“Since ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ, making the Bible the inspiration of every ordinary and extraordinary pastoral outreach will lead to a greater awareness of the person of Christ, who reveals the Father and is the fullness of divine revelation.” (Verbum Domini 73)
The goal of LCI’s formation program is the nurturing of a relationship with Jesus. The relationship we have with Jesus Christ is the most important aspect of our lives. We cannot evangelize in a way that does not promote relationship with Christ. We cannot teach doctrine and morality, forgetting about the One who taught us those morals. So, while LCI’s classes in catechism and theology are important for intellectual formation, knowing the Person of Christ is really the key.
Our most useful tool in getting to know Jesus is the scriptures. LCI makes prayer with Scriptures (Lectio Divina) and Bible Study central to our formation. Each week, we break into men’s and women’s groups to study Scripture, led this semester by our CMC missionaries, Matthew and Hannah Ketcham.
Studying Scripture and making it a part of our daily life helps us grow closer to Him and learn about his life. Everything in the Bible orients itself to Christ so everything we read reveals a little bit of Christ to us.
LCI student Nikita from Russia comments, “I have never studied the Bible before, so it’s a new experience. It’s interesting, and a good way to find common ground to communicate with the others. We each share our own views, and for the same Bible verse everyone has his own perspective.”