around a table…
Saturday mornings became special. It started off as gathering for men’s bible study at the Village Church Southlake. The bible study was taught using the “three-legged stool” approach. Participants completed studies individually (1), then gathered and discussed deep issues of the study in a small group (2), and concluded with a collective teaching to everyone (3). This rhythm continued for the fall and spring semesters, with breaks in the winter and summer. My small group became close throughout the bible study. The conversations that occurred during our small group time were so life giving that many members of the group continued to meet at a local coffee shop throughout the breaks.
When we met at the coffee shop, there was no agenda or study. We simply met and would quickly get to matters of the heart by discussing issues that were affecting us personally, professionally or spiritually. It became quickly apparent that God was in our midst as we gathered and everyone experienced the Holy Spirit in unique ways. Other people noticed the ways God was working through our group including our wives, who came to appreciate the gatherings as much as the men did.
The group has seen members move away, and new members join. And, with the rise of COVID 19, the meetings are not as frequent as they once were. But, the heart of the group remains intact and the men who engage with God and one another on a deeper level leave transformed.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (ESV)”