WHEN:
10-11:30AM every Saturday
Brunch is provided afterwards
WHERE:
Gaderholm Hall, Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
900 North 4th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55401
WHAT/WHY:
We’re going into our 6th year of Saturday morning classes at the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center. Being with these guys every Saturday morning is always the high light of my week – even though the guys refer to my class as Kent’s BS (I’m thinkin’ they mean Bible Study).
In these past six years we’ve done a lot of different things. We’ve done topical studies together on subjects such as Spiritual Warfare, Living in the Freedom of the Spirit, and The Twelve Practices (disciplines). We’ve gone through the Gospel of John, Romans, Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians and numerous other passages and topics. I’ve had a lot of helpers – Cory, Chris, Ryan and an occasional guest appearance by my pastor, Dr. Greg Boyd (he comes to answer all the questions none of the rest of us can handle).
Recently as I was studying for a Saturday lesson, I was nudged to put the Bible down and listen. It seemed like the Lord was saying, “I’m pleased that you like to study my word but I want you to enter a season in which you come to my word not to prepare a lesson or an outline or to be able to explain anything – just come to my word to hear my voice.” Then, over and over, almost like an echo, I heard the phrase ‘a voice not a verse,’ ‘a voice not a verse.’ “Just read my word, listen, let me speak to you and then go and tell the guys what I said,” seemed to be the instructions.
So I went to class on the next Saturday and shared with the guys what I thought God had said to me. Then I added, “Are you guys willing to do this with me? Just read the word, expecting God to speak to you, then we’ll come to class and share what we’ve heard. If God doesn’t say anything we’ll have a very short class. It’ll be kind of like a pot luck dinner – everybody brings something and shares it with everyone else.” “I’ve been to a lot of potlucks,” I continued, “and one thing I’ve noticed is that I’ve never been to a potluck where they ran out of food.”
We’ve been doing this for several months now and it’s been great. Then recently it seemed we were led back to focusing on the book of Galatians. Last week we jumped into chapter one. What a blessing this is proving to be.
We will attach notes for bible studies as they become posted so stay posted!
