“Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.” – Jesus: John 6:57-58

Church is good. This is the quality of community that encourages and strengthens everyone. Not perfect, not pretending to be; just forgiven and blessed and grateful for God’s goodness. If you miss this don’t you think maybe it’s time to come home?

I have to say I am really enjoying the opportunity to help teach the younger crowd who attend the Finding Our Faith class Sunday mornings at HMPC.

It’s not my class; I’m just guest-teaching for the fall. But it is a genuinely refreshing experience to be with such an engaging group of smart, thinking, faithful, committed-to-following-Jesus young (young-ish) adults.

This week we completed the “I am the bread of life” chapter of our study. We’re using a book by Methodist preacher Matt Rawle that tracks the “I am” statements Jesus makes about himself in the Gospel of John.

I am not “teaching the book” so much as letting Rawle’s book be – along with the Bible – the primary resource for this study.

My plan – and it seems to be working out – is to teach each chapter in two overlapping bites. Most of our young families end up out-of-pocket probably 40% of the time and “I am the bread of life” is a perfect example. Attendance was eight last week and nine this week with only three making both sessions. That means 14 different people participated over the two weeks.

What I learned:

Here’s a little of what I learned from this week’s conversation. First “I am the light of the world” evokes Christ’s transcendence as a spiritual and eternal being. Jesus “the bread of life” underscores his humanity, his essentiality, his rootedness in the physical world – his sufficiency. The Jesus who says “take, eat, this is my body broken for you” promises – and delivers – not just eternal life but a quality of abundant life that is in itself transcendent and unquenchable.

The Jesus who says “take, eat, this is my body broken for you” promises – and delivers – not just eternal life but a quality of abundant life that is in itself transcendent and unquenchable.

So I study, I read ideas from the author, I pray, I ask God for guidance and I generate my own content (or at least content God gifts to me).

And then I have what turn out to be beautiful conversations with the members of the class (Katie, Adam, Meredith, Michael, Brandyn, Gene, John M., Clair, John G., Jonathan, Ashley, Jerome, Lindy… ). I bring my preparation; they bring their faith, their pre-class reading, their life experiences, their open hearts, their questions and we begin to talk together in the framework of prayer and scripture and belief and more. Then the Holy Spirit stirs it all together and – once in a while – someone will say something and everyone will go “Aha!” or, “that’s it!” or, “yes!” or, “thank you, God for the clarity….”

Learning together is God’s plan:

Because learning faith together is a lot more rich and beneficial and satisfying and true than the solo version.

This is why we are in community! This is why we are a church! This is why your presence, your voice, your participation, your faithfulness to the good news, your whole self is exactly what we need and where you need to be.

Don’t believe the naysayers, especially those who like to take potshots at traditional denominations who don’t share their draconian social views. We are certainly not perfect, but we follow one who is. And who we are (and I know this for a fact here in Tarboro) is The Body of Christ and if you have an open heart this is where God is calling you to be.

I will see you in church next Sunday. In love and because love – not judgment – is the answer – DEREK