For some time we have been aware of the need to teach Christians at Grace Church to a deeper level. A couple of years ago, this led us to start something called Think360 - a program of reading for the year, with a monthly get together for discussion and embedding what's been read. We hope that everyone who teaches in some capacity might do this - whether teaching within Community Groups, SALT, kids@4, IMPACT or 1to1s. It would also be ideal for any Christian who is willing to think further.
The idea is that over the one year, everyone would have read:
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A bible overview (God's Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts)
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An outline of doctrine (Salvation belongs to the Lord by John Frame)
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Various articles on worldview, culture, religion and ethics, that equip us to think about some of the particular issues of our day.
We would also seek to hone our Bible reading and study skills by studying the book of James that majors on practical Christian living, and would ensure we are thinking about our own character and faith too.
We call this Think 360 because it picks up the aim that we are seeking to apply God's word to the totality of life.
The commitment would be 1-2 hours of reading a week and meeting together on the evening of the first Thursday of each month to discuss and embed. This is the week we don't run normal community groups because we have the monthly prayer meeting on the Wednesday evening, and so it will still mean you only have the one late evening for church that week.
Think360 only works if people do actually attend all the meetings (if at all possible), and do the reading in a way that is not rushed through at the last minute. So, our hope would be that in signing up you make a sincere commitment to these things.
The program is intentionally stretching - but quite manageable if you can give the 1-2 hours a week.
We feel so strongly that we need this sort of thinking if we are to live rightly as Christians today, and especially if we are to teach our own children and folk within the church in a manner that properly equips them to do so too. Having taught some rather deep truth, the author of the book of Hebrews writes: "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Heb 5v11-14)
This reveals God's concern that we progress to a deeper level of understanding, and that we do so not only so that we can be discerning in our engagement with the world, but teach others to be also. My real hope and prayer is that you might therefore be willing and able to join us. Register any interest with Jon, or through the contacts form of this website.