Memory Verse Monday - The Christmas Story, Luke 2

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“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”  Colossians 3:16 NIV

“Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives.” Colossians 3:16 The Message


Dwell Among You.


Plenty of Room.


I invite you to read Colossians 3:16 again.  What words stick with you.  As I have sat in this passage I have been stuck in the word "dwell" and in the Message version "plenty of room."  I love the visual of spaces where there is “plenty of room” for Christ to “dwell among” our hearts.  How beautiful to have Christ dwelling in BIG spaces of our hearts - how do we grow these spaces and how do we walk with others to grow these BIG spaces as well? 


In my role with Capernaum Discipleship,  I often find myself learning and unlearning the practices of discipleship and my own understanding of spiritual growth.  Discipleship within Capernaum is a beautiful mix of relationships, community, small groups, and camps.  All of these practices are amazing and will keep happening in our Capernaum ministry.  But what does spiritual growth look like for our friends with disabilities?  What else can we offer our friends as they grow in their faith?  As I considered these questions, I wondered if teaching spiritual practices with our friends was a missing link to growing our friends in their faith.  Spiritual practice can be defined as any regular and intentional activity that establishes, develops, and nourishes a personal relationship with God in which we allow ourselves to be transformed.  


Growing up, I saw spiritual practices as my "personal relationship with God."  But what if this is not meant to be just to grow my or my friends' space where God dwells - but what if the purpose of growing these spaces is for the sake of others.  I don’t want my friends just to have BIG rooms in their hearts where God dwells - I want them to have BIG spaces where they lead others into seeing and feeling and tasting the goodness of God too. I want my friends to have BIG spaces of dwelling that prepare them to give an answer for the hope they have (1 Peter 3:15) and lead others into the same hope in Christ.   


Over the next seven weeks, we are inviting all Capernaum ministries to join us in growing some space for Christ to dwell through the spiritual practice of scripture memory during our Memory Verse Monday series!  Together as a community, we will be learning Luke 2 - the Christmas story.  Every Monday we will send out and post a video in our e-newsletter and social media where one verse per week is taught with repetition, visuals, word memory games, and sign language so all of us can engage with this practice “within our limits and to the full extent of our capacities” (wise words from Dr. Ben Conner).  My hope is through learning this story we will not only be able to know and understand the hope and joy of the birth of Jesus but can respond by sharing this amazing hope with others this Christmas.

We invite you to join us as we grow BIG spaces for Christ to dwell with us as we write scripture on our hearts.  I pray this time together as a community will prepare our hearts as we celebrate and share the hope and joy of Jesus' birth this Advent season. 


You can find all of the videos and content in one place here!


Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook pages beginning November 8.

Email Amira Bartley to be added to the e-newsletter.  amirabartley@gmail.com


- Sara Webb, Capernaum Initiatives Coordinator for Learning and Discipleship

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