New Fellowship Groups

[Frances]

Please pray for those who will join two new Fellowship groups to be formed by a church in my area tonight, one will meet in the mornings and one in the evenings.
Persuaded by friends who had already expressed an interest, I told the church leader I would like to join a group. His reply was "No" because "You are very sure of what you believe and most of those who will be in the groups, and the leaders, are not." He also said they will be "studying a book about the Bible". Not, it seems, the Bible itself!!!
I am concerned as if Bible believing Christians are to be excluded, or discouraged, from attending the groups, it doesn't appear that those whose faith is 'shaky' have any chance of learning anything worthwhile from the book he has chosen for them to study.

[Colo25]

Praying for the fellowship group at your Church Frances!

[Redneck Charger]

Praying with you for this fellowship.. Please Jesus..

[L'Ange]

Please pray for those who will join two new Fellowship groups to be formed by a church in my area tonight, one will meet in the mornings and one in the evenings.
Persuaded by friends who had already expressed an interest, I told the church leader I would like to join a group. His reply was "No" because "You are very sure of what you believe and most of those who will be in the groups, and the leaders, are not." He also said they will be "studying a book about the Bible". Not, it seems, the Bible itself!!!
I am concerned as if Bible believing Christians are to be excluded, or discouraged, from attending the groups, it doesn't appear that those whose faith is 'shaky' have any chance of learning anything worthwhile from the book he has chosen for them to study.

Yep, I agree. You have real reason to be concerned there. You know people hold Bible studies all the time, informally in their homes. They don't have to ask for permission from anyone. This was the way the early believers did things, as there was no Church - a Greek word in the Bible that just means gathering, from ecclesia.

You could possibly ask around if people want to come to your place for a Bible study. If your Church leader has problems with that, mho you have more reasons to have problems with him. He's proably not a cult type leader, but one mark of a cult is that they have a leader who tells everyone else what to do, including how to study and what to study.

No one should get between you and your desire to share the true Gospel with others.

[L'Ange]

P.S. Forgot to say, praying for you to have a great Bible study!

[IMINXTC]

I share your concern. I once was excluded from a group function for that very reason. All members in good standing in the church should be encouraged to participate.

And if the Bible is not the basis for this effort, you are right to be very alerted.

Yes, joining you in prayer for this church and for these groups this morning.

[Frances]

Thank you for the prayers.

L'Ange I already have a weekly Caring/Sharing/Bible study/prayer meeting in my home which is not 'officially' a church meeting - apart from the fact that those who come here also attend that church ..

[L'Ange]

Thank you for the prayers.

L'Ange I already have a weekly Caring/Sharing/Bible study/prayer meeting in my home which is not 'officially' a church meeting - apart from the fact that those who come here also attend that church ..

Well, looks like you are doing your part. I'm glad some people are getting into the real Word.

[Frances]

Two of those who will attend the fellowship groups (one morning and one evening) came to tell me about their meeting.They were both rather unhappy as they were told to appoint their own leaders from their number (none of which have much Biblical knowledge) and they will not have anyone 'in charge' able to teach them and, it seems, the ones most willing to lead are new Christians!!! The book they will be studying is 'Mark for Everyone' written by Tom Wright - who, I discovered from the internet, is the Bishop of Durham. . . .