Our community gathered at our house today for fellowship. A couple of people couldn’t make it because they weren’t feeling well. I came up with an idea earlier in the week to help spark some conversations amongst the group. I did a Google search for questions that have been asked about Christianity, God, Jesus. etc. I wrote individual questions on pieces of paper and folded them up and placed them in a bowl. Then when we were ready for some discussion time, one at a time a person would pull out a question and read it aloud to the group and then the conversation got started. Some of the questions today included:
- Are you afraid of God? Or can you open up to him and trust him?
- How does God reveal himself to people like us?
- What are some misconceptions of Christians/Christianity?
- Was Jesus a rebel?
- Was Jesus perfect?
- What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?
- Why does God hate sin?
- What is sin?
- What does it mean that a Christian is a new creation? (2Corinthians 5:17)
I found that this new idea seemed to serve its purpose. We may do it again sometime. We didn’t get through all the questions I collected and as I find interesting questions in my internet travels, I will add them to the pile.
In the evening we went to our town’s community carol sing. It is a gathering of all the churches in the town to celebrate the Christmas season together. Wes and Deanna were scheduled to sing with the community choir. In years past this event has hit a soft spot for me and I have had an emotional response to the message. But this year that didn’t happen (I am a bit of a Christmas season scrooge, it is not my favorite time of year). But there was a young man who did the Old Testament reading for the service that really struck me. He seemed to me to be a new Christian. In my words he was a shiny new Christian. :) I felt compelled that I should go up to him after the service and greet and encourage him, welcome him to the family. But I am people shy and an introvert, so going up to random new people is not my thing. And sadly I did not meet up with him and I now find myself regretting that, like I missed out on an opportunity that maybe God was trying to orchestrate.
