How we’re starting

As part of my seminary work (and my job), I’m starting a women’s ministry at church. One part is a midday women’s Bible study, childcare included, that going to run in seasons. Seasons, because it’s easier to get both volunteers and participants to commit for three months than for the next three years and it makes it easier to shift gears and prepare material.

The aim is to practice a spiritual discipline together, study Scripture in some way, and pray together. For this spring season, we are studying prayer because we are also studying Psalms. I know we can sneer at Psalms or insist that women study Psalms because it’s emotional, but I started paying attention to Psalms several years ago. Wise teacher after wise teacher insisted that learning to pray the Psalms had changed their life and their praying. So I began reading and praying through Psalms and it has changed my life and my praying. It has taught me to deal with my emotions, to bring everything to God, to interact with God in different ways, to see the world in a fuller way. I want that for these women. 

I’m going to adapt the material in W. David O. Taylor’s book, Open and Unafraid. He’s a professor at Fuller and I think I might be able to take one of his classes next quarter about spiritual formation through the Psalms. He also took a seminary class with Eugene Peterson who is one of my favorite people. (That’s just extra information because I thought it was cool and I don’t have an editor that makes me take it out.)

I’m excited about it. I have the book and I’m going to start preparing and praying with our leadership team. And we’ll keep praying together.