SoAKING IN THE WORD - reflections

REFLECTIONS --

Honestly, I did not know what to expect from this group for ten weeks. I enjoyed the time of dwelling in Michigan with the cohort, but it lasted only a few days; besides, we are all Bible nerds, people who are spending time and money to get a masters degree in this stuff. As I pulled people together for this experiment in Luke 10, I thought carefully about including all church-involvement levels and ages. As it turns out, due to our intern and a visiting friend, we also had different fluency levels contributing weekly. I realized this assortment created an unpredictable interaction with each other and the Bible. However by the end of our time together the diversity designed a beautiful mosaic of colors, stories, cultures, and perspectives, and shone new lights on the passage.

The group seemed somewhat anxious about the experiment in the beginning. Many wondered how long it would take to before the weekly meetings using the same passage would become tedious. The first week, we could hardly stay on topic – I wondered if they thought they had been invited to a “Vent in the Word” instead of “Dwell in the Word” group. A lot of energy was spent herding the group back on track by asking, “How do you see this connected to Luke 10?” During our final time together, several members commented on how disperse and sporadic the group was at first; Brandon, our semester intern shared, “I could not understand what was going on because of the language barrier and I wondered how on earth it would work for ten weeks!” By the end, Brandon was a crucial contributor and people listened to him patiently as he shared his insight. Our first week Zacca could not remember the name of his relatively friendly looking partner or what he had shared! Several people strayed far from the perspectives presented in pairs. During our final debrief, the group talked about how they learned to truly listen to each other and to the Bible, experiencing formation through the words read and shared, as opposed to only seeking information.

By the third week there was a transition from obligation to eager expectation of our meeting time, which served to bring out deep connections in our relationships, especially regarding personal histories. Many members of our community had very difficult family circumstances. Alê was raised in a home where she witnessed alcoholism and physical abuse between her parents, Vini was raised by a physically abusive foster mother, and Vanessa spent eighteen years of her life in an orphanage where she encountered abuse from other children and the leaders. These people found a safe place where their story became a valuable element to the group dynamics. The group as a whole learned the value of listening to people’s stories and backgrounds. This brought increased personal understanding among the group, and as a natural consequence, willingness to extend grace and compassion to one another.

In most aspects, three weeks into the experience marked a new depth for the group. We became spiritually, emotionally and physically more comfortable and attached, which I noted directly affected the group’s ability to reflect on the twelve Lukan verses. As the weeks rolled by, stunning topics came forth from the passage! Even though we began slow and shallow, sure enough the children, youth, and adults began extracting lessons and parallels surprising even to themselves – as Zacca shared, “Each time we read [the passage], it takes a new shape.” These individuals began to see themselves in the story of Luke 10, and the more they connected their narratives to Luke 10, the more they recognized the passage in other aspects of their life and wanted to share it with their larger context. My husband took this exercise to the drug rehab clinic where he serves weekly; Vini, who teaches I.T. at an after school program, began to use Luke 10 for devotional time with his students; Zacca, who manages an auto parts store, discussed Luke 10 with his clients and employees. Especially the theme of peace invaded our vocabulary daily. Vanessa prayed for peace over the door of her school every morning as she was opening for students. Brandon spoke peace to most people he encountered in his day, even shouting from the car window at Ituanos passing on the sidewalk! Luke 10 became a part of the vocabulary, and lenses through which we interpret our surroundings.

I also prompted the idea of communal discernment as we inhabited Luke 10 and different questions, doubts, and life choices came to the surface. We spent time in silence as a group, listening to the Spirit, and prayed for each other’s needs at the end. Initially the period of silence proved to be difficult for some in our group, and the prayer requests at the end were generic and impersonal. However, after a couple of weeks, people became comfortable with opening specific needs in the gathering, and truly seeking to contribute to each other’s lives. It also became more natural for the participants to direct their comments to each other, instead of always speaking to me, which enriched the communal discernment. During our final meeting Deborah shared, “This is not only a Luke 10 group, but also a Luke 5 group – we carry each other to the feet of Jesus,” clearly describing how the Spirit merged our lives together.

I distinctly remember the weeks where epiphanies burst forth in someone’s mind and the group sat at the edge of their seats as the person developed their insight. One week the discussion revolved around the image that all of us are wolves in someone’s life – we are not innocent. Another week one of our friends found in the text an interpretation of a dream that had bothered her for a couple of days. The sixth week of our time together, most of the Inhabitants cried as insecurities and struggles with low self-esteem were vulnerably disclosed. These were precious moments where we recognized the sacred space created by the Spirit through Luke 10.

As we connected and grew from this time together, I realized they wanted to bring other people along. A group that started with twelve often had seventeen people in the living room circle. Even though I debated in my mind talking to the group and clarifying that we had to limit the number, it became obvious that visitors were brought as a natural response to the excitement over such a healthy, deep, and intimate community. Several visitors became loyal, weekly participants and expressed thankfulness for the opportunity to look at this Scripture with new eyes. One of our later additions commented to me, “I have been looking for such a group as this for a long time.” Many individuals in churches search for meaningful and vulnerable community experiences, and the Inhabitants of the Word family responded to this common need. Even when it was difficult for some of us to go to church in the morning, Sunday evenings were sacred and protected.

When I asked them to consider what God may be doing with this group, Vini answered “God made us into missionaries. “We were gathered to be sent.” (which sounds a lot like Kiefert.) They understood that God sends them to all the places where He intends to go, to take peace, to cure the sick, and to proclaim the nearness of Kingdom. The focus group shared, “God has taken us from religious people to inhabitants of the Word.” As we discussed how we impact the community daily from our affinity with each other and the passage, Barbara raised the question of how this experience should impact the church – “we must invite the church into another way of understanding the Bible and listening to each other.” The group began to brainstorm about sharing this journey with the congregation. They decided to personally invite one friend that lacks a strong bond with the church and begin a Dwell in the Word group next February.

The personal transformations seen in this group are inspiring! Zacca made a personal commitment to no longer complain about circumstance, “How can I take peace if I complain?” Alê extends hospitality with ease and recognizes that receiving people in her home is a blessing not a reason for anxiety. Deborah’s family recognizes her inner peace even while she fights through deep grief. Vinicius, who has never had a stable home, travels to Itu faithfully every weekend to be with his new extended family. Alemão and Osmar have decided to rent a home together so they can be living “two by two” and provide each other with the needed support.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). This verse captures the essence of our experience of inhabiting Luke 10. As we continue on our journeys of taking peace, cure, and the presence of the Kingdom to people in our community and church, may we recognize the rays of His glory throughout our days.