2 days ago we met with non-Christian friends & studied "Jesus Feeds 5 thousands" at our home.
If it were 5 years ago, then this meeting would be like this:
I played guitar and sang beautiful songs, hoping to move their emotions; we made breakfast and great desserts, fearing Jesus needs facials & make-up; I would prepare much information and guiding questions, thinking they would be sufficient or necessary for faith and obedience. I would naively gave them workbooks instead of Bibles. That was my "Seeker's Bible Study." Good for producing nothing except passive & information-based church members. I had much confessions to make...
For our new attempt, the Discovery Bible Study, things are simple, direct and full of heavenly surprises:
No guitar, no songs, no American breakfast or delicious desserts - we want people to be attracted by nothing, except Jesus alone. They either discover Jesus here and follow or find nothing this time and leave. A blurred Jesus believed by them is worse than the real Jesus not yet be found.
There are no intrinsic wrongs with songs, guitar, dessert... But they are wrong when used as outreach strategies. In other times, I still play music.Anything that is not reproducible in these potential disciples' lives, I alert myself not to do.
If they think they need a guitar to start a Bible study with friends, that's a sin to the multiplication of church movements. Anything that is of culture, of tradition or personal charisma should be distinguished and discarded from the basic and original Gospel message if we long to see the Gospel moves from nations to nations, from races to races.
We want followers of Jesus even at this pre-following stage to believe that they can do what we are doing. God wants all extraordinary works come from ordinary people, not the ordained, not the priests, not the so called full-time pastors or ministers only. I believe. I act.
No more workbooks - our bestseller authors would hate me, but only an easy -to -read, to- hear and to -understand version of Bible on hands. Some never touched Bible before. Some even read the Bible story before they come!
Every weeks, we ask the same 4 questions - good news to you, leaders! No more our expository skills we rely on, but trusting the Holy Spirit to work with God's words in a searching heart. So the 4 easy questions for leading the 7 Miracles of John are:
- What do you know about man (or human nature)?
- What do you know about Jesus?
- What do you know about yourself?
- To whom you can share this with?
Here are our discoveries...
"Our Japanese friend seemed not very pleased with Jesus, 'It's not very admirable to do good to people (in the miracle of water into wine) and then publicized it and got glory.' My friend misunderstood Jesus let the whole bunch of wedding guests know it was he who gave them the new choice wine! So we looked at the text again. Our Budhist friend also shared this misunderstanding but was shocked for their new discovery & said, 'Oh. Only the servants knew. Jesus didn't say anything to the public.' Their eyes shone, 'Jesus was very humble. He did good things in secret...' (Bare in mind, Japanese and Budhist have strong belief in doing good. But doing it in a humble and secret way is rare and is adorable to them.)"
"'What do you know about Jesus(in the miracle of feeding 5 thousands), Catherine?' She was kind of choked in her voice, 'I think Jesus cared about people.' She was a strong-willed woman. We knew her for 5 years and tried hard to introduce her Jesus. But she never thought she need Jesus. Recently she had family problem and her daughter had health issue. Now when asked to elaborate more on 'Jesus cared about people,' in shivering voices she said, 'sometimes you feel so helpless. You try and try. But your best seems not good enough. You need someone like Jesus who cares for people...'(She represents all those who believe in themselves. But the struggles of life open up her eyes seeing and longing for Jesus' care.)"
There are many things we can improve. We never tried the fourth question. It's a powerful one to plant a disciple seed into pre-follower's heart. I have to try this one! There are many in and out. But we don't want to set any condition for the group...
There are so many places to improve and so much to learn in our first Discovery Bible Study. But one thing we can be sure and proud of, that is, we let Jesus to be our only focus. Then Jesus proudly presents himself. When the King comes, he catches all eyes...
Aden met our Japanese friend after school in the playground. She attended our Bible study for the first time this Monday. It was about 3 hours after the meeting. Aden asked her how she thought of it...
(I would not dare to ask, if it were me. During the study, she was distracted by my friend's little kid and she played with him from time to time. She was not very attentive. And usually it is a tactic we employ to tell others 'I am not interested!' So when sending her to the door, I deliberately said to her, 'We welcome you to come back next Monday!' This I say to those I guess probably not coming again.)
She said to Aden, "I find it very new and very good to me! I know this is for Christians only (No! It is in fact not for Christians!). But could I come every week?"
A non-Christian asking for a permission of attending your Bible Study? What could it be?
The fragrance of Jesus. The presence of Jesus in the study. The presence of Jesus' works in a searching heart.
"Everyone who searches will find."(Mat.7:8)
This is our exciting journey of searching Jesus together, and we all discover the King one way or the other.
