Listening one another into free speech

Listening one another into free speech

The young man behind the counter wanted to know what I thought of Minneapolis. I had just landed and was arranging to pick up the rental. I hadn’t even been outside in God’s fresh air. As it happened, I have been here before but that was many years ago. How could I possibly evaluate the city in which I had just arrived? Then I realised that I am not generally shy when it comes to expressing an opinion on things I don’t know much about.

For many of us, after a lifetime in the Scriptures and an eternity listening to sermons, it is tempting to think that we know what each passage is about. We hardly need to listen anymore. Just say ‘Good Samaritan’, ‘Mary and Martha’ or ‘The Woman at the Well’ and the story comes tumbling out complete with relevant theological points and interpretations.

Too often our Bible study has been shaped by someone’s questions. We read the text and answer the questions. As each answer is agreed on by the group, we move on to the next one. When we complete the last question it’s time for coffee and cake. Mission accomplished! We have finished another Bible study. If we are really lucky there might have been a question on ‘what does this mean for us?’ but that is about the extent of it.

Dwelling in the Word

Many moons ago St Ignatius proposed an approach to scripture that we have come to know as lectio divina—Divine reading. I am in the land of many lakes and not a few rivers as I write this (Minnesota) and have been spending time with the Church Innovations people, led by Professor Patrick Keifert of Luther Seminary. They have used a lectio divina approach as a basis for groups to dwell in the Word. This is how they describe it:

Dwelling in the Word is a process of listening deeply to a Bible passage in a group over time, usually the same passage over several months. The group chooses or is given a passage and commits to devoting the first 20 minutes of each meeting to Dwelling in the Word.

1. They pray for the Holy Spirit to be present with them, opening them to hear the Word through one another.
2. They listen to the passage as it is read aloud slowly, maybe jotting thoughts down.
3. They sit in silence awhile.
4. Each person finds a reasonably friendly-looking stranger and “listens that person into free speech”, asking them where s/he got caught in the passage, or what question s/he’d ask a Bible scholar about it.
5. They each share with the group what they heard their stranger say.
6. Last, they allow what they heard into the ensuing meeting, as it seasons their conversations with one another.

One of the keys is to go back to the same passage numbers of times and listen afresh. As I have done that with various groups, I have been amazed to notice things I hadn’t seen before. At times a well-known passage has spoken into my life in a fresh and unexpected way.

Another key is to take time to make sure everyone is able to share. Mostly silence does it. Sometimes you may have to prompt a little with a general question or two. If you keep listening, you will listen your ‘reasonably friendly stranger’ into free speech.

Read Luke 10:1-12.

 Discussion Questions

1. In your group, how well do you find that you listen to one another? Are some more willing than others to talk? How can you encourage those who are quieter?
2. Has your group used a dwelling in the Word approach to Scripture? If not, maybe try it now. You can use Luke 10:1-12 or another passage you choose.
3. How is dwelling in the Word different from other kinds of Bible study? What goals do each approach have?
4. Many groups and churches that have regularly used the same passage for dwelling in the Word have found that it has transformed their life together. Why do you think that is?

An excerpt from “Bring Jesus: Making sense of Mission”, by Steen Olsen, 2022. Used with permission.