Often I Am Amazed At How God Orchestrates Events

Two weeks ago I was asked to lead an impromptu Bible study at our church.  Because of the refurbishing work being done on our new church facility, the man who was to lead the Bible study was not available - so at the last minute I was asked to lead it - and I really enjoyed it.

Last night as we were driving home from our Friday night Bible Study/Prayer Meeting, I mentioned to Dory that one of our young adult members asked me how I liked teaching the Bible study the previous week - and that I had replied, "I don't teach Bible studies - I lead them."  Dory asked, "What is the difference?"

Glad you asked.  A person who is "teaching" a Bible study typically stands before the group, often at a pulpit - and basically gives a lecture, i.e., sermon, with no interaction.  When I am "leading" a Bible study I prefer to sit with the group.  I will offer a short introduction of what we want to discuss that evening - which is typically a Scripture passage, maybe a short book in the Bible, or as we did last week I led a topical discussion on the issue of Eternal Security.  Then we will read the relevant Bible passage or passages, verse by verse, and discuss what we believe God is teaching us though His Word. 

A Bible study "leader's" main task is to get the discussion going and then encourage others to join in the dialogue.  Such a study should encourage folks to ask questions and offer comments.  That is great because it often leads us down a different avenue than we typically might follow when reading that passage.  It might be a new insight into the meaning of that Scripture passage - or it may be a dead-end tangent.  Either way we learn from the discussion.

The task of the Bible study leader - is to get folks talking about the Scripture verse just read and to get them to raise new questions and comments.  But then, the leader must keep the discussion from getting lost in a dead-end tangential thought or idea.  The "leader" must know when to encourage more comments/questions - and when to pull the dialogue back on track toward the main goal of better understanding that Scripture passage.

That was my main thought in the Facebook Note I posted in 2013 - and it is timely for the excellent Teacher, Pastor Freddy Cortez, who inspired this Facebook Note in 2013 is in the hospital this week for open-heart surgery.  So, I want to take this opportunity to ask you to lift prayers that it be God's will to return this great pastor/teacher to his pastoral and teaching ministry, where he has been so effective for the past 25+ years.

These are excerpts from that Facebook Note:

Church Of Hope, An Apostle Paul Styled Church - A Church With A Teaching Spirit!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/527491027297055/
April 7, 2013 at 11:35pm

Over the years you have seen me writing about the importance of a Christian church being a "teaching church."  Some have disagreed with me when I have said that a Christian believer gains knowledge of God's Word in this order and with this degree of learning:  Sermons (20%), Sunday Schools (40%), and Bible studies (40%).   Why do we learn so much more in Sunday Schools and Bible studies?  Because we can interact, we can discuss, we can chew on His Word, absorb His Word into our inner being (Jeremiah 15:16, Ezekiel 3:1-3).

I read somewhere, "As a baby grows by eating the proper food, so also Christians must grow by eating the Word of God."   God's Word is pure spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2) - it is the bread of life (Matthew 4:4) - it is spirit and life (John 6:63) - and it is the knowledge that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1).   How do we get this wonderful spiritual food?  First, by hearing it (Ephesians 1:13) through the teachings of elders and teachers (Acts 2:42) and by "chewing on it"  through active discussions found in Sunday Schools and Bible studies, private and corporate.  .  .  .

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Bill Gray:  Hi Pastor Freddy, How many Bible studies and teaching classes do you have now at Church Of Hope?  Please bring me up to date.  I want to eat my heart out!  Thank you and God bless, Bill    (March 16 at 2:08am)

Alfredo I. Cortez Jr.:   Hi Mr. Bill, Great hearing from you as always.  I teach eight times a week.  This includes online training overseas, for our Hope Bible Institute Satellite School in Cameroon, Africa.  Pastor Teh, in Africa, is our coordinator and is doing a fantastic job hosting our studies/school.  We are finalizing our Hope Bible Institute Satellite School in the Philippines.  If all goes well, HBI Philippines will be up and running within two months.

I wish you were nearby so that you can participate in some of this.  You have always been a faithful servant of God and I trust that God continues to use you to His glory.  Thank you!  (March 16 at 10:50am)

Bill Gray Note:  The Hope Bible Institute Satellite School in the Philippines has been ongoing for several years.  And Pastor Freddy leads a Bible Conference in the Philippines once a year.

I pray that you will take a moment and read the full Facebook Note - and that it will help you in establishing your own growth pattern toward greater maturity in your knowledge of God's Word.

And, once again, please keep Pastor Freddy Cortez, his family, his church family, and his teaching ministry family in your prayers.  Let us continually be asking God to fully restore Pastor Freddy to those loved ones and students who depend upon him so much.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill