Iron Sharpens Iron

This is a picture of the inside of Jicarilla Apache Reformed Church, the place where I have served as pastor for nearly six years. It is a view from the back, looking towards the front. It is kind of old-school. Wooden pews and a raised pulpit. Hard wood floors that show a lot of wear. In the back there is a large open area, with a table on one side where on Sunday mornings there is coffee and whatever snacks people bring to share. On the opposite side there is a table with crayons and coloring books for use by the kids who do not go to Sunday school. On occasions where many people are expected to be present the open area is filled with folding chairs, facing forwards. In this picture there is a group of chairs gathered in a circle.

The circle of chairs is the set-up for our Sunday evening Bible study. In the six years we've been here there have been mixed results with adult ministry. We'll get something going but for whatever reason it doesn’t seem to last. Earlier this year a few people asked about having an adult group and so four weeks ago we got started again. It's exciting!

Here's what happens. Each Sunday evening 7 or 8 people make the trip back to church. Some come on their own and some come bringing their children for the children and youth ministries that we began at the same time. The adults sit together and talk a bit. Then I offer a prayer and read a passage from the Bible. After I read then we take turns reading aloud, working through a short chapter from a book we are using and which is drawn from the Bible passage we read. Then we talk.

As we talk, this is what happens:

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

We are all at different places in life, spiritually and otherwise. We all have different experiences and are dealing with different problems. But as we talk we are growing together.

This past Sunday we looked at John the Baptist. He gave powerful testimony when he had his own ministry, but later in jail he wondered if Jesus was really the one who was God's Savior.

Sunday that spoke to our group. Sure, we have faith, but what about those times when we wonder about things? Why hasn’t God answered my prayers? Why does God still allow this or that thing to happen?

As we talked we didn't simply turn to our experiences or feeling for answers, but back to our Bibles, which, unlike our experiences and feelings, always speaks the truth.

And then we closed in prayer, each of going home a bit closer and stronger in Christ than when we arrived. At least that was my sense of the evening.

I'm grateful for the new group and the opportunity for the people of our congregation to grow together as sisters and brothers in Christ. May God provide you with one or more people that you can grow with too.

PS: The book we are using in our study is Not By Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith by Jon Bloom. Here is a link for a free PDF download.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.