! So, practically speaking, how can we do this? What
kinds of things are you doing to fit in your time in the Word every day?
There you go! Now it's your turn! Again, feel free to respond to any/all of the questions or points, or just put in your own two-cents regarding the chapters or something you learned. And don't forget to come back later and respond to any comments others make. Remember, this is only as interactive as we make it.
Talk to you soon!
There you go! Now it's your turn! Again, feel free to respond to any/all of the questions or points, or just put in your own two-cents regarding the chapters or something you learned. And don't forget to come back later and respond to any comments others make. Remember, this is only as interactive as we make it.
Talk to you soon!
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