The COVID-19 pandemic put life into slow-motion. For many people, life felt like solitary confinement as personal contact had dwindled. While many settled into merely waiting for normalcy to return, athletes are wired to step up in down times. 

This week’s devotionals offer suggestions to take your engagement with God to a new level. 

Working together is a natural move for an athlete. You know the impact it has in the weight room and the film room. The same principle applies to your spiritual growth. Consider forming a small team to do one of the following.

Use the app Bible by Life.Church to study with a few friends. In the app you can choose a reading plan, whether it is a book in the Bible, an author or a topical study. You can add a friend to the app, take notes and send phone reminders. 

Design a group study using one of the shorter books in the New Testament. Divide up simple tasks for each person in the group: Find historical background, purpose for writing, themes, main characters and book outline.

Use the resources explained in yesterday’s devotional to find the details. Discuss your findings when you meet online, then cover a chapter a week in following meetings. 

Pick a topic: fear, faith, courage, forgiveness, obedience, anger, humility, patience, etc. Using a concordance (see biblestudytools.com) to get a list of verses that address your topic. Divide them up among your group and discuss your conclusions in subsequent meetings.

Read a book together, sharing your questions and conclusions as you meet online. Two books highly recommended: Trusting God or Growing Your Faith by Jerry Bridges.

Use a discipleship study like Set Your Foundation (free download at catapultministries.org). 

Step up with a team. It helps create momentum and accountability.

Tom Petersburg  | www.catapultministries.org