The Bible - it's a big book when you're looking through it for something written specifically to and for you.
The Bible Draft is a fun and creative way to connect your experiences, thoughts, and feelings directly to the words of Scripture. Played similar to the format of a fantasy football league with the commeraderie among players in your league, the creativity of team names, and the personalization of Scripture passages just for you, the Bible Draft is a worthwhile challenge for those who have never opened the Bible before as well as for anyone else at any stage in the journey.
AoB 2028 Deacon Formation Class Begins 2024 Bible Draft!
To the participants of the AoB 2028 Deacon Formation Class Bible Draft - may you be turned to fertile soil as the Word of God is cast richly into your hearts and minds in this, your Bible Draft! With great confidence, Bible Draft prays for joy in your discovery and encounter of our Lord in the wisdom of and pages of Scripture! “All Scripture is inspired by God … that the man of God may be complete …” - May you have all the grace necessary for this journey!
Reflection Spotlight
Not perfect, just forgiven
| Matthew 23:2-7 | |
|---|---|
| 2 | saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. |
| 3 | Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. |
| 4 | They tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. |
| 5 | All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. |
| 6 | They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, |
| 7 | greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ |
Perfectionism is a cold symptom of a legalistic mind-set, such as the Pharisees exhibited in the above mentioned passages. They were great at making others feel inferior with their religious rules and not extending grace. It has dawned on me that some of the deepest hurts in my life have come from religious, rule-keeping individuals that didn't walk in love, they seemed to get some pleasure in their judgement of me. At one point it turned me off to the church. I never want to be that person! I know God doesn't expect me to be perfect. It's precisely because I'm not perfect (we are not perfect) that Jesus sent his son to die on the cross to save us and to forgive us when we sin. This is a powerful reminder that I need to extend mercy and grace to those that may be struggling and not stand in judgement. God has extended his grace and mercy to me for my own failings, I need to be able to extend that mercy to others in return.
