Thursday, September 28, 2006

SC Reading Group Thoughts

The purpose of the SC Reading Group is to glorify God. May our journey with Charnock to Christ's cross be a stimulant to that great end! I'm glad to be part of the group with you all. I'm looking forward to the many ways the Lord will aid my own growth in grace through your comments. Thank you for being part of the first SC Reading Group. Here are some thoughts for how we may help each other.

Group Meetings
: Thursday, 7a

30 Minute Weekly Meeting Suggestion: Aren't you thankful that our Lord can simultaneously listen to the prayers of many of his children! Similarly, Blogger.com can simultaneously post the comments of many users. I'm recommending that our group "meets" at 7a on Thursday mornings. My hope in making this suggestion is to maximize our time while also yeilding the greatest spiritual benefit.

Groups that meet in person have a significant advantage by being able to pray and share together. We can not reproduce that dynamic through a monitor. But, our "meetings" can at least have the same components, can't they? Suggested way to "meet:"
  • 7a - Spend 10 minutes praying by name for the sanctification of groupies.
  • 7:10 - Spend five minutes re-skimming your highlights, underlines, and margin notes in Charnock.
  • 7:15 - Spend 15 minutes "sharing" (typing) the thoughts that most significantly stood out to you in the week's reading. These thoughts can be direct quotes, paraphrases, or totally original thoughts that the reading stimulated in your heart and mind. Maybe, from time to time, Scripture references will come to mind that you would like to add.
Ok, ok, ok. I hear ya'. "Why," I can hear you objecting, "only 15 minutes to type? There's too much good stuff in Charnock to limit our meeting to 15 minutes of share-time!" Short answer: We have a great problem on our hands...there are 20 people in our reading group! If unlimited "sharing" occurs, then it would be impossible to be faithful with greater responsibilites (Family, church, work, school), and also benefit from everyone's thoughts. So, as much as is possible, try to type no more than 15 minutes worth of words. Don't worry so much about typo7s. Just share. For those who can spit out 10,000 words in 15 minutes, you need to quit your job and start working in a courtroom. Sometime later on Thursday, or throughout the week, I encourage everyone to go back to the "meeting" and read through everyone's comments. After all, that's why we're doing this in a group format. Note also, that 20 people typing for 15 minutes is 5 HOURS worth of typing. My hope is that most of you still hunt-n-peck. (Did I say that out loud?).

Reading Schedule: 11 Weeks

The Puritans were well known for the structure of their discourses. First doctrine, then application. Lest you or I be all head and no heart, or all heart and no head, we shall divide Charnock into sections of doctrine and application - aiding us, I pray, to be sought by God as those who worship in Spirit and in Truth.

* Ex: The group is to comment on pages 7-23 on Oct. 5, and so on...
  • Week 1: October 5 - pp. 7-23 (Recommend order 17-23, then 7-15).
  • Week 2: October 12 - pp. 25-42 - Doctrine
  • Week 3: October 19 - pp. 43-48 - Application
  • Week 4: October 26 - pp. 49-68 - Doctrine
  • Week 5: November 2 - pp. 69-100 - Doctrine
  • Week 6: November 9 - pp. 101-108 - Application
  • Week 7: November 16 - pp. 109-134 - Doctrine
  • Week 8: November 23 - Happy Thanksgiving
  • Week 9: November 30 - pp. 135-160 - Doctrine
  • Week 10: December 7 - pp. 161-178 - Doctrine
  • Week 11: December 14 - pp. 178-193 - Application
A fair question has been asked several times, and deserves to be answered publicly. "Why Christ Crucified?" Every book suggested definitely looked delicious. Certainly any of them would have been helpful. The lot fell to Charnock because of my burden to start with the center - the Person and Work of Christ - rather than our response to His Person and work (e.g.; prayer). After Charnock, I hope the group will continue (and expand!). If so, maybe a Christian living book will make its way into the mix.

Blessings!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

dude your nuts! the average person can type 45 words per minute so 45 words every minute for 15 minutes would be 675 words though that is straight math and is not taking into account the length of some words and the space bar. so if we all just try and go as fast as possible then everyone would come out with a one pager.

Jordan Thomas said...

Mike, I see what you mean. Hopefully the Lord will enable us to crystalize our best thoughts, and only elaborate when necesssary. It won't be the end of the world if we don't get to read every post in its entirety each week. That is, however, the hope.

Looking forward to the edification,

Jordan Thomas said...

Kirk,

Absolutely! The 7a suggestion is only for those who schedule will allow. The main point is to chime in at some point on Thurs, so others will have the privilege of seeing thoughts from each groupie when they log back in to our "meeting" to "hear" the discussion. You can show up to our "meeting" anytime on Thursday to "share" with us. Helpful clarification. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

oh i actually think a one page essay on a chapter of a book from 20 people would be plenty if not overly abundant in thought. i do look foreward to some of the your thoughts on this book even though im not going to be able to join in.

B Smith said...

Nerds!

Anthony said...

So, can we write early and just let you send them through at the proper time?

Jordan Thomas said...

Anthony,

That sounds great to me.

Anonymous said...

I have a book and will start reading it. I will partisapate as my treatments allow (Thurs of chemo is a tuff time for me). I am looking forward of spunging off you guys and am especially excited about what God Himself will show as Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB95)
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

thanks and sorry for the long verses but they are great