The greatest way that I (Cory) have been impacted and changed as a person is through being a part of a Bible study. I remember the first book I every studied was 1 Peter.
1 Peter 2:2 says “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word that you may grow. ”
At the time I was a spiritual baby and for me that was the clearest, most helpful picture of how I was to grow in my faith. Being in a Bible study allowed me to ask questions, to talk about difficult doctrine and to be sharpened by others. I loved it!
A few years later, I prayed that God would give me people to do a Bible study with. I soon found myself leading some young guys through the book of 1 Peter and I watched what had happened to me, happen to them.
How does this work in a different culture, where some have never heard the name of Christ? What if they don’t know what church is? Or they think that the entire story of Jesus is depicted in the Jesus movie?
But, in every culture, every age group, every stage of live, God uses the study of His Word to transform lives.
This fall, I took a group of Albanian boys through the book of 1 Peter. And again, I watched the Lord transform lives.
The simplest way to grow in faith, learn about Christ, and to be sanctified is to stare at and study God’s Word. I often ask questions about a passage and all the boys look up. But slowly they begin to look down, to turn their pages and find the truth within in the text, the context and the words themselves.
6 years ago the first Bible study began in Pogradec, with 4 boys.
Today, there are 50+ people attending the various weekly Bible studies within our church. Women, Jr. High Girls, Jr. High boys, young adults, High school girls, High school boys all meet to walk through God’s word together.
If we want to strengthen the church of Albania. The real solution is for people to love, depend on, and submit to every word of God.
It takes time, it takes patience. It is us depending on the Lord, and the Lord working through us.
But the fruit is the greatest priviledge of our lives. To watch people understand Christ. To hear them walk through difficult doctrines and find answers in the Bible. To witness them connect the dots and voice how their hearts and minds are being molded.
Not only do we watch the Lord transform these lives, but He continues to transform us as we study, explain, and share His Word with all of the new Albanian believers He has brought to himself. What a mighty God we serve.
