Acts 20 - Breaking Bread

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Acts 20

Paul purposefully checks on the churches he planted. He doesn’t just want people added to his “saved list”; he wants disciples who love the Lord and keep the faith. He wants to personally pour into them and spend time with them. Paul knows his time with many of the people he has ministered to is coming to an end.

He leaves them with wisdom, teaching, encouragement, stories, truth. For so long he speaks at one location, a young boy with heavy eyes after hours of preaching and the fumes of oil lamps leans toward the fresh air of the open window and not only falls asleep but falls out the third-floor window. But no worries, with God’s power, Paul brings him back to life.

Paul breaks bread with his friends. Long slow meals paired with rich conversation. A staple in the early church life. One that is lost to some degree in our culture of over-scheduled rushing from one commitment to the next with barely time to catch our breath. I’m guilty for sure.

Among the beautiful words of Paul and the miraculous rescue from the third-floor fall, and though not the main point of the chapter, God has me planted at the supper table. The breaking of bread. The making quality time for fellowship. The gathering that opens doors for genuine sharing and deep discussion. For encouragement, support, advice, brainstorming, venting, laughing, crying. I know my introvert over-scheduled self needs to be more intentional here and my soul is telling me I need to do more than type about it. My plan is to schedule time with friends for a meal or even a cup of good coffee this summer. If you are in Jacksonville reading this, you just might be getting a message from me soon. 🧡

So, how do you do community? How do you pour into relationships? What are your hopes for community and relationships? Who would you like to sit down over coffee or tea with?

Following are some conversation starter questions I would love to discuss with friends over coffee.  What questions would you add?

What’s your favorite part of your life right now?
What dreams did you have at one time that you haven’t thought about in years?
If you could do anything (free of outside or family responsibilities), what would you do?
How can I pray for you?
How do you envision your life in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
What is one thing you want to learn to do?
What do you like to do when you have a few hours to yourself?
What does success mean to you?
When did you feel the bravest? Most scared?
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would you invite (one dead, one alive)?
If someone gave you a million dollars and you couldn’t save it, how would you spend it?
If you could trade places with anyone for a day/week/year, who would it be?
If you could write a best-selling book, what would it be about?
What is something about you that you hope will never change?
What is one thing that you have changed your mind on as you have gotten older?
What is your biggest fear right now?
What scares you the most about the future?
What is the nicest thing a friend has ever done for you?
What stresses you out the most?
What was the happiest day of your life?
What gives you the most joy?
What gives you the most peace?
What are some personal goals you have set?
How have your priorities changed over time?
If you could send a 2 minute the entire world would see, what would you say in it?

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Neighbor's Table ...building more than handcrafted tables; building a movement of ordinary people loving extraordinarily around a table. 

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