Bible study ... with a difference

Last night I went with a friend, T, to a Bible study at Zac's Place.

Zac's Place, run by Sean Stillman, is a 'church for ragamuffins', those on the edge of church or society. It used to meet on Sunday evenings in a pub but now has its own premises and runs a soup kitchen as well as study and drop-in times.

Its 'congregation' is made up of bikers, Big Issue sellers, people with mental health problems and their like. I've wanted to go along and support for a long time but last night was the first occasion that I managed to get there.

I was very pleased T was with me when we arrived and had to walk through a crowd of burly tattooed bikers standing outside the door smoking and talking. There were more inside.

And we were made very welcome.

The Bible study started, this week with its focus on prayer.

There were a lot of vocal characters in the crowd and very differing opinions were expressed. It was fantastic to hear one muscly biker, covered in tattoos, saying he didn't pray to God as such; it was more of a chat as he walked down the road or rode his bike. 'If you see me walking along with my lips moving that's what I'm doing,' he said. 'Talking to God.'

They discussed swearing when you spoke to God and honesty and being yourself and respect and awe. And Sean let everyone speak and made everyone feel valued and valid.

In amongst the group of about 20 there were long-time Christians and not-yet Christians, church workers and ex-prisoners, and everyone showed respect for each other.

I'd been concerned that I, as an ordinary, middle-class, educated female, would feel awkward or not be wanted there but I felt perfectly at ease and comfortable.

Sean has done a fantastic groundwork over a lot of years and it's starting to pay off. Not that he'd say he was out there to convert people. His work is built on his love of God and being Jesus in the community, building relationships, being there. He is one of my heroes.