Signposts on the Eurasian Road #7

Signposts on the Eurasian Road #7 Hans Växby

The Bible

We sat 15 people in a circle sharing our life stories. They were all very personal, but I found it remarkable that one thing was repeated in a similar way in about a dozen of the stories. “I was a believer, but I didn’t go church any longer, because I didn’t understand what was said. But then a friend brought me to Katya’s church. Pastor Katya explained everything in the Bible for us, and we could ask all our questions.”

Philip heard the Ethiopian Eunuch reading the prophet Isaiah, and ran up to him. “He asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:30-31).

I am so glad to see that several of our churches have Bibles available for all in the worship service. They give time for everyone to find the main passages for the day, and often read a Psalm or something else out loud together. The pastor does not only throw quotes from the Bible around him or her, but explains the context and its application for us today. I hope that this is something typical for all United Methodist churches in Eurasia.