Dear Friends,
I’m writing this note to answer a few questions, mainly my own. You may know (you may not know, you may not even care, all of those options are fine) that Doris and I are going to begin a weekly Sunday night worship/study this Sunday night, January 6. We are meeting at Bates Ford (yes, the car dealership) in Lebanon, TN at 5:30pm. Jacob is going to lead the worship. Josh may help teach from time to time. And our dear friends, Tony and Kim Bates have been kind enough to provide the place.
Now for the questions…..What am I thinking? I don’t know. It feels like this is the right thing to do and God has “released” me to teach again which has always been a passion of mine.
Is this a church? I don’t think so. Doris and I really have no expectations of what it is or will be. Right now it meets a need that I (and maybe a few others) feel.
So what is it? Well, for now, it is a 13 week Bible Teaching/Worship time. We plan to go from now until Easter. We will study the Gospel of John. It won’t be a “sit in a circle and go around the room” kind of a Bible study but more of a teaching time with some interaction and hopefully some fun thrown in. There are three needs that rise up in me and around which this time will be built. First, to know God better. That will come from genuine, intimate worship and from learning His Word together. Second, to love one another better. That’s hard to do in the large church setting. This smaller group will take the time to finish the sentence, “If you really knew me…..” And third, to reach the world better. That will start with our community. For 13 weeks we will try to really, hands on, make a difference for people who need help. I have been deeply moved by my friends Mike and Debby Bivins and The Refuge group that they lead in this way.
Last question, why am I telling you this? I don’t know. You just matter to me and I thought you should know. Pray for us. Give me any advice or suggestions you have. Send people WHO DON’T GO TO CHURCH. And check back in 13 weeks and see how we’re doing.
Mike and Doris Courtney
Chief Questioners….