Rachel Held Evans Inspired by Connie McNeill

About a month before Rachel Held Evans’ death, I was negotiating with her booking manager for her to come to Second and speak with us on a Saturday experience. This bizarre timing of getting her to come here and her death made me feel strangely connected to her death in a more personal way than any relationship merited. I had met her and worked with her years ago when she first published.

She was part of a national CBF program, but I had no personal relationship with her. I liked her and appreciated her authenticity, so I’ve read and followed her ministry. I thought those at Second and beyond would appreciate hosting her, but now we will need to settle for what she wrote. And, aren’t we glad she wrote.

The deacons are reading her book Inspired to learn her story about her relationship to scripture. Not only are they studying her story, but each of them is discerning her or his own story with scripture. At a recent meeting, the room was given three questions for discussion. It was a room that honored scripture; it was a room of respectful listening; it was a room that sought clarity but not judgment. It was great to be in this room.

As a deacon, you may have had a good reason you weren’t there at the March meeting. You may not be a deacon, so you don’t go to those meetings. Here’s what you can do. Read RHE’s Inspired and do your own work on what scripture means in your life and how you are informed by it and how you read it. That’s one thing that Jesus’ disciples do.

We are also currently promoting Bible reading plans you might choose from if you don’t already have one or know where to start. We also are offering a Bible 101 community group on Sunday mornings for people wanting to get familiar with scripture for the first time or the first time in a long time. Some of us have found something very powerful and compelling about scripture. If you aren’t already, what would it take to inspire you to read and love scripture?