(Artwork: Elizabeth Greets Mary by Jason Sierra)

Dwelling in the Word

Dwelling in the Word provides an opportunity to dive deeply into scripture with others to listen together for God’s Word.

As you Dwell in the Word, you will:

  • Reflect
  • Listen deeply to one another and to God’s Word
  • Practice patience
  • Trust that God will be revealed and the The Holy Spirit will guide us

Give it a Try

With your group:

  • Begin with prayer. Pray for the Spirit to blow through your group. Pray for one another. Pray for your ministry. Pray for inspiration.
  • Read a passage of scripture together.  There is no magic formula for picking the right scripture to dwell upon, simply pick something and give it a try.
  • Reflect Silently. Invest 3-5 minutes in thinking about what you have heard. What touched you? What raised questions? What inspired you? What confused you. Sit with the text and see where the Spirit leads you.
  • Reflect with a Partner: Share with one another – What captured your attention?  What questions remain? What ideas emerged? Each listener will report what they heard to the larger group, so focus on what your partner is saying and listen actively.
  • Reflect as a Group: Share the insights, questions, and ideas from the pairs with the larger group and listen for how God is speaking.

Each Dwelling in the Word experience will be different, so invest in the process and listen for what God is saying.

For more resources on Dwelling in the Word, go to: https://www.elca.org/Future-Directions/The-Process/Dwelling 

Questions for Reflection:

  1. What excites you or concerns you about the Dwelling in the Word process?
  2. What passages of scripture would you recommend for Dwelling in the Word?