On Wednesday this week, I visited another small group. With a few regular attendees absent, there were five of us gathered in a little room at the church. The room had a TV, a table and chairs, a box of tissues, and us, workbooks ready to start talking about this week’s lines of the Apostles’ Creed.
It’s a simple space, but let me tell you, powerful stuff happens there.
“Look! I wrote all of this stuff on one line! What is this book going to look like at the end? There’s no space left to write anywhere!”
“I actually sent this week’s sermon to my sister! We were talking, and…”
“I’ll never look at these lines the same again. I can’t believe I never even thought about it before.”
“I’m telling you, woman to woman, you don’t have any control over this. Please give it to God.”
I left feeling privileged, once again, to be able to step into so many spaces where people can express their deepest fears, anxieties, and doubts–where honesty is truly heard and spoken, and where people grow in the knowledge and love of God. (Thanks, God.)
On Sunday, I had lunch with another group of elders. We connected over our love of the outdoors, of travel and global outreach. They’ve been leaders in the global missions ministry at the church for years, and I once again felt blessed to be in fellowship with such strong, godly leaders. (Thanks, God.)
After the prayer service on Sunday, one of the elders asked me, “Are there any sacred spaces anymore? I mean, to your generation, what would be considered a holy place? Is there anywhere that isn’t mocked, where people can go to be in the presence of God? Because it seems like churches aren’t that anymore for young people.”
We considered the outdoors. “That one can really depend,” I said. “I do know plenty of people who would say that they don’t need to go to church on Sundays, because they can go encounter God out in nature. Which, to some extent, I hear them. Some of my closest moments with God have been while on my own out in nature. But there are times when that becomes worship of nature itself, and there are also times when it’s an excuse to do life on your terms instead of God’s, which is obviously the big ‘No’ for worship.”
“Right, Hebrews 10:25.”
“Exactly, tells us not to neglect meeting together with other Christians specifically to worship. I mean, if you’re out hiking and camping with other Christians, and you have a minister and worship leader with you, wonderful! Been there, done that. Core memory.”
In fact, those kinds of spaces have been on my mind a lot. “You know,” I continued, reflecting on my small group visits and these prayer services, “Something really powerful and wonderful happens when we’re in prayer together, or when we’re all having a sincere conversation about the Bible together in these small groups. When we’re sitting with a group of Christians, praying to God, it’s just like we’re having a conversation, with God as one of the participants. We’re united in Christ, by the power of the Spirit, as we all approach the Father’s throne together. God is holy, and we’re in his holy presence there. So, that’s a holy place, a sacred space…
And the same thing in our small groups, when we’re reading aloud from the Bible, and talking about what it means, and delighting in the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27): We’re in the Word, and the Word is in us, and the Word is Christ (John 1:1-18). We’re in the holy presence of God there, and that’s a sacred space to me.”
“Wow,” she said, “Yeah, I see what you mean about the space.”
“Yeah, like together as Christians, we curate the space and we all get on the same wavelength together, united on one train of thought, empowered by God. We’re the Church.”
My appreciation of the word Church and the communion of saints took on new meaning right there, in this conversation with another Christian after a service.
Since I started researching and preparing for this What We Believe series, the lines of the Apostles’ Creed have been on my mind often, and it’s been a useful structure to help me process the conversations that have made this study so rewarding already. No matter how mature a believer you are, if you’ve never done a deep-dive study of the Apostles’ Creed together with group of Christians, I heartily recommend it.
May it be an opportunity for you to experience the wonder of a sacred space.
This week’s study of the Apostles’ Creed focused on the lines that confirm of Jesus Christ, “[He] suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day, He rose again from the dead.” This is the truth that unites Christians and makes it possible for us to enter a truly sacred space.
You can access this week’s curriculum on the website page, under “Download the Workbook.”
The accompanying teaching video is here:
Detroit, Reformed. 
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