I want to invite you to take a radical step in your relationship with God and with other followers of Jesus. It’s not for the faint of heart…
Well…yes it is.
It is totally for the faint of heart and for the strong at heart.
In fact, it is one of the most central components of a healthy heart with God and His Church.
In a couple of weeks, we will be kicking off fall small groups, and if you take advantage of all that they have to offer, you will find that they can absolutely change your life.
Here’s why…
1. It is not good to do life alone. In fact, God said just that in Genesis 2:18. Our culture is constantly shifting and one of the most destructive shifts that we are experiencing is the propensity to DISengage from others. Our busy-ness and fatigue is constantly pushing us to disconnect, stay at home, and miss the power of intentional relationships.
2. The biblical model of discipleship is in community. Just read the first couple of chapters of Acts! You can definitely learn and grow in your own personal time with God. In fact, it is crucial that you have those BUT, Jesus and the early church are continually pointing us to the power of growing in community with others. Groups take you to a level of discipleship that is much deeper than can even be accomplished by attending every Sunday morning.
3. Groups help create a God ordained rhythm. Groups happen regularly. You must block off time for them. You know what to expect from each group session AND you were created to live in that kind of rhythm! This is why God instructed us to take a sabbath, because he foreknew that we would eventually run ourselves to death if we didn’t create healthy rhythms to stop, reassess, breathe and grow.
4. God wants to speak to you. He does that in so many ways! He can speak to you through the Bible and prayer. He can speak to you through a sunset or a walk on the beach. God speaks in our turmoil and anguish. He often speaks most loudly through others who are walking hand in hand with Christ and with you. Your group members and leaders are conduits to hear from God in ways that you won’t if you are walking alone.
5. God wants to speak THROUGH YOU! Group is not just for you to glean some new spiritual truth. Just as God speaks through others in the group to you, He will use you and your involvement to speak to others. That is part of the amazing power of community! You can not fully experience God’s work in your life until you experience God working in the lives of others through you.
6. Intentional visionary relationships are crucial. We all have relationships, but intentional ones that are helping each other to experience God more deeply are crucial and different from the person we like to hang out with but never truly challenge each other to grow spiritually, emotionally, or in our walk with Christ.
The first step is simply to sign up. You can do that below or click here. Just fill out the 10 second form and share any preferences that you have. We will be in touch and match you with a group. If you want to be in a group with someone specific, you can do that, too! You can even choose your leader if you want or we will help match you with a group that meets your schedule.
Groups are incredibly powerful tools in our lives but they do require commitment. You will have days that you would rather stay home, eat a pint of ice cream, watch the game, or just take a nap in your favorite chair. Those are all good things, but they will never take you farther than you are right now and you will not make a sustainable and significant difference in someone else’s life.
I hope you will join us this semester and experience the power of groups in your life!
Mark Love
Lead Pastor