GEORGETOWN, Texas – The women of Crestview Baptist Church in Georgetown, Texas, have experienced salvations, freedom from addiction, and healed relationships following a 12-week Experiencing God group study last spring.
“It was a good study,” Julie Krueger, the volunteer women’s ministry coordinator at Crestview Baptist Church, said. “I think what amazes me is there was such a broad spectrum of women that were drawn to the study.”
More than 100 women began the course, and most completed all 12 sessions. Many of the participants were long-time Christians who experienced a renewed vigor in their walk with God. Others had little prior experience in an evangelical setting.
Krueger shared that one attendee was a practicing Jew. Her husband, a retired firefighter suffering from PTSD, had struggled to find healing until someone invited him to a men’s Bible study at the church. Seeing the transformation in her husband’s life, the woman decided to investigate.
“The first night she walked in and said, ‘I’m just going to tell you. I’m a practicing Jewish woman, and I’m coming because my husband has decided to become a Christian. I’m
trying to understand this and have an open mind,’” Krueger recalled.
True to her word, the woman participated in the sessions each week, listening intently and asking deep questions as she sought to better understand the teachings.
“You could see as God peeled the scales off her eyes,” Krueger said. “She realized that God wasn’t just on a pedestal or on a throne. He was someone she could have a personal relationship with.”
The woman has since committed her life to Christ and attends worship services every Sunday with her husband and children.
Another participant was a devout Catholic who came to the meetings with a neighbor. She had never previously done a Bible study. During one session, she broke down in tears as she shared that she thought she could only receive forgiveness for her sins through her priest. She was overwhelmed by the teaching that she could have a personal relationship with God.
Krueger posits that what makes the Experiencing God message powerful is that it is so intensely personal. Several participants felt God prompting them to reconnect with estranged family members. One attendee experienced freedom from addiction.
“There was a great healing that took place during the study,” Krueger said. “You’re not just learning Bible doctrine. You’re not learning what Scriptures say. You’re experiencing them. I think that the passion and the drive I have because of this study is understanding the Bible is not just God’s law but God’s voice speaking to me. That has been such a powerful thing. I foresee that we’re going to be doing this again soon, because everybody’s asking me, ‘When are we going to do Experiencing God again!’”
