Our groups usually range in size from 6-12 participants and we do our best to create groups that bring a rich diversity representing different parts of the body of Christ. We believe that such diversity can elevate what we are experiencing in the text. A facilitator will organize and moderate, though, will not be seen as a “teacher” or “lecturer” on the text. Our hope is the facilitator will be able to organize and moderate the time and bring out the insight of the group while also honoring the background of the text. The purpose of our gatherings are less consumption of content, rather, participation and voice about the text yourself. What we have learned from our groups is that this program is best when the pace is slow and the reading and reflecting feels purposeful and with depth. Even if you are not familiar with lectio divina, you will soon be excited for a space to sit still with the text with a feeling of unhurried delight.

What do you notice? How do we pay attention to each other and what we are hearing in the text? The facilitator may give some helpful background and keep the conversation organized, but mostly the facilitator is someone who loves the text and wants to help others engage in it as well. Our gatherings are less academic and more experiential. This is not a class. It is an immersive time together giving space to let the Word take on flesh in your life. The pace is thoughtful, intentional, contemplative, and probably slower than your stereotypical Bible study/class. Participants are less “student” and more invested contributor. A prerequisite for a participant is not that you are a scholar or that you may have read the Bible 100+ times. What we want is a group of people who are committed to reflecting on the Bible in a new way (but not really new at all) where through the diversity of the group and the pace of the read, we can sense a larger perspective of what the Lord is at work doing in the world, in the church, and in us.