This marks one year that I have been on staff at FBC in my primary role as advocate and planner for
groups. During the year, I shared, many times, and in many ways, with different audiences and with the
church as-a-whole, about the importance of groups. Following is a brief reprise of some key group ideas
and happenings.

• 70% of Americans (acc. to Gallup) say that churches are not meeting their needs. What’s
  missing, they said includes:
  1) Meaning and purpose in life
  2) Community and deeper relationships
  3) Being appreciated and respected
  4) Listened to and heard
  5) Practical help
  6) Spiritual and personal growth
  These needs are best met in a nurturing small group!
• Many churches, today, have some small groups, but few churches are made up of small groups.
  That is, few churches have a majority of their membership in small groups. At FBC, less
  than 20% of our regular worship attenders are in small groups on Sunday or during the week.
• There several great word pictures of the New Testament church – metaphors about why God
  wants us to connect with one another. The Bible says that that being spiritually connected
  means: we’re joined in a body (the local church); we’re born into a family ( the church,
  universal) and we’re attached to a vine (i.e. Jesus).
• Small groups provide the optimal environment for life change. Significant relationships occur
  best in the context of a small group of believers who love one another with God’s love, where
  we can experience the Christ life at its deepest level, in small groups.
• Our number one mission as Christians is to share our faith with those who do not know Jesus.
  An ultimate goal for being in a small group is to encourage and help equip us to tell the Good
  News that brought us to Christ. Unfortunately, the number one reason Christians don’t share
  Christ with others is that they are too preoccupied with themselves and their interests.
• A good bit of what goes on in small groups is (or should be) about spiritual growth.
  There are several myths related to Spiritual growth:
  MYTH: Growth can be instant  – FACT: It is a gradual process
  MYTH: Growth comes by attending church – FACT: It comes by developing habits
  MYTH: You can attain growth by yourself – FACT: You can’t grow without others
  MYTH: You can measure growth by beliefs – FACT: It has to include behavior
• Groups are about community, care and discipleship, but, a healthy group is also about ministry.
  Ministry is to people in the church, is to people outside the church.
• Every member of a group needs to discover, develop and deploy their God given
  Desire Experiences Spiritual Gifts. Individual Style Growth Natural Abilities for ministry for the
  good of the body (1 Cor. 12:7; Eph.2:10)). service/ ministry (John 13:4-5).
• Being part of a small group in a church is about belonging, just as to be a Christian is not about
  doing, it is about being. To understand belonging we have to first understand fellowship.
  Mathew 9:36 says, “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they
  were …sheep without a shepherd.” We need to see people through Jesus’ eyes. Fellowship is
  not just about a meeting.
• When the apostle Paul said farewell to the Ephesian elders, he said. “I don’t care about my life.
  The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work the Lord Jesus gave me – to
  tell people the Good News about God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NCV) Evangelism is sharing the good
  news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him. Relational evangelism
  involves the privilege and responsibility of working with God and representing Him to others,
  and it is a responsibility that all Christians share.
• Over the years, I have been a member of several churches that have small groups. They are
  called, variously, growth groups, connection groups, community, and several other names. Our
  goal is to start many more small groups, to the point where we have 40-50% of our Sunday
  morning worship attendance in (doing life together) small groups.
• Purpose Driven Small Group functions around the purposes (DNA) of the church. We Worship
  mostly on Sunday mornings, but groups worship too, (e.g. when they pray). The New Testament
  church not only worshipped, t(hey met regularly in the Temple courts and in their homes; they
  praised God together), but they devoted themselves to God’s word and to fellowship. They ate
  and prayed together. They took care of one another. As a result, their community was changed,
  as people were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47). They did LIFE together.
• In August and September, potential and current group leaders were invited to four sessions of
  training about LIFE Groups. On Sunday, October 1 we had a Join-a Group Expo, after worship, in
  the Narthex, where most of 28 people found their way into a LIFE Group.
• We now have study guides, with discussion questions so that individuals or groups can watch Pastor
  Glen’s sermons of “What kind of church are we?” on our U-tube page and then “unpack” and apply
  them. You can download the guides from our Life Group page, soon. We’ll be doing the same for
  current and future sermon series.

On December 31, Pastor Phil preached about getting a new perspective and a paradigm shift – things I
want to see for FBC. This may well, as Phil said in his sermon, require “unfreezing” moves related to
habits and perspectives. I hope that more and more, we can “open up” to new ways God will want to
use us, especially with our group life.

Pastor Glen has finished a great sermon series addressing the important question – “What kind of church are we?” Along the way, other important questions were raised, directly or indirectly, from scriptures. Following are a few you might consider:

We are a Christ-focused church.

• What are some ways we give Jesus first place in our lives?
• How can we stand fast in our faith?

We are a connected church. (Psalm 133)

• What things in our lives are good, but not pleasant (vice versa)?
• What does it mean for us to do life together? What does that look like?

We are a church for the ages. (Psalm 145:1-70)

• How can exalt God for his past care and blessings, and yet, look forward to what He has planned for us?
• How can we best connect with other generations?
• What might our church look like in another hundred plus years?

We are a generous church. (1 Kings 17)

• How would you have responded to Elijah’s demand to provide for him first?
• When was a time in your life when you felt like you had reached the end of your rope?
• How did God meet your need?

We are a growing church. (Acts 2:42-47)

• What made the early church so appealing?
• What do you devote yourself to on a daily basis?
• What aspect of the early church do you most desire for your group/ our church?

We are a joyful church. (Acts 2:42-47)

• What are motivations to be joyful?
• What takes away your joy? What do you lack in dealing with trials?

We are His church. (Acts 2:42-47; Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28)

• What was significant about Peter’s confession?
• What does it mean to keep watch?
• What does it mean that Christ’s church will “prevail.”

These are just some of the discussion questions from the study guides I have put together so that individuals or groups can watch the sermons on our YouTube page and then “unpack” and apply them. You’ll be able to download the study guides from our Life Group page, soon. We’ll be doing the same for future sermon series.

Last Sunday Pastor Glen preached on Acts 2:42-47. There is a lot going on in that passage. The early church was devoting themselves to hearing the apostles teaching (i.e. learning discipleship). They met together in the temple Courts (large group worship). They took care of each other’s needs (ministered to the body). They excitedly shared their faith in Jesus with friends and people they met (relational evangelism). And, they, regularly, met in their homes to eat and enjoy each other’s company (fellowship). As a result, thousands of people were impressed and came to saving faith in Christ. Most small groups in, most churches today, pretty-well practice the fellowship, worship, and discipleship parts. They, occasionally, do a fair job in the ministry department; the evangelism part, not so much. That’s what the researchers tell us.

We have a lot going on here at FBC. Our church “mission” says that we gather to: “meet GOD, connect with one another, and embrace opportunities to impact our world for the good.” The more we embrace and implement the practices (purposes) of the first-century church, the more we will be like them and see similar results. We are encouraging our Life Groups (and any others) to do this. We want to (and will) add more groups, include more people, grow more spiritually and impact our community more.

We had a good experience at our Life Groups Expo last month. In the early spring, we are planning for a Life Group Fest – a celebration of all things Life Groups – stay tuned. In addition, we will institute classes related to discipleship, ministry and faith sharing. These studies will also be available for groups to use, along with training for leaders. Again, stay tuned.

Back to Glen’s preaching: following his current sermon series, a study guide will be available for each sermon about What Kind of Church Are We?” Individuals and groups will be to watch the sermons online and do applications. Try it out.

I’ve often wondered what it must have been like to be part of the early church. The Bible says that the New Testament church devoted themselves to God’s word and to fellowship. They ate and prayed together. They took care of one another. They met regularly in the Temple courts and in their homes. They praised God together. As a result, their community was changed, as people were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47). They did LIFE together.

Guess what? We have that same opportunity today. We meet weekly to worship and we can be part of a group that does the things that they did in the first century (and beyond).

Jesus commanded us to serve and love one another (John 13:14-16, 34) The apostle Paul admonished us to grow strong together in Christ (Colossians 2:2) He said we should we should help one another (Galatians 6:2, 10). The apostle John encouraged us to have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:3).

This Sunday you will have an opportunity to talk to LIFE group members and to get plugged into a group just for you. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, we’ll help you get plugged into a new group. I know that many of our folks are in an Adult Bible Study class/group on Sunday AM. That doesn’t prevent getting involved in a weekday LIFE group.

Meet us in the Narthex after the Worship service. GET GROUPED.

Come to the Group Fair
Well, that’s what I’ve called it. Someone called it an “expo.” Whatever you call it, it’s going to happen on Sunday, October 1. What is it? You’ll have a great opportunity to check out all our LIFE Groups (current and new). Come down the Narthex, before and after worship, and see where you might like to plug in. Everyone should be part of a loving, accepting, caring, growing group that does life together.

You’re Invited
If you have ever thought about leading a small group, or have led a group, join us for 4 sessions of training about how to lead a LIFE Group. New group leaders and current group leaders and folks just checking out what healthy small groups are all about, will be learning together, starting on Wednesday, September 13, from 6:00-7:00pm, in Room 10.

We had a great GROUPER gathering of about 40 people this past Tuesday evening. We had a great meal and experienced some good fellowship and we had we had some informative discussion. Following is the essence of our plan and what we talked about.

We’ll be using the new term “LIFE Groups”…living life together. One of our goals is to increase LIFE Group participation from 20% of church membership to 40%. We’re going to develop and maintain a LIFE Group database to include who is in which group. In September, we plan to roll out an informational and sign up campaign to include Sunday sermon series by Pastor Money. In that same regard, we will be providing Sunday sermon lesson guides for Life Groups to use in their meetings and discussions. We also need to develop 6-8 new groups to fill “holes” that exist in the present selection of Sunday morning classes and existing LIFE Groups. Starting mid-September, we will be providing training for new and existing LIFE Group leaders. We are now putting together a support team for LIFE Groups. I’d be glad to talk to some of you about that. Finally, we are assembling a library of study materials for LIFE Groups to use during their meetings.

It was suggested that we could build groups out of existing ministries such as Food Pantry, Home Rangers, and Faith Community Nurses. It was asked how evangelism fits into the LIFE Group process. This is one of the foundational components and major roles of LIFE Groups, that is helping and encouraging each other in sharing our faith; see my previous blog on this topic. It was pointed out that Sunday morning classes have members, who are part of separate other groups, and, that there are others who could be a LIFE Group. There was general discussion of group size and it was stressed that some groups may need to split so that meetings are more personal and more encouraging for sharing, (15-18 people in a group is too many). It was also suggested that lists of potential LIFE group people to be contacted, be provided so that personal and telephone contacts may be made. One current group leader shared that he had invited neighbors to attend their meetings and they had now become active group members. That’s what it’s all about. Another current group member mentioned a family member’s experience, in Ohio, where they are provided with information each week based on the previous Sunday sermon. We’ll be doing that. It was suggested that when we see someone sitting alone in church that we approach them and sit with them and invite them to join a group.

Please be in prayer about your role in helping all the above come to pass.

A Purpose Driven Small Group functions around the purposes of the church. The group represents the DNA of the church. We do Worship mostly on Sunday mornings, but groups worship too, when they pray, when they discuss ways to surrender to God, when they study about fasting. Groups enhance Fellowship by celebrating birthdays or look for ways to spend fun time together. Groups practice fellowship when new people are invited in. Groups grow in Discipleship by choosing to study topics that stretch them and expand their horizons of spirituality. Sharing with each other the struggles in their lives and having the group help find ways to grow is discipleship at its best. Ministry is developed when group members help each other discover God’s design for them through spiritual gifts, life experiences, individual personality, and natural abilities. Groups can give everyone opportunities to serve within the church and meet needs in the community. Groups can study about personal Evangelism and help each other share their faith stories with friends, family and acquaintances. Groups can regularly pray for the lost in each other’s sphere of influence.

Going forward, we will continue to emphasize these purposes as we start L.I.F.E. Groups and for existing groups that wish to become more Purpose oriented.

I have been a member of several other churches that have small groups. They are called variously: growth groups, connection groups, community groups (ours currently), and several other names. Our goal is to start many more small groups, in the fall and beyond, to the point where we have 40-50% of our Sunday morning worship attendance in small groups.

Before I go much further, let me talk about the term “small groups.” By small, we mean 8 to 12 people. Why? Because, if a group gets bigger than 12, the dynamic of interaction changes and two things generally follow. First, some people feel intimidated by the size and are reluctant to open up to sharing, especially personal things. Second, as the group gets larger, many people don’t ask or answer questions about the subject being studied, and the same 4 or 5 folks do all the talking.

Now, back to the name thing. I (and many other group “experts”) believe that the name “connection” seems to say only a beginning place beyond worship attendance, and “community” sounds a little vague and non-descriptive. “Growth” might indicate that it is all about spiritual development and discipleship.

I want to call all those groups we’re going to start, LIFE groups, because groups especially as we find them in the New Testament, are about doing life together.

There is an anagram that says it: Living In Faith Every Day.  The point is that groups should do more than meet every Sunday or twice a month, during the week for study and fellowship and prayer. They should be sharing their own lives by caring for each other, encouraging each other and helping to equip one another. LIFE groups also share in the life of the church, exhibiting its DNA, as they live together.

When the apostle Paul said farewell to the Ephesian elders, he said. “I don’t care about my life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work the Lord Jesus gave me – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NCV) Evangelism is sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him. Evangelism involves the privilege of working with God and representing Him to others, and it is a responsibility that all Christians share.

To share means I care about those in my sphere of influence. An acrostic shows how it works:

Capitalize on common ground – a place to begin.
Accept people where they are – not where you want them be.
Risk sharing your own personal story – What Christ has done for you.
Expect God to do His part – only the Holy Spirit can draw people to God.

The Great Commission was given to every follower of Jesus. As we “go about” we are to make disciples for Jesus. It is not the Great Suggestion. You and I are the only Christian some people will ever know. Groups need to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth workers (from among them). Groups can encourage one another to be sensitive to the needs of their own relational neighborhood. Groups can serve together in their local community, and then share what they have learned from the experience. A group can adopt an unreached people group – pray, give, send. They can be willing to support a local or regional mission outreach, or join with a national or overseas mission team.

Evangelism has eternal significance and is the only purpose you can’t do in heaven.

I’ve talked about groups being about community, care and discipleship, and they are certainly those things. But, a healthy group is also about ministry. Ministry is to people in the church, Missions (Evangelism) is to people outside the church (I’ll say more about that next time).
Every member of a group needs to discover, develop and deploy their God given assignment for ministry for the good of the body (1 Cor. 12:7; Eph2:10)). God has created each of us with special design for service. Groups need to cultivate people with a heart and belief for that special place and way of service/ ministry (John 13:4-5). You will never arrive at the state in life where you’re too important to help with menial tasks.
There are some things you do in a group, not because you are gifted, but because you are part of a family. Read Galatians 6:4 in the Message translation. Your design reveals your ministry, but your servant’s heart will reveal your maturity.