DISCIPLE Celebration

I am at Lake Junaluska for a celebration of DISCIPLE Bible Study. Bishop Richard Wilke, who helped create this study in the 1980’s opened our time together by reminding us that although millions have completed this study, the need continues as we live in a biblically illiterate culture. Much of the success of DISCIPLE has been the result of participants inviting others to join this remarkable transforming study. Although, I am most pleased with the number of persons who have participated in this study at First UMC, just think of what it would mean to our church and our community, if each one that has completed DISCIPLE would recruit one person each year to start the DISCIPLE journey.

One of the stories being told is how DISCIPLE has reached over 8000 persons in prison and has opened the door to spiritual freedom for them. I think that prison ministry could be used as a metaphor. It can applied to many in our midst who are held captive to a restrictive faith by lack of mature understanding of what it means to live in God as known through the Word. The mission is before us. Will we accept the challenge to make this liberating experience an important part of who we are at First UMC?