The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens in Webster Groves, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, has developed a six-week, DVD-based, small-group Bible-study series designed to help people get out of the “rat race” of daily life by focusing more on their spiritual life.
Through “Help for the Hurried Life,” participants explore God’s purpose for lif
e, review how their schedules reflect their priorities, see how they can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed, develop new habits, and understand how their choices provide an example to the world around them.
Based on the Book of Philippians, the series includes:
- six sermon lessons.
- scripts for four worship skits.
- a reproducible four-session small-group Bible study written by Dr. Joel Biermann, assistant professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and a member of the Webster Gardens congregation.
- a reproducible four-session youth Bible study.
- reproducible daily devotions.
- small-group leader training materials.
- graphics for PowerPoint presentations and printed materials.
- a letter to introduce the series to congregation members.
The resource was used successfully in the Webster Groves congregation, according to Chad Starfeldt, director of discipleship and small groups.
“We created all these tools and used them here and said we might as well share them with other people,” Starfeldt told Reporter.
Pastor Joel Christiansen described the resource’s impact on his congregation: “People made some changes in their lives — cut back, said no, didn’t stay as long at work — so they could spend more time with family.”
“Help for the Hurried Life” is available for $15, plus shipping, from The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens, 8749 Watson Road, Webster Groves, MO 63119. For more information or to order, call (314) 961-5275 or visit the Web site www.hurried.org.
Posted Sept. 25, 2006
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