Peru?
Jason: When I think of you going to Peru, somehow I think of that VeggieTales song where Larry has the large sombrero and sings. Don't ask me why, I don't know.
Gummichild: I think I tried to make the distinction that small groups can work when there's someone in there who knows their relevant theology cold. I might have forgotten. Anyway, such is my experience that having someone knowledgable helps. However, it is also my experience (in college) that given no idea of how a small group is actually supposed to function (from the Church), confused brothers and sisters come together to try and learn something through small group bible studies. By the nature of these groups, there isn't a single theologically experienced person. The result is a group of people, some of whom don't understand exegesis or how to interpret scripture, some who think they know but are misapplying what they learned from studying Emily Dickinson, some who might really know but don't speak up, and maybe some people like myself who have some feeling for it but honestly are not probably the best people for the job but inevitably voice themselves the most.
In a way, the small group has also become a misused crutch for people who don't read the bible alone. For whatever reason, the bible simply isn't read (I'm guilty of this for extended periods of time). When one person comments that they are failing in this area, another chimes in and they suggest maybe they could read together. However, inevitably this doesn't turn out to simply be reading the scripture and soaking it in, but another example of attempted group exegesis.
There needs to be some direction from the Church, regardless of denomination, on how to properly run a small group (both for leaders and the lead). As it stands I haven't seen much effort being put into explaining the proper way to talk about scripture amoungst one another. While perhaps we should not contrain the small group so far into becoming a small group Sunday school, I certainly think the leader should be somewhat authoritative, if only to avoid misguided notions and conclusions. However, often the leader is more concerned with making the scripture and themselves approachable, or is more concerned with something beyond maintaining theological soundness.
I no longer know where I'm going with this, and I have to go to work now. Anyway, enjoyable discussion, and don't take my nitpicking the word "against" too seriously. I'm just like that, and it's not something I'm offended by or intended to offend by. :)
Jason/Thomas: God speed, and may the light of our Lord be with you as you travel abroad. :D
Gummichild: I think I tried to make the distinction that small groups can work when there's someone in there who knows their relevant theology cold. I might have forgotten. Anyway, such is my experience that having someone knowledgable helps. However, it is also my experience (in college) that given no idea of how a small group is actually supposed to function (from the Church), confused brothers and sisters come together to try and learn something through small group bible studies. By the nature of these groups, there isn't a single theologically experienced person. The result is a group of people, some of whom don't understand exegesis or how to interpret scripture, some who think they know but are misapplying what they learned from studying Emily Dickinson, some who might really know but don't speak up, and maybe some people like myself who have some feeling for it but honestly are not probably the best people for the job but inevitably voice themselves the most.
In a way, the small group has also become a misused crutch for people who don't read the bible alone. For whatever reason, the bible simply isn't read (I'm guilty of this for extended periods of time). When one person comments that they are failing in this area, another chimes in and they suggest maybe they could read together. However, inevitably this doesn't turn out to simply be reading the scripture and soaking it in, but another example of attempted group exegesis.
There needs to be some direction from the Church, regardless of denomination, on how to properly run a small group (both for leaders and the lead). As it stands I haven't seen much effort being put into explaining the proper way to talk about scripture amoungst one another. While perhaps we should not contrain the small group so far into becoming a small group Sunday school, I certainly think the leader should be somewhat authoritative, if only to avoid misguided notions and conclusions. However, often the leader is more concerned with making the scripture and themselves approachable, or is more concerned with something beyond maintaining theological soundness.
I no longer know where I'm going with this, and I have to go to work now. Anyway, enjoyable discussion, and don't take my nitpicking the word "against" too seriously. I'm just like that, and it's not something I'm offended by or intended to offend by. :)
Jason/Thomas: God speed, and may the light of our Lord be with you as you travel abroad. :D
posted by Matoushin at 7/13/2005 06:01:00 AM
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