Composed by our guest teacher John Birch, this study will take us on a journey through the Season of Creation (1st Sep > 6th Oct), looking at Poverty and Riches| Bible Study on how we define wealth (faithandworship.com).
Fatastic news:
John will visit our study group from Wales on the 16th of October and offer another Q&A conversation to help us round out this course!
John visited us at the end of the Season of Creation in 2023 and gave this Q&A session: All God's Creatures Q&A with John Birch.
Please pray for John as we engage with this material he has lovingly crafted and as he prepares to join us for the 2nd time at HHO.
Poverty is not simply an economic problem, and those living with little or no income may experience many other deprivations that compound their daily struggles to make ends meet.
The United Nations (UN) lists dangerous working conditions, unsafe housing, inadequate nutrition, unequal access to justice, lack of political power and limited access to health care.
The charity World Vision (with a focus on children) extends the list by adding increased risk of child mortality, lack of adequate education, poor sanitation, poor access to clean drinking water, electricity, and cooking fuel.
However, rather than getting depressed or angry at the current situation in the world, there’s a different way of looking at this, and that’s asking ourselves, ‘What does it actually mean to live a rich life?’ It’s a question that shifts our viewpoint away from money toward lifestyle, and attitude toward God and others.
There’s a Greek word, ‘eudaimonia’, promoted by the ancient philosophers which embraces well-being, happiness and flourishing in daily life. To the philosopher Aristotle, this meant ‘doing and living well’. And here perhaps we can see how Scripture might help our understanding.
The four studies have enough material to keep a group going for an evening, looking at a range of temptations and problems which can cause Christians to struggle with their faith.
Introduction - Food for thought
1) Poverty - Life on the edge
2) Poverty - Spirit and soul
3) Riches - A life of plenty
4) Riches - A spiritual inheritance