I love my small group. I’m not just saying that because I’m the pastor and I’m supposed to. Sure, I have weeks where I barely get everything together in time to attend small group in the first place. But within minutes of the group starting, I’m overwhelmed; not by the stress of another activity on the schedule, but by the sheer blessing of redemptive relationships. The small group I attend isn’t made up of a bunch of long-time friends or people who naturally have a lot in common. In fact, my group is quite varied in age, occupation, experiences, and life stage. And I think it’s better that way. Despite all of our differences, the gospel has drawn us together and freed us to be transparent with one another. Like any relationship, this didn’t happen from day one but has gradually grown as we submit to God and He uses us in one another’s lives. And the growth I’ve witnessed has been incredible.
3 Reasons I Love My Small Group:
1. Time in God’s Word
First of all, discussing God’s word always provides a mixed bag of possible outcomes. You could have the awkward interaction where no one speaks up…ever. It’s can be so quiet after a question is asked that you could hear a pin drop. This makes the leader feel awkward, so he tries to fill the silence with his own thoughts and the conversation trails off from there. Have you been there? Or you could have the group where one person pretty much takes over the conversation as if it were a monologue and not a dialogue.
But all that is simply a natural part of trying to start a conversation with people of different personalities and backgrounds. Personally, I’m learning to embrace the messiness of this reality. But more than that, I’ve learned that this reality seems to fix itself by God’s grace in time as comfort is built in relationships. I’ve loved watching our discussions turn into full-blown corporate conversations where everyone participates.
