Study group discusses What Would Jesus Do?
Submitted by jcht2010 on
“This isn’t going to be a comfortable class,” Pastor Mark Smith of Ganado United Methodist Church warned, kicking off the beginning of a new study group, titled In His Steps, modeled after a book of the same name. The goal of the group is to inspire attendees to ask themselves “What would Jesus do?”
The question was posed in the 1896 Charles Monroe Sheldon novel, and resurrected as “WWJD” in the 1990s on T-shirts and tote bags, is supposed to inspire the group to do the right thing, always.
Smith covered the first two chapters of the book on Feb. 14, and the class will continue through Lent. The pastor hopes the book and the discussion group will inspire them to dig deep into their conscience and their faith and do what they really think Jesus would do in any given situation.
In His Steps follows Rev. Henry Maxwell, a fictional preacher who leads the fictional First Church. First Church is the place of worship of choice for society’s best of the best, until they’re visited by a homeless man, “not more than 30 or 33 years old”, who promptly dies on the communion table. Before he dies, he asks the congregation if following Jesus and doing as Jesus would do are the same thing.
It was this provocative, thoughtful question by a fictional homeless man at a fictional church that inspired discussion at Smith’s not-fictional church group. Is there a difference? Can they become better Christians and better people by asking themselves what Jesus would do?
A question first made famous in the late 19th century in a fictional church, and made trendy again in the late 20th century, is now something Smith hopes will inspire a congregation in the 21st.
The group meets at 6 p.m. on Sundays, through Lent, at the United Methodist Church at 200 Twin Oaks Blvd. in Ganado. Refreshments are served.
Rate this article:
- Log in to post comments
