The Journey Begins

 

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Welcome! Thanks for joining me on the journey.

The book of Acts has long been one of my favorite books of the Bible. I became even more interested in it while I was a studying for my MDiv at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. I caught a powerful glimpse of what the church can be in the world in Rev. Dr. Mike Slaughter’s “Missional Church” course. In that course, I also came to understand the power of the book of Acts to revitalize the church.

A few years later, in my position as Associate Pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Salisbury, Maryland, I was feeling led to a study of the book of Acts for our annual church-wide small group study. I discovered there was no shortage of options. However, two trends soon became clear. First, most of the studies I looked at were quite long (8-20 sessions), and therefore not workable in our time frame. Secondly, many of them were just too time-consuming. It seemed that if we were to do a church-wide study of Acts, we would have to create our own resource. That’s how We Are The Church…Let’s Act Like It began. It has truly been a labor of love, as it has afforded me many hours of reading, researching, and writing about the very exciting and inspiring book of Acts.

I love the church, problems and all! I especially love the inspiring and amazing story recorded in the book of Acts, of the early church, which has in so many ways inspired me to pastoral ministry, and inspired me in pastoral ministry.

I also love small groups. It is in small groups that we can get up close and personal with the Word of God. It is in small groups that we come face to face with Jesus and all that Jesus has for us. I will write more about small groups and how they can transform your walk of faith, and just as importantly, how they can transform your church!

As We Are The Church is about to be released, I pray the Holy Spirit will speak to you as you work through the book, read the scriptures, meet with your group, and think through all the implications of this amazing story for your own life, and the life of your church. I pray that you will be inspired to rethink what is possible for your own church.    

Blessings on the journey, Linda Pevey