Dwelling in the Word is a 20-30-minute process for becoming aware of God’s presence and the Spirit’s movement by listening and reflecting on Scripture as a gathered community. Dwelling in the Word forms faith and trust within a group by sharing responses to three questions: what do I notice, what do I wonder, and where might God’s Spirit be nudging us?
The word “dwell” or “abide” is used frequently in Scripture, meaning to live or remain somewhere or with someone for a time. The practice of Dwelling in the Word invites communities to live together with a text for a period so that the reflections, wonderings, and promptings of God’s Word form and shape our faith and living. The purpose of Dwelling in the Word is not about answering questions or getting to particular results but rather allowing ourselves to be present with God’s living Word. Dwelling in the Word does not require a leader steeped in biblical scholarship.
All synod meetings begin with a time of Dwelling in the Word, and congregations are encouraged to engage in Dwelling in the Word at their council and committee meetings, Bible studies, and other gatherings.
Leading Dwelling in the Word
Use this resource to lead a group through Dwelling in the Word. Follow below to lead a session now, including the current Scripture reading, or download the complete guide and selected readings for the entire year.
Preparing for the Gathering
This practice is meant to be flexible, for use with smaller or larger groups; you are free to adapt the amount of time for sharing, as well as whether to spend time with partners or small groups or only sharing with the whole group. Dwelling in the Word can be done in person or through video conference. The “acting” section would be more applicable to council and committee meetings than a Bible study or quilting group.
Depending on your group, you may want to provide a handout or use a “screen share” with the Scripture passage and/or the reflection questions. It is helpful for everyone to hear and/or read along with the same translation. Typically, the same text is read twice by two different readers. A variation is to read a second translation.
If you are Dwelling in the Word on Zoom, make sure the host has enabled the share screen and breakout rooms options in settings.
Prepare to Listen
The leader provides a brief introduction to the practice of Dwelling in the Word – more if the practice is new to any member in the group; less if it is a developed practice. For example:
“Dwelling in the Word is a time of prayerful and communal reflection on a passage of Scripture. We will hear God’s Word read twice, allowing for silence between the readings. Are there two volunteers who would be our readers? I will let you know when to read. As we listen to the text, consider these questions; feel free to write down any reflections if you’d like.
- What captures my attention?
- What questions do I have? What do I wonder?
- Where might God’s Spirit be nudging us?
After we hear God’s Word, you will have a few minutes to share our responses [with a partner]. These can be simply words or phrases that stand out for you, with or without explanation.”
Listening
The leader opens with a prayer asking God to open our hearts and speak to us. Ask participants to reflect on these questions while the first reader to reads the text slowly:
- What captures my attention?
- What questions do I have? What do I wonder?
- Where might God’s Spirit be nudging us?
Reading Text
Romans 14:13-22
13 Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who considers it unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let your good be slandered. 17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 The one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has human approval. 19 Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong to make someone stumble by what you eat; 21 it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. 22 Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve.
2 Peter 1:2-11
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by[a] his own glory and excellence. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For anyone who lacks these things is blind, suffering from eye disease, forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
1 Samuel 1:9-18
9 After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went her way and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
Philippians 4:10-20
10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me but had no opportunity to show it. 11 Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.
15 You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account. 18 I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 4:1-10
4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. 3 They forbid marriage and abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane and foolish tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
Colossians 1:24-2:3
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its minister according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil and strive with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.
2 For I want you to know how greatly I strive for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Psalm 146
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Allow for silence.
Invite the second reader to read the text again.
Allow for silence.
Reflecting
The leader instructs people to pair up and share responses – words or phrases, with or without explanation. “Listen carefully to your partner; after sharing with each other, you will be sharing some of your partner’s responses with the whole group (or a table group).” (On Zoom, host selects break out rooms and the amount of time desired (4 or 5 minutes); the number of rooms is your participants divided by two. The host will be able to join any room after activating the rooms. At the end of the allotted time, participants will return to the full group.)
After a few minutes, remind people to switch to let the other person share if they haven’t already.
After a few more minutes, have people gather with their partner at a table of 6-8, or in the large group. With their partner’s permission, let people share what their partner heard and wondered.
After a few more minutes, if not already gathered as the whole group, bring everyone together, ask for any other sharing. After hearing responses, ask “Where might God’s Spirit be nudging us?” (There may or may not be much response but allow time for people to process the question after everything they’ve heard.) The leader does not have to answer questions or respond directly to what is shared.
Acting
The leader invites participants to keep the Scripture in mind throughout the meeting and encourages participants to share reflections from the text throughout the time together. What does the text say in the midst of the meeting/gathering and making decisions?
You may decide to end your time together by reading the text one more time and invite reflections on how the passage influenced discussion and/or planning.
Close with a prayer, asking God to continue speaking to the group through the Scripture.
Bring the Scripture text to the group in the same manner at the next meeting or gathering.
Why Dwelling in the Word?
Dwelling in the Word opens us to the Spirit’s movement and direction in our lives.
Spending an extended time living with dwelling in a text (over weeks or months) deepens our involvement with God’s story and stirs our imagination about how God may be present in our own story.
Dwelling in the Word invites us into intentional listening.
We listen to Scripture twice, with two readers if possible and with one translation. Different voices offer different tones and inflections. While reading two translations or paraphrases can open us to differences in translation, those differences may also distract us from going deeper with a word or phrase and reflecting on why that has caught our attention. Consider using a second translation or paraphrase at the next session of dwelling.
We listen better to one another when we speak what someone else has said: Having people pair up in twos or threes to respond to the first two dwelling questions and then share the other’s person response in the larger group helps us pay closer attention to what someone else has said, but our own reflections may sound different when we hear them in someone else’s voice.
We listen more fully when all voices are heard. By reporting out what was heard in the pairs, every voice gets a hearing; the large group may more easily identify themes or directions that relate the passage to our own current story and context.