[Digging Deeper Community] A Place to Read and Grow Together

Jakarta, (24/4), How many of us spend our free time reading? Or how often do we pick up a book and read it to the end? From what I often find, only a small number of us like reading. Perhaps because in this digital era full of gadgets we spend more of our time in front of computers or smartphones ours. This instant access has made books no longer the primary choice for seeking and digging up information.

This exposure to technology has also made the reading experience different, from something that used to be communal to something very personal. I remember when I still liked reading the comic Conan, I could not wait to meet my friends and discuss the story in that comic. In this community we would exchange thoughts, theories, and even predictions about the next book’s story.

To this day I still enjoy reading. Not only comics, I read many kinds of books, from history books to books about leadership and self-motivation. For me, reading is something enjoyable. But when I read a good or deepbook, there is a feeling inside me that makes me want to discuss what I gained with others. I need a community that can help me channel that desire.

About 2 months ago I was invited to join the event Digging Deeper Community. Sister Dea, who works at Berean Bookstore knows very well about my love of reading. So what is Digging Deeper Community?

DDC (Digging Deeper Community) It is a reading community managed by Berean Bookstore. This community first began from a casual conversation among several brothers and sisters, including Deanisa, who works at Berean Bookstore, Renaldi Christian, and Ferdinand Yance, discussing how a book readers’ community should become a place that helps people grow. They realized that reading becomes something enjoyable when it is supported by a forum or an encouraging community.

This community was formed with the mission of growing interest in reading within the congregation and nurturing leaders who love to read, because a leader is someone who loves reading. They hope that through this community the disciples can also strengthen and be strengthened by one another. I was immediately reminded of the poster “Leader is a Reader” displayed at Berean Bookstore.

A leader is someone who loves to read. 

Yance and Dea explained that DDC would hold a meeting every month. At each meeting they would discuss a different book. Usually the book discussed fits the theme of that month’s worship services or other books sold at Berean Bookstore. When I was invited to join this meeting, I was immediately interested because I really was curious.

I came to their first meeting on March 24 at Menara Kuningan, floor F2, at 7 p.m. This first meeting was attended by around 9 people, most of them from the singles and campus ministries. The book discussed at this first meeting was First The Kingdom. This book was already familiar to me, and I had finished reading it several months earlier. One interesting thing: unlike other books that begin with a prologue or greeting, this book opens with a warning! This book discusses in depth what our purpose in life is in God and how high the level of our spiritual growth is.

I was with several participants at the first DDC meetingThe atmosphere of the meeting was quite serious considering that the book discussed was fairly deep. Brother Yance served as the mediator, and we took turns sharing our opinions and personal experiences about the points discussed in the book. The meeting lasted for about 2 hours. After that we enjoyed the snacks provided while fellowshipping with the other participants. I was excited to join the next meeting.

The second meeting was held on April 21. This time around 15 people attended (singles and campus still dominated), including several guests. Unlike the first meeting, which felt serious, this meeting was a lot of fun! The more casual, style, with a more interactive atmosphere, perhaps because the larger number of participants helped make things more relaxed.

Poster for the second DDC meeting

We discussed the book Share Your Faith written by brothers Steve Cannon and Eric Gaizat from the Indianapolis congregation. Matthew 28:18-20 is the aim of this book. It is clear that this book contains stories of evangelism by Jesus and the apostles. Share Your Faith greatly inspired me to share my faith and preach the gospel. Besides stories about evangelism, this book also offers practical suggestions on how to preach the gospel effectively. I highly recommend this book for those who want to be motivated to preach the gospel.

This time Brother Gery Respati served as the moderator. We exchanged stories about our experiences in evangelism and winning souls. I learned from the faith of the other participants, how they were rejected when they tried to share the word with family or friends. We gave one another advice and exchanged perspectives on the cases in evangelism faced by each participant.

The second DDC meeting. Brother Gery (far right) served as the moderator

What I found in this meeting was that, whilefellowshipping with several people, I discovered that they were basically not people who liked reading. This made me even more enthusiastic because this community can become a place that grows people’s interest in reading. Those who previously did not understand can exchange thoughts and discuss the book being the topic. Reading becomes enjoyable because it is done together (especially while snacking on the light refreshments provided by the committee).

The sharing session and exchange of opinions, the Q&A session, and fellowship that lasted about 2 hours felt very short. I really enjoyed it and could not wait to join the next meeting. My thirst for a reading community seemed refreshed by this DDC. The knowledge and sharing I received increasingly showed me that I am in a healthy body of Christ, where each member helps one another. The knowledge I gained made me understand the books discussed more deeply.

DDC is open to all ministries. I highly recommend DDC for those of you who want to grow even more in deeper knowledge from the books discussed and from the stories of its participants. For group leaders as well as new leaders, this community will be very beneficial for you. Besides the knowledge given, you will also learn how to give input and carry out discussion. You will grow into a more influential leader. Remember, A leader is a reader.

See you at the next event! (FK)

Related article:  Book of the Month – The Heart of A Champion