We Need To Hear From God Everyday

I just finished the new book, Follow Me by Hawkins and Parkinson from Willow Creek giving the latest research and thoughts on the Reveal study.  The Reveal study is based on four years of research with 80,000 people in 200 churches.  It is fascinating material that is well documented and discussed in other places and other blogs.   I'm not going to give a review of the book; instead I want to highlight a finding that is documented in chapter 5:  Two Breakthrough Discoveries.  One of the breakthrough discoveries is this:  "The Bible is the most powerful catalyst for spiritual growth". 

Now, some of you are thinking, "Breakthrough discovery?  C'mon is that really a breakthrough?"  But now ask yourself, do I spend time on a regular basis reflecting on scripture?  Do you?  According to their research the most influential spiritual practice at every stage of spiritual growth is "reflection on scripture".  I know for me that the most impacting spiritual discipline in my life has been using my 3C Journal while reading the Bible.  I'm currently finishing up the gospel of John and starting James in tandem with my small group apprentice leader.  I can also confess that my times of greatest spiritual struggle or dryness are most often when I'm not consistent about my Bible reading and journaling. How about  you?

Last year, I told all the people of COMMUNITY that if I had one wish for them it would be this:  "that every person would hear from God everyday!"  That is still my wish.  How do you hear from God everyday?  Read your Bible and reflect on it by using your 3C Journal. 

Comments

[john bishop]

Dave

Great thoughts and great blog. Also I think you have the coolest hair of any pastor in Illinois.

Cheers

JOHN BISHOP

[Anne]

No John he is just the coolest pastor in all of IL period. And thanks Dave for reminding me to get into the Word everyday!

[Shelley]

Dave,
The fact that you pray for the people of CCC to hear from God everyday has changed my life. It touched my heart when you said that and I knew I had to get more intentional with Him. So to hear from God I figured I had to actually listen. I am now intentional about spending time in the Word every day, but don't beat myself up if I have to miss a day.
You would not believe how often I hear from God, even if it is just a whisper that He loves me or is thinking about ME!
Being a part of CCC has radically transformed my life because it has helped me find my way back to God, and in turn help others find their way back to God. I will be baptizing a friend really soon, and it is because I decided to hear from God every day that things like that are possible. I can go on and on about how God is just blowing my mind, but I want to encourage people who are reading this that if you seek, you will find, if you knock, the door will be open.
Thanks Dave and CCC for helping me find my way back to God and hear from Him every day.

[Jeff Pessina]

In our leaders meeting today we discussed many important matters related to how people can and do grow in their faith and walk with God. An emotion that emerged among us again is amazement at how often we miss or ignore the obvious and the simple. Take small groups for example... it has always been the best way to grow the church and develop leaders. And Jesus clearly modeled it. How or why do we miss it? On teaching adults and discipleship. It is evident that listening passively to a message from a lecturer is not how adults actually learn, but rather through inductive/interactive participation in conversation, and the process of asking and answering questions. Again, modeled by Jesus, who spent a lot of interactive time with his close friends, asked people excellent questions, and whose LONGEST recorded lecture to a crowd (the sermon on the mount) was spoken in as little as 6 minutes! And now, reading the Word of God and reflecting/meditating on it is DISCOVERED as a powerful catalyst for growth? I wonder when we will ever get over ourselves and stick with the simple, effective things... like reading our Bibles, praying, and simple closeness to God and people.

[Carter M]

I just bought that book but haven't read it yet, now I'm even more motivated too! I've been sensing the same thing, that we need a renewed focus on that. Reading "Search & Rescue" by Neil Cole motivated me with the life-changing power of Scripture more than anything I've read in awhile.
I always struggle with how do I as a pastor motivate my people to read more Bible, without sounding so "predictable" and "trite" about it. Cause the problem is, that's what they expect to hear at church, right? "Just read your Bible more." Feels like I keep trying to find fresh ways to say it and show it. I think our Arrested Development series was exactly that, and I look forward to more.

[Ed Bahler]

I hear from God each morning while exercising on the elliptical. My heart rate is running at 145 or so assuring serious oxygen to the brain and an active and quick mind. I can get lost in the subject and it starts the day with a physical and a spiritual high. The pain of the exercise is less noticeable which is nice as well.

I rotate various books with scripture providing variety and breadth.

I appreciate your recent posts Dave. Great insight.

[Ben Mordecai]

It wasn't immediately obvious?

The Bible is absolutely essential.