This week, we come to a Fruit of the Spirit that has been translated one of two ways: one is “Goodness”. What a broad term! What do we mean when we say that someone or something is good? Is it just the absence of evil or is it playing by all the rules? Being trustworthy or having integrity? Perhaps, that is why more and more commentators are translating this Fruit as “Generosity”. How is generosity related to goodness, and how do both of these reflect the character of our God? How can we nurture more of this Fruit in our everyday lives in a world that encourages us to protect our own and look out for number one? Let us continue tilling this ground and growing together…
8/8/2021: Never Stop Growing WEEK 5: KINDNESS
This week we come to another Fruit of the Spirit that most of us would say is sorely lacking in our world today, if not in our own hearts; Kindness. What is Kindness and how does it differ from just being “nice”? What difference does Kindness actually make in larger scale, real world justice issues? What does God’s Kindness have to do with this picture? Let’s keep growing together…
8/1/2021: Never Stop Growing WEEK 4: PATIENCE
This week we start getting to the Fruit of the Spirit that is a little more connected to the nitty gritty stuff of life. I can’t think of a single person who would not wish they were more patient. Our culture says that “patience is a virtue”, but what are we doing to build our patience? How is patience connected to struggle and suffering? What does the Bible have to say about it? And then finally, are there times when it is actually wrong to be patient and better to take action? Let us think about this as we grow together…
7/25/2021: Never Stop Growing WEEK 3: Peace
This week, we examine the Fruit of the Spirit that we call Peace. What is peace? How can we come to a place of peace when we are surrounded by pressure and division; violence and unrest? Is peace merely the absence of conflict, worry or tension? Is it more than just personal, but also extending to society and our larger world? What kind of peace does Jesus dream of for us when He says “Blessed are the peacemakers”? Let us keep joining together thoughtfully and prayerfully seeking to grow in this Fruit.
7/18/2021: Never Stop Growing WEEK 2: JOY
This week, we continue to explore the Fruit of the Spirit promised to us in the life of faith and we focus on JOY! We will think about how joy is worlds apart different from happiness, though both of which are lacking in our post-pandemic world. Yet we are called, no matter the circumstance, to be a joy-full people! How do we do that? What does that look like? What difference does it make? And finally, how is joy connected to our central faith story of God’s amazing grace?
