Some Group Learning

As you can see from this first picture, sometimes the group gets a little urnruly and I need to break out my "Pastor Posture." It's a little trick I learned at Prairie Bible Institute. We were having some fun with the camera while Ashlee was taking pictures.



I have some other pictures here as well, this first set with us on couches is from my Tuesday "How to Read the Bible For All It's Worth" Study group. As you can see all of the attendees are in their twenties or early thirties. It's a great group. Yesterday, the 28th November, they were learning about how to understand and read the Old Testament Laws of the Torah. They learned how the Law was a gift to Israel, revealing the character and heart of God. They learned how the law was a benefit and guide in the midst of idolatrous people. They learned how God used the law to turn the Israelites from Egyptian Slaves into His victorious children. Then for some added benefit, I talked about how the O.T Law is not required of Christians unless the Laws are reiterated in the New Testament. I talked about how the "Law of Christ" operates the same way for us under the New Covenant. Christ's commands reflect the heart and character of God, they benefit and guide us, and if obeyed turn us from slaves of sin into victorious Christ-like children of God. It was a good time.


Thes next pictures are of the Thursday evening "Christian Foundations" class. We sit around a table and I lead the lesson on basic Christian doctrines. This last week we finished our discussion of Jesus Christ, discussing his nature as "Fully God and fully man." This brought out a HUGE amount of dicussion. Some of the questions asked were, "If Jesus was a man, how can he fully relate to women who have different experiences and needs than men?" or "If Jesus remained single, how can he share in the struggles of the married or broken-hearted?" WOW! and some of the questions were more difficult.

One couple in the group were in Russia in the days the Iron Curtain fell. In those days every cult and sect of every religion flooded the barren lands of secular communist Russia. In their days there, Andrew, saw three different people who claimed to be God, who healed people, who accepted worship as God, and who had dedicated followers who sacrificed life and possessions to follow them. He wanted to know how we can know Jesus is God, since we use these same proofs to back up our belief in Jesus deity. He sees no difference between Jesus and these others, except Jesus lived 2000 years ago, and he sees no difference between these others followers and Christians in their devotion and service to their God. Good thoughts, and tough questions...I leave this with you to ponder. How would you answer this?

I will tell you that by the end of the night, things were moving in a very positive direction. Though sometimes it takes time for the truth to sink in and take hold.



God is good, and this is a lot of work, with a lot of stress and prayers, but a lot of fun too.

God Bless, from your currently snowed in, pumped up, wide-eyed, and energetic fellow bond-servants of Christ.


Pastor Jeffrey and Ashlee Thomas

What I learned on Sunday:

Two weeks ago during the church service we heard a song written/sung by Randy Stonehill called "Christmas at Denny's". I will see if there is a way I can upload it onto the Blog so you can all hear it. Anyway, it is a song about a man who's life has fallen apart around him, his daughter was killed in a car accident, he lost his job, and his wife started drinking her sorrows away, and so he walks away from life.

He sings of a life without hope, and that even on Christmas there is little of anything good for him,

He is:
'Dreaming about a Silent Night, a Holy Night, when things were alright...'
'Dreaming about how my life could have been if only, if only, if only...'
'While fate plays at chance, we all just dance...'

And then this last week, I was talking with a man at our church. George. He is forty-something, married, with two boys, and a pillar in our church. He gives his heart, and he gives his time. we had just collected the offering and were talking and he reminded me of the song, and then looked me in the eye and told me how much the song meant to him. Ten years ago his parents had both died, he was divorced, and working a dead-end job. And at Christmas he was all alone. But he told me that Christmas was one of his best. His faith in Jesus Christ strengthened him and sustained him and in his dark days held him. Then he thanked me for how I challenge him to remember that.

So what did I learn? Being "talked to" isn't so important to the hurting heart as knowing those that "live a life" that points to Jesus. The hurting are more often in need of someone to live life with them, to live faith with them, not somebody to tell them what to change and who to be.

Christmas bells are ringing

Ah, the ways of the young church. Today as Ashlee and I showed up for the service I walked into the gymnasium to a befuddled praise team lacking a drummer. This is one of the most recent events that reveals the character of our young church. Sometimes those we count on are nowhere to be found and so, those of us who are able, willingly fill any shoes that happen to be empty when it comes time to dance. So on top of my regular prayer-welcome-announcement role this morning I was drumming for Jesus.

Pastor Jim has finished his second week of the parent counselling group and today in church he shared from Genesis 3 of the danger that fear is in our relationships with family and more foundationally with God. It was personally challenging and I find myself glad for how God has blessed Ashlee and I with the families we have, as well as the friends who spur us on towards love and good deeds.

On the small group front this last Thursday we had a rather spirited conversation regarding the role of religion in society, the manners in which it has been abused (justification for terrorism and war, for family abuse and dishonesty, for material and political gain). It was intense at times and Ashlee had to keeo herself from wanting to hide from confrontation even if the confrontation could be bring further depth of understanding. I on the other hand had to protect myself from trying to answer every question and found myself pushing back with more force than should have been used. I admit I argue well, although argument sometimes only distances people from each other and the truth. I ma learning to use more wisdom in these discussions while at the same time standing upon the truth. This lesson I have been struggling with for many years (ask any of my brothers as well as Ashlee's family too, ugh.)

Well, the next weeks should hold some good updates as I continue to work at leading our small church into the truth of Christian doctrine and God's Word. A new guy, Dan, has come to church a couple of times and I have been talking to him about where the Bible came from, whether it is trustworthy, etc. Please pray for him. Thank-you all.

December has our upcoming Christmas outreach, the M4M update letter and Ashlee and I should be at FBC for church on December 17.

Love and God bless

Jeff