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!