I don’t know whether it is still happening but I once read that some Korean Presbyteries would spend a great deal of time identifying a Scripture passage that would serve as their inspiriation for a year. I wonder what would happen if an American presbytery tried to do that. If you were going to offer up a Scripture for your presbytery, what Scripture comes to mind? Would we immediately pick a Scripture that seems to advance our agenda, or would we choose a Scripture that challenges all of us?
What about trying this. Fifteen minutes before the lunch break at a presbytery meeting, allow those present to bunch together in informal groups and discuss what Scriptures come to mind that might serve as an inspiriation for the presbytery. Then, encourage people to share their scriptures with others they happen to sit with at lunch. Once reconvened, have 5 minutes of silent prayer in which people listen to God as they keep their mind on Scripture for the presbytery. Following the time of prayer, invite six people randomly selected from different sections of the room to share a possible Scripture for the presbytery’s benefit. At the close, encourage people to carry the experience back to their churches and see what Scripture each Session would choose for this part of their Christian journey.
The point would be to open up the possibility of seeking to allow God to speak through the Scripture to the presbytery. I would not suggest that you take any vote or finalize a selection. Simply have the random sharing of six to serve as a stimulus to further reflection. If churches also did this and it was repeated at lest once a year, it might make us all conscious of the voice of Scripture through our deliberations.
