The Vine - News Blog

A Word from the Pastor: Full circle

 
By Ben Disney
 
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”  T. S. Eliot
 
We’ve come to the final week of The Bible in 90 Days journey. More than 400 of our members made the commitment in January to read the Bible in its entirety from beginning to end. The journey included weekly teaching sessions and small group discussions led and facilitated by volunteers.
 

Countless individuals have expressed their surprise and appreciation for how this experience has changed their lives. People have shared with me the profound effect this journey continues to have on their marriage, relationships, outlook, and understanding.
   
Everyone has his or her own reaction. I can’t speak for each individual, but I can speak about the difference I believe it’s made in the church. Throughout this journey, worship has taken on a new and different feel. Instead of a congregation passively listening to words spoken from an individual, it feels more like a congregation actively engaged in a holy conversation. There’s a deeper Spirit that abounds when people are immersed in God’s Word and actively seeking the truth.
   
What excites me most is not just what has happened but what will come as a result of people taking seriously the effort to read and understand the Bible. I’m convinced God will do what God has always done: plant seeds, offer grace, love unconditionally, inspire hearts, and move people to fully become all that they were created to be. God will do something with and through our people in this journey.
   
Jesus said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” So, if you’re finishing The Bible in 90 Days and it feels like you’ve come full circle, you’re in the right place.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

More than 400 people off and running [reading!] with The Bible in 90 Days

 
Arborlawn’s long anticipated Bible-reading project – The Bible in 90 Days – has finally begun. All orientation sessions have happened, and more than 400 participants are now reading through the Bible from cover to cover.
 
If you haven't signed up yet, t’s still not too late to do so and join us in this adventure. All you will need to do is a little bit of catch-up reading, but it’s definitely worth it to participate in this event we anticipate will transform our congregation. Visit ArborlawnUMC.org/Bible90 today to get started.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: Changing our destiny

 
By Ben Disney
 
Isaiah 43: For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
 
How long does it take to break a bad habit? How long does it take to establish a new behavior or pattern? For years, the conventional answer has been 21 days. Whether the goal is to lose weight, eat healthier, or quit smoking, it was thought to take a minimum of 21 days of changed behavior to break existing patterns and significantly change one’s lifestyle.
 

All of that is now being called into question. In a recently published study in the European Journal of Social Psychology, researchers from the University College London have determined it takes much longer to effectively break old habits and create new ones. How much longer? According to the study it takes on average 66 days of a commitment to intentionally change habits for any long term results or lasting affects to occur.
   
Maybe that explains some of the frustration we feel when we’re unable to make the changes we want for ourselves. We set goals, make promises, set out to change our lives with the best of intentions, only to stumble, fall short, get discouraged, give up, or fail in our efforts. Perhaps the study is telling us something about our own psychology and theology. There’s a tipping point in trying to change who we are and what we do. Real change doesn’t happen overnight nor does it happen easily. We tried and failed. Maybe we didn’t stick with it long enough or we didn’t understand the effort was less about eliminating a single bad habit and more about changing our entire lifestyle; which means there really are no quick fixes or fast cures for the body or the soul.
 
I was thinking about The Bible in 90 Days challenge we launched this week. As of now we have more than 400 people signed up and reading. It’s a remarkable movement, and I’m genuinely excited about what God is doing in people’s lives and in the life of this church. I know the argument: "How can you possibly learn everything there is to know about the Bible in just 90 days?" The answer, of course, is “You can’t.” The better answer is that as people read God’s Word, God will begin to open our hearts and minds to reveal the deep truth we long to know.
   
Having said all that, maybe the real miracle of this journey is not that you will accrue vast amounts of Biblical, theological, and historical knowledge. It’s tough to do in 90 days, but you’ll be surprised by how much you will learn. Maybe the real miracle is that for the next 90 days so many of you are making a concerted effort and a deep commitment to immerse yourselves in God’s Word every day; that you are carving out a part of each day for the singular hope and purpose of drawing closer to God and seeking more clarity and understanding of God’s plan for your life.
    
Is it possible the real miracle is less obvious? Given the research on human behavior, reading the Bible everyday for 90 days helps us to form new habits, which in turn creates new patterns, which ultimately holds the promise of producing significant and lasting change. What’s the old line about change?
   
Thoughts become words. Words become actions. Actions become habits. Habits become patterns. Patterns become character. And character becomes your destiny.
   
And you thought we were just talking about tackling a 90-day Bible study? No. We’re really talking about the possibility of changing our destiny; which is what God is best at and what I trust God is about to do.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

The Bible in 90 Days project starts next week

 
By Beth Evers
 
What would you like to say you’ve accomplished ninety days from now? Certainly many of us have lists of things we’d like to finish by mid-April: clean out the garage, pay off our credit card debt, lose twenty pounds, make our first million dollars. Some of these goals are realistic; some are not. Imagine what it would feel like this April - when the trees are brilliant green and you’ve completed your income taxes - to also say that you have read the entire Bible.
 
If this idea intrigues you and you would like to know more about the exciting journey that will take us through the Bible - cover to cover from Genesis through Revelation - please join us for one of the upcoming orientation sessions for The Bible in 90 Days. These orientation sessions will help you learn how you will be guided through reading the Bible in just 90 days. They will also introduce you to the tools and resources that will help you on the journey.
 
We will offer five identical orientation sessions for The Bible in 90 Days:
 
* Sunday, Jan. 8 at 9:45 a.m. – for individuals who do not currently have a Sunday School class
* Sunday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m.
* Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 9:30 a.m. – for women only as part of the WMAA Bible Study program
* Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m.
* Thursday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m.
 
Over the next three months, groups will meet for accountability, discussion, and teaching at the times listed above, so we suggest you attend the orientation session at the day and time you might like to attend weekly group meetings. Please note it's also okay if you want to change days and times.
 

The Bible in 90 Days offers three books to help individuals read through the Scripture: the Participant's Guide (highly recommended, $8), an NIV Bible specifically formatted for The Bible in 90 Days (highly recommended, $15), and an Essential Bible Companion book that gives context and information for each book of the Bible (optional, $12). You will have the opportunity to purchase these materials at the orientation sessions (if you haven't already done so online).
 
If you would like more information about this program, please contact Rev. Ben Disney or Rev. Beth Evers. You may also register for the program and pay for your books online.
 
Now, fast forward to April 2012 again. Imagine how it will feel to know you have just read the entire Bible. Imagine how God might work in your life through that process. We hope these images will encourage you to join us for The Bible in 90 Days.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

The Bible in 90 Days coming shortly after the holidays

 
We've been talking for quite a while about The Bible in 90 Days, the program where congregations can read every word of the Bible as a group - with the encouragement, accountability, and group purpose that brings.
 

We'll kick this project off the week starting Sunday, Jan. 8, with small groups meeting on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays through Lent and Easter. We hope you'll participate with us as we anticipate what God will have in store for us when we pay such close attention to the Word. Read more and register today - it's still not too late!
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

The Bible in 90 Days: founder speaking here Dec. 18

 
Starting in early January, we are embarking on a challenging goal: to read through the entire Bible cover-to-cover. We are, as a congregation, going through The Bible in 90 Days.
   
Ted Cooper, Jr., the founder of this remarkable reading program, is speaking at Arborlawn on Dec. 18 during our worship times. We hope you will come hear what he has to say about how it changed his life.
 

Reading twelve pages a day, participants start at Genesis and read the stories of both the Old and New Testaments. Readings are enhanced by weekly gatherings for small group discussion and video teaching sessions. Participants encourage accountability and support each another throughout the three months of reading.
   
Weekly sessions meet for one hour and will be offered at five times: Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. (for those interested in forming a new Sunday School class), Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (for women only as part of the WMAA Bible Studies), Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Childcare is available during all of these times.
   
The program includes three publications created specifically to enhance the 90-day experience:
   
Participant’s Guide ($8) – a required book for detailing insights from daily readings and discussions.
   
New International Version Bible ($15) – an optional purchase that presents the Bible in a format designed specifically for The Bible in 90 Days program.
   
Essential Bible Companion ($12) – an optional component that provides a two-page summary of each book of the Bible.
   
We encourage you to register and purchase materials online.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

The Bible in 90 Days starts in January; register online today

 
Starting in early January, we are embarking on a challenging goal: to read through the entire Bible cover-to-cover. We are, as a congregation, going through The Bible in 90 Days.
 
Reading twelve pages a day, participants start at Genesis and read the stories of both the Old and New Testaments. Readings are enhanced by weekly gatherings for small group discussion and video teaching sessions. Participants encourage accountability and support each another throughout the three months of reading.
 

Weekly sessions meet for one hour and will be offered at five times: Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. (for those interested in forming a new Sunday School class), Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (for women only as part of the WMAA Bible Studies), Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Childcare is available during all of these times.
 
The program includes three publications created specifically to enhance the 90-day experience:
 
Participant’s Guide ($8) — a required book that offers a place to detail insights from the daily readings and group discussions.
 
New International Version Bible ($15) — an optional purchase that presents the Bible in a format designed specifically for The Bible in 90 Days program.
 
Essential Bible Companion ($12) — an optional component that provides a two-page summary of each book of the Bible
 
We encourage you to register and purchase materials online.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

A Word from the Pastor: 50 days until 90!

 
By Ben Disney
 
The countdown has begun. On Jan. 8, Arborlawn will embark on a new and exciting journey as we launch the next congregational challenge, The Bible in 90 Days.
 
I had several conversations with colleagues who offered a similar challenge to their congregations and the words they used to describe the experience were “powerful,” “transformative,” and “life changing.” I brought the initiative to the staff because I believe deeply that the health of a congregation is directly tied to its spiritual strength and foundation. A congregation rooted and grounded in God’s Word is a church passionately active in missions, fully engaged in worship, and filled with a genuine Spirit of love and compassion for others.
 

If we’re honest with ourselves, so many of us don’t know the full content and the context of the Bible as well as we would like. We read and understand occasional bits and parts but we’ve never had the opportunity to read it in its entirety, put it all together and see the larger scope of this incredible story. Secondly, to attempt to read the Bible on your own is commendable but it can also be confusing without some guidance from a knowledgeable leader or the benefit of other insights from companions who are on the same journey.
   
So here’s my challenge. Make it a New Year’s resolution if you want. Take the 90 day challenge and join us as we walk through this journey together. The series will launch Jan. 8. Numerous small groups will be forming and opportunities will be offered on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, Wednesday mornings, Wednesday evenings, and Thursday mornings. There will be twelve pages a day to read, followed by a gathering of people each week to help you better understand how it all fits together and what it means for your life. If you’re ever going to read the entire Bible, this is your chance.
   
Ted Cooper is the creator and founder of The Bible in 90 Days, and he has a compelling story of why and how he came to recognize the need to read and understand the Bible in his own life. I’ve invited Ted to be with us at our worship services on Dec. 18 to briefly share a part of his story.
    
It’s coming. Get ready.
 
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The Bible in 90 Days: Register online now

Online registration is available for The Bible in 90 Days, our Bible reading project starting with an orientation on Jan. 8.
   
Weekly gatherings will meet for one hour and will be offered Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. (for those interested in forming a new Sunday School class), Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (for women only as part of the WMAA Bible Studies), and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Participants may choose the gathering time that best fits their schedule. Childcare will be available.
   
The program includes various optional resources that you can sign up for when registering: a New International Version Bible ($15) formatted in a slim design with large print so participants read just twelve pages a day; the Participant’s Guide ($8), which offers a place to detail insights from the daily readings and group discussions; and the Essential Bible Companion ($12), a unique and easy to use reference guide.
 
If you have any questions, please contact  Rev. Ben Disney or Rev. Beth Evers or call us at 817-731-0701.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Read the entire Bible with us starting in January; registration starts after Thanksgiving

We hope you are making plans to read through the Bible with us starting in January. We're bringing The Bible in 90 Days to Arborlawn starting shortly after the new year arrives and continuing into Lent and Easter.
 
Many want to read the entire Bible, but it's definitely a challenge. Anyone who has tried it can tell you that. But it's much easier in a supportive group environment where completion of the commitment is encouraged.
    
Be a part of this exciting journey! Together, we will commit to read the entire Bible in just three months. Reading twelve pages a day, participants will start at Genesis and read the stories of both the Old and New Testaments. Readings will be enhanced by weekly gatherings for small group discussion and video teaching sessions. Fellow participants will encourage accountability and will support one another throughout the three months of reading.
 

Weekly gatherings will meet for one hour and will be offered Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Participants may choose the gathering time that best fits their schedule. Childcare will be offered at each weekly gathering. The program includes a New International Version Bible formatted in a slim design with large print so participants read just twelve pages a day. A separate participant’s guide offers a place to detail insights from the daily readings and group discussions.
 
Here is what some people have said about The Bible in 90 Days:
 
"I thought about reading the Bible for years, and even attempted it a few times on my own, before I discovered The Bible in 90 Days, joined a group at my church and read the whole thing without stopping, cover to cover."
 
"This simple God inspired plan has brought our community together and blessed our church. I am now on my third time through the Bible in 90 days and it gets better every time!"
 
"Our group has really bonded during the readings. We have about 26 in our group and all of us are really enjoying the Bible in 90 days. It is awesome!"
 
“Reading the entire Bible has long been a goal of mine, and your enthusiasm, encouragement and inspiration are the reasons I was finally able to reach my goal."
 
"90 days well spent."
   
Watch for registration, which opens the week after Thanksgiving. If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Ben Disney or  Rev. Beth Evers at the church or call us at 817-731-0701.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

Read the Bible cover-to-cover with us this winter

 
By Beth Evers
 
Have you ever wanted to read the entire Bible? Have you ever started reading the Bible and gotten overwhelmed before finishing? Do you think you would have a better chance of reading the Bible if you were part of a supportive group making the same commitment to studying scripture? What if you could read the entire Bible—cover to cover—in just 90 days?
   
Beginning January 2012, Arborlawn will embark on an exciting journey through the Bible. Together, we will commit to read the entire Bible in just three months. Reading twelve pages a day, participants will start at Genesis and read the stories of both the Old and New Testaments. Readings will be enhanced by weekly gatherings for small group discussion and video teaching sessions. Fellow participants will encourage accountability and will support one another throughout the three months of reading.
 

We invite you to pray about your participation in The Bible in 90 Days. Weekly gatherings will meet for one hour and will be offered Sunday evenings at 6 p.m., Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m., and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. Participants may choose the gathering time that best fits their schedule. Childcare will be offered at each weekly gathering.
   
The Bible in 90 Days was developed by Ted Cooper, Jr. who became a Christian when he read the Bible in its entirety. Through the scripture, Cooper experienced God’s love in a life-changing way. Cooper’s life was changed so profoundly that he wanted to share the opportunity to read Scripture with others. The program includes a New International Version Bible that is formatted in a slim design with large print so participants read just twelve pages a day. Additionally, a participant’s guide offers a place to detail insights from the daily readings and group discussions.
   
The Bible in 90 Days will be an important ministry at Arborlawn in 2012! The excitement is growing as we prepare to study to the scriptures together as a church family. We hope you will join us.
   
For more information or to pre-register for The Bible in 90 Days, please contact Rev Ben Disney or Rev. Beth Evers at the church or call us at 817-731-0701.
 
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ArborlawnUMC.org

"Bible in 90 Days" coming in January

When the holidays are over in January, we'll be embarking on an ambitious and worthwhile project for the first three months of the new year - right up to Easter, in fact. We're going to be reading the Bible in 90 days; cover-to-cover. And we're encouraging the Arborlawn family to join in on this adventure. Watch next week's print and email-blog versions of The Vine for more details.
 

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ArborlawnUMC.org