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Bread & Wine: How to connect faith and the dinner table

By: demingglobal12 Comments

Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes by Shauna Niequist

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist - Why You Need this book {Hive Resources}

I’ve had my eye on this book for a while – as much for the beauty of its book cover (designed by the super cute Lindsey Letters) as the lure of its lovely content (imagine your best friend being a foodie who whips up divine snacks on a moment’s notice).

But when I first cracked open its spine, I was a little disappointed. Because of my own connection with hospitality as an extension of church planting, I was expecting Bread & Wine to be about hospitality in the local church.

And while the author does anchor the book in her Christian faith, Bread & Wine is more a book about how God uses food to bind people to others and to himself.

That doesn’t make the book any less worthy of being read or any less lovely. In fact, the more I read, the more I began to personally like the author – her wit, her fierce fight to find joy in life and family, and her unflagging commitment to honest living – all of which emerge from the stories of her kitchen and dining room table.

Each chapter is a short reflection of friendship, family, and life in community. Almost each chapter ends with a recipe that you feel compelled to run to your kitchen and try immediately just so your connection to the author’s story doesn’t have to end.

Here are a few recipes that I’ve tried and loved!

  • White Chicken Chili (I’ve made this twice since reading the book! Warm, a little spicy, delicious!)
  • Esquites/Mexican Grilled Corn (Yum. Yum. Yum.)
  • Breakfast Cookies (which didn’t turn out for me, but were a hit for one of my friends)

Here are a few recipes on my to-try list (like for next week!)

  • Bacon Wrapped Dates
  • Blueberry Crisp
  • Annette’s Enchiladas
  • Maple Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
  • Dark Chocolate Salted Toffee

Other things I liked about Bread & Wine:

  • Cooking with dietary restrictions in mind, Niequist has a desire to make everyone feel welcome around her table.
  • Cooking is about honoring your friends and family with food and choosing to be “present rather than perfect.”
  • Cooking is about fun, taste, and savoring stories – not about checking a box off your weekly meal calendar (guilty parties may now raise their hands).

Boiled down, Bread & Wine is primarily a book about the two stories of faith and friendship and how food connects them. Among its pages, Niequist invites us to enter into her personal stories – of which most women can claim – stories of bliss, loss, indulgence, miscarriage, friendship, community, work, pain, and more.

By the time I read the final two chapters of the book, Niequist finally arrived at my original hope.  For the author, the table is a way to connect to God’s presence since He himself gives us food as a “reminder of our humanity, our fragility, our createdness.”

Niequist writes:  “When you offer peace instead of division, when you offer faith instead of fear, when you offer someone a place at your table instead of keeping them out because they’re different or messy or wrong somehow, you represent the heart of Christ.”

It is in those final chapters that Niequist’s words really sing.  In fact, even though I savored each story (& recipe) in the book, I couldn’t help but wish she had let us linger around the final chapters a little longer.

But even in the little time she invites us to her table, she is gracious enough.

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. For more information about the links in this post, click here.

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Hospitable Hearts: 20 reader recipes that feed an army

By: demingglobal12 Comments

When I sent out a 911 for no-fail recipes that could feed an army, I was blown away at the response from my Hive Readers!

So, here are some great recipe ideas ranging from quick and easy to allergy-friendly from a few seasoned Hive Resources hostesses. I hope they’ll help you cultivate a hospitable heart while opening your home to others!

And be sure to enter Kristen’s giveaway for the adorable apron from Creative Chics – contest closes Thursday, Feb. 14 at midnight!

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  • Crock pot Lasagna (Jenna Caron) – Jenna suggests adding add extra tomato sauce because it can be dry.
  • Meatball Subs (April Bailey) – Buy cooked meatballs in bulk from Costco or Sam’s and put in the crock pot with your favorite marinara sauce. Serve with hoagie rolls & top buns with meatballs and mozzarella cheese.  You can toast the buns first if you want but it’s not necessary.  Serve with veggies, chips or a salad.
  • White Chicken Chili (April Bailey)
  • Sweet and Sour meatballs (Joey Moser) – Frozen meatballs with 2 jars of grape jelly and 2 jars of chili sauce in the crock pot.
  • French Dip Subs (Jessi Cooper Bowditch) – Add beef (skirt, flank, anything that will get TENDER–and you’ll literally need 3x what you’d need normally b/c it shrinks in size) to crock pot.  Add 1 packet of Lipton’s French onion soup mix, & 2 cups beef broth per 1 cut if meat. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4. Serve on sub rolls-dip bread. Top with sautéd onions, peppers, mushrooms if you want to stretch the meal. You can cut or shred the meat ahead of time and serve with shredded mozzarella on top of sandwich.
  • Chili beans w/cornbread muffins (Andrea Moon) 
  • Mexican chicken (Jessi Cooper Bowditch) – 3-4 chicken breasts (makes 6-8 burritos), 1/2 small jar of salsa, 1 tbsp of taco seasoning, and 1/2 lime’s juice. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Can serve with tacos too. Use a slotted spoon to drain meat before putting on taco shells. Pull chicken apart with 2 forks. More people? Throw in 6-8 and full jar of salsa. Frozen breasts work great–Jessi’s are usually frozen.
  • BBQ pork tenderloin (Jessi Cooper Bowditch) – 1/2 bottle of Bull’s Eye Carolina BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 8, high for 4. Pull apart meat with 2 forks. Serve on buns. We love slaw w/ ours. This is easy and very economical for feeding large crowds at picnics, fellowship meals, etc. You can also use 4 large chicken breasts (boneless skinless).
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  • Poppy Seed Chicken (April Bailey) – You could leave out the poppy seeds with no real change to the recipe.  Also, April  likes to add a can of water chestnuts chopped for extra crunch.  Serve over rice or noodles with a salad or green veggie.  Read the reviews and make adjustments as needed.  You can also cook the chicken ahead of time in the crock pot or boil it – saves time on cooking day.
  • Cranberry Chicken with Wild Rice (Christina Fox) – Add chicken breasts, 1 packet of onion soup mix poured on top, canned cranberries on top of that, then pour a cup of French dressing on top to dish. Cover and bake 25 min at 400. Remove foil, bake another 15 at 350. Serve with rice.
  • Garlic Lemon Double-stuffed Chicken (Anna Wheelock)
  • Chicken-broccoli casserole (Madison Lynn) – Cut cooked chicken breasts in fourths, add bag of broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, water chestnuts, top with shredded cheese and bake for 1 hour.
  • Greek Chicken (Amy Benning Baumgardner ) – Roasted chicken sprinkled with Greek seasoning when baking, topped with feta cheese & balsamic vinegar once out of oven. Served with roasted veggies (peppers, onion, zucchini, potatoes & carrots. You can roast chicken & veggies at the same time.
  • King Ranch (Beef) Casserole (April Bailey) – 10 tortillas – flour or corn, 1 1/2 lb ground beef cooked, 1-2 cups Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese mix, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can Rotel, 1 can evaporated milk. Mix soup, Rotel and milk together.  In a casserole dish, layer tortillas, 1/2 of the meat, cheese and 1/3 of the cream mixture, repeat layers then top with additional tortillas, remainder of cream mix and cheese.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes – until edges are bubbly.  This can also be adapted for a much larger recipe.  You can add some taco seasoning to the meat for more ‘oomph’ or use chicken if you prefer.

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  • Paula Deen’s Easy Mac & Cheese (Karen Barfield) – Add a salad or two, bread and a dessert.
  • Zesty Italian Potatoes (Andrea Ward) – Andrea said added 30 minute to the baking time and used shaved Parmesan cheese for a more elegant. Andrea made it on Saturday night and then heated it up during church service in the church kitchen, sprinkled with cheese and served.
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  • Dump Chicken (Jessi Cooper Bowditch) – Check out this link with over 20 recipes for meals you assemble precooked in zip-lock bags and freeze! Thaw when ready and pop in the oven! Jessi suggests using these meals for shut-ins, new moms, hospitalized friends, or new neighbors.

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  • Texas Sheet Cake (April Bailey) – Sheet cake is an easy dessert that everyone loves.  April omits the nuts and add about 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the cake batter.
  • Monster Cookies (April Bailey) – 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 1 stick butter, 1 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 eggs, 4 1/2 cup oatmeal, 4 ounces M&Ms, 4 ounces chocolate chips. Cream butter, sugars and peanut butter until fluffy.  Add baking soda and salt then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.  Stir in oatmeal, M&Ms and chocolate chips.  Drop by ice cream scoop onto a cookie sheet.   Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  This makes 3 dozen LARGE cookies (you can make them smaller if you wish).  Don’t overbake – take them out of the oven before they turn brown.  They also freeze very well – baked or unbaked.

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Got Allergies?

Check out my friend Dawn’s newly-launched foodie blog – Separate Spoons! She has some great allergy-friendly meals & menu items for your table. I love this recommendation – Lotsa Veggies Lentil Soup – that you could make and freeze! Thank you Dawn!!

Three cheers for all you Hive Resources hospitality experts! Thank you for submitting your ideas AND how you tweaked the recipe!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out some of my Pinterest boards on hospitality and yummy things to eat!

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Leave your favorite recipe in the comments! Also, share the link to your favorite Pinterest board or your own! I love finding new boards to follow!

*Please note, I have not tested these recipes, but they come very highly recommended. I hope they bolster your recipe arsenal! Thank you to everyone who contributed their ideas! 

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Guest Post: Mary DeMuth on cooking, hospitality, & ‘The Irresistible Table’

By: demingglobal14 Comments

Today, we are honored to have women’s author and speaker Mary DeMuth guest post about her love for hospitality and her new cookbook, The Irresistible Table. You can connect with Mary on her website or on twitter, and you can find her cookbook on Amazon.


I’m not well known out in the public world for cooking, but I’ve done my best to invite the world to my table. In fact, my writing career started way back in the 90s when I self published a newsletter called The Giving Home Journal, where I shared tips for running a home. Had there been blogs back then in the days of yore, I’d have been a mommy blogger. At the end of each issue, I’d feature an original recipe or two, and by the time I finished publishing the newsletter, I ended it by gathering the recipes into my very first book: a cookbook.

Since then, I moved eight or so times, always cooking, always inviting, but I left any future cookbook ideas on the shelf. I had the privilege of winning an Olive Garden lasagna contest (we got free fresh pasta for a year) and had a recipe featured in Bon Appetit. We relocated to Southern France in the mid 2000s where, I kid you not, a French man went crazy over my bread—probably the most supreme compliment a home cook could receive! That’s when I knew I’d mastered breadmaking. (Don’t think me a prodigy. My first loaves could brick a house).

There, our home was constantly open, and every week I fed 30 or so people at one time. I learned the art of teeny-tiny kitchen cooking, and I became more laid back in the way I welcomed people. Laughter and conversation took precedent over a “perfect” meal. Creating an irresistible table meant welcoming people, providing nutritious and yummy food, and being peaceful in the process.

[pullquote style=”right” quote=”dark”]Creating an irresistible table meant welcoming people, providing nutritious and yummy food, and being peaceful in the process.[/pullquote] We’re stateside now, but we still eat dinner together every. single. night. Cooking is my creative outlet, the gift I give my friends and family daily, weekly, monthly. The recipes featured in The Irresistible Table are 100% me-created, tested on finicky eaters, and often consist of whole foods. I am a firm believer that anyone can cook from scratch—yes even bread—if taught. I come alongside you, happy advice in tow, and help you create the irresistible table you’ve longed for.

Besides that, cooking is part of my evil (ha!) plan to keep my children near as they fly the coop. My college aged daughter comes home to eat, eat, eat, and she’s becoming a twenty-something-chef herself. The cycle continues. It’s my hope that the joy of hospitality, great food, and changed lives can continue with you.

Mary DeMuth has published fourteen books. She and her husband, Patrick, have  three children. After spending two and a half years church planting in France, Mary and her family are stateside where she continues to write, speak and mentor others. For more on Mary, visit her at www.MaryDeMuth.com.

Catch all the posts in this series, Hospitable Hearts, by clicking here! And don’t forget to enter our giveaway at Celebrate Every Day with Me for the adorable Creative Chic apron! 

To find out about the affiliate links in this post, click here.

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

15 tips to become the hostess with the mostess

By: demingglobal1comment

Hospitality isn’t about things or even food; it’s about people. How well we serve others in our home is a measure of the condition of our heart AND faith!

But, as we learned from the story of Mary & Martha, the burden of opening your home can be daunting!

Today, Kristen Summers of Celebrate Every Day with Me is sharing 15 Tips to Become the Hostess with the Mostess to help you become the hands of feet of Jesus without all the chaos! As a former Special Events Coordinator, Kristen’s methods come directly from the trenches of motherhood AND the hospitality industry.

Plus! She’s giving away this adorable handmade apron provided by the amazing team, Creative Chics.

Check out their full collection of vintage style aprons with a modern twist. I want every single one! You can find more about Creative Chics on Facebook too.

And don’t forget to head over to Kristen’s to enter to win!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Do Not Disturb: What the pursuit of hospitality says about your faith

By: demingglobal110 Comments

Five minutes before our small group was to arrive, my pride broke a world’s record in the longest nose dive.

The food was prepped, the toilets were scrubbed, and I had even managed to sneak in a shower. I was feeling pretty smug. I bet Martha Stewart had never attempted hospitality with three-year-old twin boys in tow!

But it was the smell of poop that first alerted me that something was amiss.

And it was.

In a BIG way. 

Twin A had taken off his underpants and hadn’t made it to the toilet in time. And whether on purpose or by terrible accident (does it really matter?), had smeared the contents of his undies all over the carpet.

All. Over. The. Carpet.

With my guest’s impending arrival, mom went into hyper-galactic panic mode.

But before I could clean mess A, I discovered that Twin B had cut a hole in the second-story window screen and parachuted all 435 of his stuffed animals onto the front porch below.

My small group was probably surprised to be greeted by a clan of stuffed bears of varying sizes as well as the lingering smell of poop that evening.  And while I’d like to say I smiled gracefully and managed to worship the God who gave me Thing 1 and Thing 2, I didn’t.

Even if my lips said, “Hi! Welcome to my Home. Make yourself comfortable,” I’m pretty sure my heart was screaming: “Do Not Disturb!”

I made the rest of the evening about me, instead of others.

In 1 Peter 4:8-9, Peter admonishes the church. He says in verse 8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Then he immediately gives some specific measures of love in verse 9: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”

According to Peter, hospitality takes “deep” love.  And when we grumble about the cost and effort of food prep and the inconvenience of cleaning up duty, we are revealing the real “love” of our hearts – ourselves.

Because hospitality is an expression of love, our pursuit of it says a lot about the nature of our faith. Hospitable hearts demonstrate the love they’ve been shown in salvation through Christ Jesus.

We see Christ’s hospitality toward us in two ways:

It was around a crowded dining table that Jesus declared he was the answer to the world’s great need.

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:19-20).

As the Bread of Life, Christ extends salvation to us – the unsavory and spiritually hungry dinner guest (John 6:32; 51; Is. 55:1-2).

And when we partake of his sacrificial love – wrought by his blood and body on the cross – we are welcomed to our Maker’s Table once again (Rev. 19:6-9). Christ shows us the ultimate form of hospitality.

Every party has a guest list. Jesus’ dinner party is no different.

At the Maker’s Table, sinners are invited to enjoy a great feast in which we partake of salvation and abundant life. But this meal is more than a hot hand-out; it’s an invitation to dwell in the Father’s house. Outcasts and outsiders are given privileged seats at the Father’s family table where we fellowship with the King – not simply as his guests – but as the King’s sons and daughters! (Is. 25:6-9)

In his book, A Meal with Jesus, Tim Chester explains how the meals of Jesus acted as gracious invitations of God – particularly when Christ dined with the marginalized people of the day. [1]

“The hospitality of God embodied in the table fellowship of Jesus is a celebration and sign of his grace and generosity. And we’re to imitate that generosity.”[2]

To imitate my hospitality after Christ means I must open my home to strangers and treat each guest as if they were family. That is both frightening and draining, right?

No wonder Peter calls on us to ground our hospitality in the love of the One who first showed us such generosity and care. Peter knows hospitality takes ‘deep love’ and ‘deep faith.’ 

Do you have a “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging from your heart? Consider pursuing hospitality simply because Christ has extended the ultimate form of hospitality toward you in salvation. The home is the most natural place to share that same form of love with others.

Still not convinced hospitality is for you? Then be sure to check out Kristen’s post ‘15 Tips to Become the Hostess with the Mostess’ over at Celebrate Every Day with Me tomorrow! I loved her post yesterday – Boiled Down Hospitality – that helped me focus my heart on people rather than things!

For information about the affiliate links in this post, click here.

[1] Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus (Crossway: Wheaton, 2011), 32.

[2] Ibid., 49.

Today, I’m linking up with one of my favorite sites:



About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Hospitable Hearts: Boiled down hospitality

By: demingglobal1comment

Today, Kristen Summers is offering some practical wisdom on defeating one of my biggest obstacles to hospitality!

It’s an obstacle that kept Martha from truly being the ‘hostess with the mostess.’

It’s an obstacle that can keep me from correctly viewing my home as a place of refuge rather than a showcase to my own personal glory!

To truly exhibit a hospitable heart, Kristen reminds us to retain the right focus of  hospitality and focus our efforts on one thing.

>> To find out what our focus should be in opening our home click here!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Hospitable Hearts: What the pursuit of hospitality says about your heart

By: demingglobal119 Comments

It was through a shared meal that God first spoke to our hearts about helping plant a church in the heart of Pittsburgh.

The first time we visited our church, it wasn’t even a church yet. The pastor invited us to share a meal immediately following the service, and the entire congregation could fit around one long conference table.

The food was simple, but the intimate community it afforded was not.

I still remember what was prepared – potato soup, fat chunks of crunchy bacon, leafy greens, and the best homemade croutons I’ve ever tasted.

The individuals weren’t just sharing bread; they were sharing life.

Shortly after joining the core group of this new plant, we began to open our small apartment for a weekly Bible study. Sometimes we shared a meal, other times I just served cookies and coffee.

On one occasion, I looked around the room at the people who had become our new family. They were sitting on stained carpet, eating from paper plates, and happy as larks! No one complained about the lack of seating or the crayon swirls on the wall.

And in that moment, I realized the significance of the scriptural command to practice hospitality.

In Rom. 12:10-13, Paul says:

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”

The word Paul uses for “practicing” hospitality is the Greek word diōkō which means “to strive for” or “pursue.” It has an active sense – and points to great “vigorous effort.”[1]

To give you an idea of the importance Paul attaches to the pursuit of hospitality, we are also told to ‘pursue’:

  • Righteousness (1 Tim. 6:11)
  • Good (1 Thess. 5:15)
  • Peace (1 Pet. 3:11)
  • Love (1 Cor. 14:1)

We are to strive for hospitality in the same way that we strive for righteousness. We are to “think about it, plan for it, prepare for it, pray about it, and seek opportunities to do it.”[2]

My husband and I entertained at our previous church. We hosted the occasional meal for our pastor. I volunteered my home for a few women’s events.

But it wasn’t until I saw the connections between the gospel and the dinner table in our new church plant that I realized what a hospitable heart truly looked like.

Hospitality is about having a hospitable heart. It’s about opening your heart to others by opening your home to them. It’s about serving without grumbling. It’s about consistently putting others’ needs before your own.

God is still using hospitality to clean out my heart like a packed closet – making room for others and most importantly, for Him!

 

 

I have 4-yr-old twin BOYS! If you come to my house, I can guarantee you there will be smashed food and dried boogers on something!

 

 

Honestly, there are times when my front doormat better reads Do Not Disturb rather than Welcome. (I’ll be revisiting this concept on Wednesday).

 

 

I still fight the temptation to wield hospitality as an excuse to buy those new dishes I saw at Target or the lighting fixture I added to my Pinterest board last week.

But hospitality is not about throwing the best parties or crafting the perfect tablescape; it’s a battle for the heart.

God calls us to open our homes and hearts as a measure of the hospitality he has demonstrated toward us in Christ (Is. 25:6-9; Luke 14:16-24, Rev. 19:9).

So, how do you “pursue” hospitality? Tomorrow, hospitality guru Kristen Summers of Celebrate Every Day with Me is sharing some of her trade secrets – how you can open your home and heart to others.

I hope you’ll join us this week as we look at what Scripture says about hospitality and how you can pursue it!

How active is your pursuit of hospitality? If you aren’t pursuing hospitality, what is the biggest obstacle that prevents you from doing so?

[1] Alexander Strauch, The Hospitality Commands (Lew & Roth: Littleton, 1993), 427.

[2] Ibid.

Today, I’m linking up with these amazing sites:

 

 

 

 

 

GraceLaced Mondays

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

A New Series: Hospitable Hearts

By: demingglobal13 Comments

I’ve got big news! Huge!

I teamed up with the super fabulous Kristen Summers of Celebrate Every Day with Me to bring you a new series on hospitality.

We look at the biblical wisdom of opening your home as well as offer you some practical tips for becoming a hostess with a hospitable heart. Ultimately, that’s what hospitality is all about – a generous and sacrificial heart.

Plus, we have a special treat for you! Women’s author Mary DeMuth is guest posting about her newly-released cookbook, The Irresistible Table.

So, here’s the series in a nutshell:

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Be sure to connect with Kristen on Facebook or twitter so you can continue to catch all her posts.

Kristen is a former wedding & event planner who has channeled all her party-planning passion and know-how into her blog. She gives her readers fun ways to celebrate each and every day with their family.

See you bright and early Monday morning! Shall we have coffee at my house or your’s?

To find out about the affiliate links in this post, click here.

 

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Ministry Monday: how to host your own home Bible study

By: demingglobal18 Comments

Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! This series is for everyday women who minister through the everyday mission fields of life. Posts feature resources and ideas for discipleship, outreach events, women’s ministries, Bible study, hospitality, and more.

Subscribe today so you don’t miss any of it!

One of the things I love about church planting is the intimate fellowship it affords. Because we have no official church building, we often gather for worship and fellowship in homes.

For about six months, I’ve hosted a women’s Bible study in my home on Saturday mornings. And I’ve discovered that home Bible studies can soar.

Why? Home Bible studies are charming, disarming, and community driven.

When worship happens on comfy couches it speaks to our need to be close to the God who is our Dwelling place. When mentoring happens over the kitchen sink it speaks to our need to apply God’s Word to the everyday tasks set before us.

Fruitful, intimate Bible studies can happen in fellowship halls too. But homes are places of real life. So, it only makes sense to make them host to the worship of the One who created us for real life in Him.

How do you host a home Bible study? Here’s a few lessons I’ve learned along the way.

1.       ENLIST ANOTHER TEACHER BESIDES YOURSELF

Let’s start with an honest confession – you can’t do it all. Performing both duties of hostess and teacher could set you up for burnout. If you want your study to be a door to the community, you’ll want to be free to welcome guests, serve when needed, and oversee details of the event.

So, do yourself a favor.  Open your home up for the study and then enlist someone else to teach it! If that’s not a possibility, then secure a co-teacher or back-up leader.

2.       PICK AN ENGAGING BIBLE STUDY

We’re blessed to worship in a day and country where we have an abundance of Bible study material. But I’m encouraging you to dig deeper than those best-selling video series.

Choose material that is biblically-centered. Not all the Bible studies at your local Christian bookstore are centered on God’s Word. How do you know? If they invoke any other authority besides the Word of God, you might want to rethink using it. Why is this a big deal? Only studies grounded firmly in the Living Word will yield real-life transformations!

Choose material that is challenging. Finding a balance between fluff and academic stuff can be difficult but necessary if you want to retain members throughout the course of your study. If a study is too easy, members won’t learn to dig into God’s Word and new teachers won’t be brought up. If a study is too challenging, members will lose heart (and interest) and drop out.

Choose material that is locally-led by a church member.  Video-series are great and can be very captivating, but if your women’s ministry isn’t churning our any new Bible study teachers it might be time to rethink the studies you are choosing.

This year, I asked another church member (Kim Lenon of Living Inside Out) to walk through the 7 “I AM” statements Jesus made of himself in the book of John. It has proven to be incredibly challenging and engaging all year long. Plus, under Kim’s teaching, younger believers are learning first-hand how to dig into a passage of Scripture and apply it to their lives.

If no one in your church is capable or willing to write their own study, then find a study that is right for your group. Later this week, I’m recommending some great new studies by some new authors. So, stay tuned!

3.       CROWD SOURCE YOUR BIBLE STUDY  

In marketing, companies are utilizing ‘crowd sourcing’ as a way to get their audience to connect with their brands.  Crowd-sourcing is basically getting someone to take ownership of a product or idea. If you want to get your Bible study attendees to take ownership of your Bible study, then invite them to share in the various responsibilities of the event – like signing up for food!

There are some great benefits to this method. First, you get great food! The ladies of our church plant can cook! At our study, we’ve enjoyed muffins, french toast, waffles and more! And second, if someone signed up to bring a dish, they are much more likely to actually attend the study.

Here are some more crowd-sourcing ideas:

  • Designate a greeter to welcome and engage visitors
  • Ask a woman to lead in prayer
  • Find a tech-savvy member to compile prayer requests and communicate them to the group during the week

The point is to get as many women engaged in your home study than just you – the hostess!

Just because your church has a building doesn’t mean you always have to use it. Getting outside the walls of our church propels you into the community. It disarms potential visitors who might not otherwise feel comfortable in a church setting. And it invites true fellowship and builds an intimate spirit among the believers in your church.

It truly has been one of my favorite ministries so far.

Do you host a Bible study in your home? How do you set up your event? What study are you working through? Share your ideas in the comments!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Wisdom and your home (Guest Post at Desiring Virtue!)

By: demingglobal1comment

I’m guest posting over at Desiring Virtue – a site that has consistently encouraged me in my Christian walk and directed me to some great resources to bolster my library. Be sure to connect with creator Jessalyn Hutto on the Desiring Virtue Facebook page!

Sometimes I get a little tired of being told to ‘keep’ my house.

Sometimes when I kiss my husband goodbye in the morning in my snowman robe and slippers, I wistfully remember my days at the office when I was robed in Ann Taylor or Banana Republic instead.

And sometimes (ok, a lot of times), I wonder why I labored so intensively to complete my master’s degree when I spend most of my evenings picking unidentified goo off the dining room table. You don’t really need higher education to operate a bottle of 409, do you? It’s in those moments of personal weakness and self-absorbed pity-parties that Scripture’s admonition for women to keep and care for their homes can sting.

Yet, Scripture says there is great wisdom–and even joy–in keeping and caring for the home.

Find out why God cares so much about the home and what we do in them – click here for the full post!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.