Each week hubby and I are among about a dozen people, who meet one evening to discuss questions pertaining to the previous Sunday sermon, pray and enjoy time together.
This small group in our church is the first in over twenty years that hubby and I have attended together, after years of children’s schedules, ‘his’ or ‘her’ small groups, hubby leading groups or ‘we’ just not making it work we get to attend (not lead), together. It has been amazing to attend and participate in this group, as group members, not as leaders.
Sometimes people attend church for many years (like over twenty) and they don’t make the effort to attend such a group. I guess ‘they’ (we) think that they get their fill of spiritual input on Sunday, or that they (we) don’t have time.
Though it’s only been a few weeks, I’d love to share what I am learning about small groups:
- the discussions can broaden your understanding of the Bible
- praying for each other, even if you just met them, is such an honor
- being prayed by others, even if you just met them (maybe especially so), is so humbling
- it is mentally, spiritually and socially challenging and nurturing
- it is an opportunity to experience what is meant by “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17)
- they may be ‘small’ but they are not without value
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another …” Hebrews 10:24-25
What a joy to have re-discovered the enjoyment of attending a small group. To be in a place, with a group of others who just want to mutually learn, challenge, encourage … to spur each other on … there is truly nothing small about that.
itsawonderfilledlife 