Campus Frontline: Dwelling in the Word in the Time of Separation (Issue 491)
Jacky Wong, Associate Staff of Inter-College Department
[email protected]
The training of Inter-College Department in this semester follows the theme of the Bible Camp 2022, exploring how to find the courage to survive in a time of disruption and separation. The Bible Study Leaders Training, [Stay a Moment with the Interpretation of John], continued their study of the Gospel of John, hoping to draw light and healing from Jesus’ parting words, while the Spiritual Discipline Introductory Class, [We Who Encounter with the Lord], learned how to recognize the voice of the Lord and live in His presence in the midst of chaotic and noisy times. Below is the sharing from the participating students:
Sharing from the Bible Study Leaders Training
[Stay a Moment with the Interpretation of John]
Reflecting on Myself through Observation
Before the training, I seldom took the time to observe in Bible study, and it was easy for me to interpret the Bible according to my own thinking. In the training, apart from asking questions about when, where, who and what in the scriptures, we also paid attention to some biblical writing techniques, such as the most frequently repeated words, so that we could more easily find the key points that the author wanted to bring out.
I remember a discussion on trauma writing in which it was mentioned that the authors of some of the books (such as John) may have had to recall past traumatic events, resulting in some unusual writing sequences in the scriptures. This point of view has been a shock to me. The training inspired me with two reflections: first, that reading Scripture requires an encounter with God through the emotions and circumstances the author faced at the time; and second, it inspired me to think about the application of the Bible in my life.
Peter, City University of Hong Kong
Encountering the Lord in Interpretation
Participating in the Bible Study Leaders Training allowed me to learn and practice the skills of leading a Bible study group. From preparation to facilitating the group, I deeply realized that there are many details that leaders can pay attention to in order to make the flow and direction of the Bible study clearer and smoother, so that the group can discover the mysteries of the scriptures together.
After several training sessions, I gained a renewed perspective of the Gospel of John – seemingly simple and plain scripture – crosses the worlds of John, the biblical text, and the present day, and opens up so many new possibilities for interpretation that we were driven to think from multiple perspectives in an attempt to approach the author’s original intent, to remember together the light that shines in the darkness in the midst of trauma, and to encounter Jesus Christ who overcomes the darkness.
May, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Sharing from the Spiritual Discipline Introductory Training
[We Who Encounter with the Lord]
Renewal from prayer
“Opening to God: A Guide to Prayer” has given me different perspectives on prayer. While I used to think that prayer was just about asking, “Opening to God” reminds me that prayer should not only start with the prospect of receiving a favor. Prayer is not only about asking, but rather communicating with the Lord. It takes time for spiritual growth to happen, and this book encourages me that prayer brings change one step at a time, just like a plant growing by absorbing sunlight.
I also learned more about various disciplines of prayer: contemplative prayer, scripture reading, Gospel meditation, and the meaning of meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, penance, and examination in the life of prayer. These disciplines help us to experience or deepen our relationship with the Lord, and to know that it is through Him that we can experience grace more deeply.
Egg Roll, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Learning To Be Open from the Training
What is “prayer”? What is “devotion”? Perhaps these words are rather vague for newcomers or even believers. We are often encouraged to pray frequently in church, but we are not carefully taught how to pray.
During this spiritual discipline introductory class, we read the book “Opening to God: A Guide to Prayer” together. I love the book name—how to open up to the Lord is a lesson we need to learn as city dwellers.
For us, encountering the Lord is not an easy task. Listening to the Lord’s words is like listening to a radio, we need to tune the channel before we can receive the signal and listen to the message. We are too often in a hurry to express ourselves and neglect to listen to the voice of the Lord. This introductory class was a “guide” for me to find my own rhythm and to anticipate my encounter with the Lord.
David, Hong Kong Polytechnic University