What I’ve Learned This Year

It’s safe to say we’ve all been ushered into a learning season, possibly the biggest one of our lifetime.  I remember when this virus turned from a slight worry in the back of our minds to a world-wide pandemic in a matter of days.  Flights started getting canceled, school suddenly stopped for the rest of the semester, churches closed their doors to meetings.  Those beginning days when the world suddenly turned upside-down, I was traveling home for my grandmother’s funeral.  Giant road signs all through New York and Pennsylvania read, “Stay Home Save Lives” and “Flatten the Curve.”  I took pictures of those signs throughout my drive because I remember thinking, I’m witnessing history.  It’ll be something we remember for the rest of our lives.

We’ll remember the tragedy, the thousands and thousands of lives lost, the months we shut ourselves up in our homes, the loneliness, the countless video calls.  But I also think we have a chance to learn things in this season that we shouldn’t quickly forget.  So here’s what I’ve been learning as it relates to God, my relationship with Him, and ministry:

During the first week of attending services online, my church took communion.  They encouraged us to use whatever we had as the bread and the wine (mine was a salt and vinegar chip and a cup of kombucha).  When I was gathering the elements, I felt silly and like maybe it was a waste of time.  It didn’t feel like it could possibly hold the same value as if I took it in service with a congregation, with a little cup of grape juice and that tasteless wafer.  But I did it anyway.  When Pastor Mark prayed over the “bread” and “cup,” I suddenly felt overwhelmed.  I can honestly say I’ve never had a communion experience like it.  I’ve been taking communion my entire life, and for the first time I was completely overcome with emotion.  It was like Jesus Himself was standing right there in my studio apartment.  I had dinner cooking behind me, I was in my exercise clothes, and I was eating a potato chip, and I felt the presence of the Lord so tangibly.  Standing there with my computer in front of me, I began to sob.  Not from sadness or even joy but just from a real awareness of the presence of God. 

I’m realizing in this season that God’s presence isn’t limited to a time or a place.  Of course I’ve always said that and known it in my head and even in my heart, but I’m learning it in a brand new way these months.  I’ve never before been forced to experience it this way.  I wonder if this is what the apostles felt in the upper room that day; they had no prior understanding of how the Holy Spirit would move, so they didn’t limit their expectations.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful for church buildings and gatherings and can’t wait until we can meet together again in person, but I didn’t realize how much I needed this kind of time with the Holy Spirit.

It’s easy in the routine of ministry and church life to get used to a certain way of interacting with God.  I began to realize my worship was becoming stale.  I’d attend at least three different worship services a week, I’d lead and teach in many of them, and in the routine of it all, it lost a lot of its life.  God is using this time to deepen my personal worship life and my relationship between just Him and me.  And I’m realizing this is my job with students.

My job is to disciple students so they can have a deep, rich relationship with the Father so that when they leave college, when they move away, when church services aren’t available, when community isn’t around, when the world shuts down, when tragedy strikes they can still have intimacy with Jesus.  My job isn’t to be Jesus for them; my job isn’t to create a perfect environment so they can feel the Holy Spirit thanks to me and the staff; my job is to mentor in a way for them to experience Him on their own, no matter what the environment.

I tell you what, I’m going to remember that moment of communion my whole life.  I’m committed to it.  Because even after 29 years of following Jesus, He revealed Himself to me in a fresh way.  Just like this time in our world is historic, I believe our moments with the Lord during it can be historic.  Will we choose to be aware of His presence and remember what He speaks.

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30 Tips for Engaging the Old Testament

A helpful list of tips and tricks to bring life, depth, and entertainment to your study of the Old Testament:

1. Pray before you start! Ask the Holy Spirit to read the text with you and show you things that you might not have seen yourself.

2. Get a journal or notebook for your study - not everyone's the same, but the majority of us will remember things better if we write them down.

3. Start in Genesis — reading chronologically is fun, but my personal recommendation is starting from Genesis and ending in Malachi. You could also keep going and just read the entire Bible!

4. If you have a reference Bible (the type with little letters everywhere directing you to other verses in the Bible) use them! This will make your study sooo much more full and entertaining.

5. Use an Old Testament (OT) Bible reading plan to help keep you on track if you need the extra encouragement — check out The Bible App for some plans!

6. Pray for a passion for The Word. There will always be seasons where we feel like we aren’t getting anything out of what we’re studying, and I’ve found this true usually when I’m reading the OT — there’s nothing wrong with praying for more passion in the pursuit.

7. Supplement your OT study with music — pull from songs or hymns written after the psalms, or other OT stories. 

8. Finish each book by watching the Bible Project video about it - challenge yourself to read the book for your own understanding, but follow it up with a nice visual summary. 

9. Speaking of visuals, maybe take some time to look up what people during OT times looked like, dressed like, and some other cultural norms of the day. This can help us remember these were real stories and real people. 

10. If you get stuck in a book that just isn’t speaking to you — no pressure, just supplement it or take a break by reading another one! (thank you Esther, Ruth, and Daniel).

11. Read the text slowly and multiple times over to gain a good idea of the context of what you’re trying to study.

12. Observe what you’re reading. Copy down the verses you feel God is speaking to you. Is He affirming you? Convicting you? Saying something you don’t understand? What is it saying about God? About me? (XA PROAPT TOOL) 

13. Interpret the material you’re reading:

    1. What did it mean to “them, then”, the original recipients

    2. Paraphrase it

    3. Lis comparisons and contrasts

    4. List all warnings, advice, and promises

    5. note any “if, then” statements (XA PROAPT)

14. Apply the material and ask yourself — what does this mean to us, now? What truth should I believe, and what am I to do about it now? (XA PROAPT)

15. While studying the Old Testament especially, ask yourself “How or what can I do about what I just learned and now understand in the next 48hrs”?

16. Ask the Lord to point out specific people to tell what you’re reading about.

17. After you’ve done your own study, and only after, take some time to see what others are preaching/teaching/writing about that book you read or research questions you may have.

18. Take some time to sit in silence, and meditate on the Word you’re reading. Leave space for God to speak.

19. If you have a text that speaks about women (Naomi and Ruth, Deborah, Solomon’s wife, Bathsheba etc.) take into account the role of gender, race, and other intersections of identity, and sometimes, pain. You can read thought-provoking commentaries and analysis at The Junia Project and The Center for Biblical Equality.

20. When reading the Old Testament, it helps to break it down by time periods or an event. For instance, Exodus through Deuteronomy chronicles Israel’s “Early Years” and helps us to understand that context of the story better.

21. Take excerpts of scripture that stick out to you, and practice memorizing! This will help you dwell on the passage longer, and start building up your supply of spiritual tools.

22. Copy down OT scripture, and don’t be afraid to change the gendered pronouns — we know that the Bible was not written just for men, and it has brought me so much life to see those promises and encouragement written out for me too!

23. It’s helpful to understand the context of each OT book in the larger context of the whole OT, and then the even larger context of the entire Bible story. For instance, Esther is an amazing story on it’s own, but even stronger when we know that it takes place in between the two returns of the Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem. It also speaks to the broader theme of God’s promise for restoration, provision, and protection of His people.  

24. As you learn new information, poll your close friends or family about things you never saw before — you might blow their minds too!

25. I recommend taking time to really dive into the who/what/why of books in the OT that you might not be as familiar with. Did you know that Nehemiah is about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem? Or that Ecclesiastes reads like a professor’s research paper? 

26. When reading about some of the wild, joy-filled antics of David, or the dramatic acts of Ezekiel, try to view it as if someone you knew did the same thing — the more I visualize these “characters” as people, the more I see how even the strangest of OT stories are still relatable today. 

27. If you need more historical context, feel free to look up some of the words/phrases in the original Greek/Hebrew/Aramaic to gain a deeper understanding of what is being communicated.

28. Take some time to unpack the Minor Prophets! (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) All of these books share a lot of wisdom that we don’t often focus on in the Church, and they absolutely add to the bigness of God.

29. Keep a blog or Google document with your notes/links/prayers. You never know — they could come in handy in the future for you.

30. In the books that feel never-ending, go over what you’re studying/gaining from them with a friend. We were made to do life in community, and a deep study can be so beautifully lived out with others!

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Summer Advice for Brand New Alumni

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“If you attempt to find Chi Alpha after college, you won’t.”

When I heard this in a leader’s meeting as a student, it was a hard pill to swallow. It seemed pessimistic to think that I could never be part of a community that served me as well as Chi Alpha did. As I neared graduation, I realized that wasn’t the point. I’d probably never find myself in another faith community where everyone lives within a mile of each other. Or one where everyone is in the exact same life stage. Or one that makes it so easy for every part of my life to be intertwined with others. The point isn’t to replicate what you’ve experienced for the past three or four years. It’s to bring what you’ve come to value into all the areas of your adult life. That life begins this summer, so here’s how you can begin to do that now.

When you start to transition to a local church as your primary community, you may find yourself dissatisfied by how the church experience measures up to your experience in Chi Alpha. Rather than writing the local church off for being incomparable, try investing more. Be as vulnerable in your small group as you wish everyone would be. Model the kind of discipleship you’ve given and received. Actively pursue friendships with your peers and mentorship from older adults. Of course, you’re not there to make the church in your own image, but you’ll only ever get out what you put in.

Intentionality in relationships takes on a whole new level after college. You might be thinking about all the people you’ve spent time with while in school and wonder if and when you’ll ever see any of them again. But honestly, if you want to, you will. Believe it or not, relationships in college don’t take much intentionality. You develop friendships often without even thinking about it. You’re just around each other all the time. However, in post-grad life, relationships require quite a bit of work. So start now. Ask them how they’re doing and how you can pray for them. Schedule time into your week to catch up with them. Reach out to that one friend you kinda know, but never got a chance to get close to. It’s never too early (or too late) to start maintaining your adult friendships.

Lastly, and most importantly, give yourself some grace. Graduating can feel like the closing of one chapter and the beginning of a new fresh white page. You might expect this summer to be the launching point of a clear path that leads through the rest of your life. And while that is partly true, sometimes this leads us to believe that the uncertainties we carried with us in college will be gone. Perhaps, instead, this time is an in-between space that gives you the room to learn more, fail more, dream more, and grow more.

Asking Good Questions of The Gospels

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I remember one of the first Life Groups in Chi Alpha that I co-led. The AU staff asked me and my co-leader to use the first semester to go through one of the Gospels instead of the book of Acts, what we originally wanted to do. I listened, reluctantly, but was met with a quick realization that the girls that had joined our Life Group that year desperately needed a focus on the Gospel, and the core of our faith. Many of the ladies had grown up in a Christian home, but they had not really been following Jesus in their own lives, and some were very new believers. The focus back on the core of our faith – the love of our God, and sacrifice and resurrection of His Son, was necessary in allowing us to dive deeply into what Jesus meant for those with Him then, and for us now.  

I encourage Life Groups, those that have many strong believers, and those with folks who don’t know who Jesus is at all, to lean into the opportunity to study a Gospel. The fruit from it will bring depth, no matter the audience, and will allow us to remember that the good news is just that – it feels too good to be true. The Gospel is also a perfect place to turn to when pursuing individual relationships with students. One-on-one’s are a great opportunity to walk through the truth of who God is, and the declaration of His commitment to us through Christ. So even if you are going through the book of Matthew for the sixth time, spending some time in the Gospel will open doors for those who don’t know Him yet, and further encourage those who do. 

Here are some questions that I have found are helpful to ask when wanting grow from a study of the Gospel in the context of community:

How do each of the four books encounter the Gospel differently? Similarly?

I believe this is an excellent question to ask in the context of a continued study with a group of people. Life Groups are a great place to focus in on a specific book, and comparatively study it with one or two more of the Gospels. As I have learned in my Berean course through Chi Alpha, it is important to keep in mind the patterns that the Synoptic Gospels fall under. They are made up of the books Matthew, Mark and Luke as these three books are very similar, and all three aid in a full understanding of the events that centered around Jesus’s time on Earth. I encourage you to challenge the members of your Life Groups to compare passages, and then come ready to share truth and new understanding with the group. Don’t underestimate the amount of depth that comes from studying His love!

What is the context behind a teaching, miracle, or event?

The longer I am follower of Jesus, the more I am reminded of how important it is to understand the context with which events were shared and recorded in the Bible. Studying the context of scripture can help transport us to the time and place of the people that were there. It allows us to step back in time and ask, “What did this mean for the people who heard it first”? With that knowledge, I have found it much easier to know how to apply scripture to my life today, and answer - “What does this mean for us now”? 

What methods did Jesus use to make Him such an effective teacher?

I know that through my own study of the Synoptic Gospels, in particular, this question produced a ton of fruit in my own understanding of Jesus. When learning about His practices and teaching methods, I was struck with memories of my favorite teachers and professors. What they did to lead me well, meet me where I was at, and how they delivered with wisdom and kindness. If that is how other humans have seen and known me in sharing knowledge, imagine how much more gracious our God is! Studying the way Jesus taught, has allowed me to understand ever more deeply how He cares for us so specifically. When I was able to process why He taught that way, my world was rocked all over again by His goodness and gentleness. I encourage you to ask yourself this question, and then ask the folks in your life groups, and in one-on-one’s as I believe this conversation is a practical start for knowing Jesus even deeper.

 

What does this passage, chapter, etc. say about the character of Jesus? What does that, then, say about us?

This may be one of my favorite questions to ask anyone that I study Scripture with. I have been praying this often when meeting with the ladies that I help disciple this year. I believe there is something powerful about asking ourselves what about this book, this sometimes-mundane text, says about the character of. And if we understand the character of Christ more and more, if we are His creation, made in His likeness, and carry His power within us – then what does that say about us, His children?

 

How does a deeper understanding of the Gospel help you to share it/ communicate it with others?

I believe this is a question that we should be asking continuously. This is a question that will have different answers in different seasons, and the deeper you go in relationship with Christ. A study of the Gospels brings understanding and understanding brings an ability to clearly communicate the greatest truth that we know of. His Love is endless, and I’m excited to see how a deeper dive into this Truth will bring you closer into relationship with Him, and push you into desiring others to also know and be known by Him.

Why is it Important to Study the Gospels Continually?

I don't remember the first time I encountered the Gospel. As someone who was raised in the church, and with two parents who had met at Bible College, the Gospel was present as absolute truth in my life, for as long as I can remember. This foundation paved the way for a desire to know Him more. While transitioning into my teenage years wasn't easy, I found myself coming back, again and again, to look for the God who cared for me so much that His will was for His own Son to give up His life for me. The truth of the gospel was an anchor for me throughout the physical, familial, and relational transition. However, it wasn't until college that I was pushed into a new understanding of the overpowering, all-encompassing truth of the Gospels.  - Alexis

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When I moved to Washington, DC and started college at American University as a freshman, I started in a Bible Study, or Life Group, that studied women in the Bible – the first time I had ever seen women in a Biblical context given any attention. Learning about many different women's roles in the genealogy, life, and ministry of Jesus, shown within the Gospels, transformed my understanding of the character and work of Jesus. During my sophomore year, I stepped into co-leadership in my own Life Group, and for the first time in my life, leaned into a consistent set-aside time of reading the Bible daily. I remember the first time I read all of the Gospels through their entirety – the dedication and perfection of love in Jesus' time on Earth prompted in me a desire to dig deeper into stories that I thought I knew by heart.

Now, years later, I am taken back to the accessible, foundational, transformative power of the Gospel books through a conversation that I had recently with one of our Student Leaders at Georgetown University. I was talking to her about the importance of inviting those who don't share our faith into our Life Groups, along with those of us who had known Christ for years before college. In thinking about how to reach those who believe and those who have yet to, we talked about the reason why staff encourages Student Leaders to start the year off with a study of one of the Gospels. The Gospels offer insight into who Jesus is, for those who may have just heard about Him, or those who have known Him for years. There is power in studying the character of God and the Earth-shaking story of Christ's life, death, and resurrection with a bunch of students. It was a sweet reminder that a study into the foundation of our faith will bring depth when those, who believe in Jesus, or not, wrestle with and push deeply into the text. It is then when God seems to show up bigger and more splendidly than before.

After spending the past couple of months learning and studying the Synoptic Gospels, through the courses that Chi Alpha provides for staff members, I have come to understand the importance of studying the Gospels over and over and over again. As someone who had grown up in the church, the Gospel provided an absolute truth that I followed up until college, and it was there that I realized I wanted to choose to dedicate the rest of my life to Christ. The Gospel has been a compass, lifesaver, and a love a story greater than any that I could be apart of for most of the entirety of my life. However, it is now that I am seeing the truth in the need for Christ-followers to maintain a certain level of "Holy Dissatisfaction" that prompts a revisiting and reminding of what the Gospel means for our lives today. 

So, why is it important that we study the Gospels continually?

Because We Change. 

God stays the same, but as we learn and grow our understanding of His steadfastness grows deeper the longer we walk with Him

Because It is Constant.

We study to see how the Gospel's good news triumphs over anything else we may encounter, whether good or bad, in every stage of life. 

To Remember.

The Gospel reminds us that His love is real and true and good, even when we don't feel it. 

For Identity. 

As we get to know God through the Gospel, we can then learn about who we are as His children. It allows us to counter lies from the enemy.

To Internalize Truth.

So that we may rest in it, and then share it with others.

For Transformation.

To let the beauty of the greatest love story that there will ever be, take root and transform our lives again and again.

For Relationship With Him.

To let Him remind us of how much He loves us.

Because there is ALWAYS more to Him.

He is not finite, which means there is more goodness and love and depth than we can imagine, and He wants to share it with us. All we have to do is accept it.