My first year at the University of Minnesota found me more than a little lost and alone. I'd transferred from a semester system to the U's confusing quarter system, and many of my credits didn't transfer. I didn't understand the concept of "colleges" within a university. I found myself spending a lot of time either on buses between campuses or in the administrative offices. So I was very happy to meet a friendly girl one day at the student center. But her friendship came with strings attached. She wanted me to go to Bible study with her. To check out her church with her. To meet her other friends, etc. As I continued to refuse, it became clear that the friendship was going to fizzle -- that it wasn't real at all. Whether it was a cult she was trying to recruit me to, or something else, I'll never know. I just knew that I didn't like being pressured.  

• What was a time that you were either unprepared to hear God's word, or that someone mangled the message for you?
• Can you think of a time when the words you wanted to say about God came out wrong? What happened?
• Have you ever witnessed or joined those of a different faith worshipping? What was that experience like for you?

Grow

Read:

• Matthew 10:24-39 [1]; Romans 6:1 [2]b-11
• sermon [2]

Pastor Beth shared two different ways that people in her life proclaimed their faith to her. The first example (chronologically), from in her youth in Dallas, was of her friends rehearsing their formulaic faith stories, as they'd been taught. The second story was of her return visit to the cave, the Syrian Orthodox chapel, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. 

Consider:

• In what ways did Pastor Beth see the cave's chapel differently than she had before? Why?
• We've all been subjected to the kind of rehearsed scripts Beth mentioned. Since telemarketers use them, they must work on someone! What are some reasons for scripts? If Beth and her friends had been able to have a real conversation as teenagers about faith, how might those scripts have changed?
• Pastor Beth urged us to do two difficult things: To share our faith story with someone at Bethlehem, and with someone outside of the church. How do you think you might go about this? Who would you like to approach, and what do you think you'd like to share?

Close

O God of love, you take the little we offer and turn it to great results. The more we give, the more your blessings abound. Receive us as coworkers with Christ in the transforming work you seek to do throughout all the earth. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prepare

Words for the Week

Try this contemplative approach to reading scripture called lectio divina.
Take a deep breath and find a little silence within yourself. Then:
Read the verse a few times with a listening heart filled with unhurried expectation.
Reflect on this question, "What are you saying to me in this verse today, God?"
Respond by talking to God about your real feelings, thoughts, questions, and doubts.
Rest by simply being with God who knows you and loves you.

Monday

• Matthew 10:27 [3]

Tuesday

• Romans 6:3-4 [4]

Wednesday

• Matthew 10:30-31 [5]

Thursday

• Romans 6:9-11 [6]

Friday                                                             

• Psalm 86:5-7 [7]

Saturday

• Jeremiah 29:11 [8]