Small Group Bible Studies

By Sara:

Almost three years ago, Anthony and I started hosting small group Bible studies at our house once or twice a month with some of our friends in Soroti.  There are around 20 of us total, mostly couples, but a few single people.  We all meet at the same time, but the women's group sits in one part of our yard and the men's group in another.  We are very grateful to be able to have fellowship and to study God's word with our friends.  This year, we had to take a long break from meeting together because of restrictions due to Covid, but now we have gotten started again.

Each time we meet, we provide tea and a simple breakfast, then we enjoy an hour or two of Bible study and discussion.  Sometimes, we also study and discuss books together.  Even though we are the hosts and usually the ones who plan our discussion topics, we are glad for the ways group members have taken ownership of the studies.  During the four months we were in the US last year, the groups met without us.  Various members sometimes also contribute to breakfast, including one time bringing these small deep-fried fish (very tasty):

In the beginning, the men were especially interested in studying the prosperity gospel, so they studied a book called "Prosperity? Seeking the True Gospel" while the women did Bible studies together.  But after that, we found some books which were of interest to everyone.  The first one was "Resolving Everyday Conflict."  We looked at issues such as: the ways different people deal with conflict (avoiding or attacking), the importance of acknowledging your part in a conflict, and being willing to be the first one to try to resolve a conflict.  Obviously everyone in the world has to deal with conflict pretty much every day, so it was a practical subject for all of us.  Group members were able to use what they learned from the book in their everyday lives to address conflicts at home, with their neighbors, and in church.

Currently, we are reading "Money, Possessions, and Eternity" by Randy Alcorn.  It is a long book with many chapters, so it will take a long time to complete (especially since we had to take almost 9 months off due to the Covid lockdown), but everyone is very interested in the topic and enjoying it.  First, we read about how much the Bible talks about money and discussed why the way we use our money and possessions matters to God.  Then, we looked at the opposite extremes of materialism - where God's gifts take the place of God, and asceticism - where any physical pleasures are avoided because they are seen as sin and in opposition to spirituality.

The men's group has been working on becoming open and vulnerable with each other.  They have been helping one another grow in holiness and in their relationship with Christ by gradually adding more intense questions and discussion about sin and struggles in their lives.

We also have fun just being together and getting assistance picking (and eating) the many fruits growing in our yard!

It is truly a blessing to have friends here who will speak truth to us and with whom we can share the joys and sorrows of life.  Everywhere we have lived, we have seen the truth of Mark 10:29-30 "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, 'no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.'"