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Why Life Groups? An explanation of the importance of home meetings. Small groups, we have found, is the best way for the members of Christ’s body to exercise themselves towards spiritual growth and maturity. Larger Sunday services often do not allow the time or place for every member gathered to exercise their spiritual gift, to testify or to minister to others. And yet it is imperative that every member of Christ’s body function in their capacities for the strengthening of the church in its entirety. Small groups serve as a place where every Christian can function for their growth in life. A gathering, small enough to allow each believer to share, testify, ask questions, share experiences, etc. helps all who are gathered to touch a fullness of life in God’s Spirit that can not be obtained on our own. God’s life, flowing from His Spirit into ours, will deepen within each member as we contact the Lord in an honest way in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters. This setting of genuine relationships is the best context for believers to experience a flow of spiritual life from Christ the Head that refreshes all that are part of the fellowship. As we listen and share what God's Spirit is doing in our lives with others of similar heart, there is a flow of God’s life that infuses, permeates and saturates all who share the same spiritual journey. In Christ’s body, relationships are essential for our spiritual maturity. And there is no better way of learning about another person than to share life experiences in the context of open, honest dialogue. How we are in our homes best reflects the real honesty of our human living. Very often people will put on masks at work or in social settings that do not reflect the true character of a person. In the home, we are well known by our family members and friends. Here we see the real person. It is in this setting that we best share our true life -- both the struggles and the testimonies-- with others. And it is the reason we advocate small group ministry. People join small groups for all sorts of reasons, but Jesus said that
there is only one reason to gather that meets with His unique presence
and blessing: “gather IN MY NAME….” To gather in the
Lord’s Name is, first of all, not to gather in our own name. In
other words, we do not gather for our interests, our goals, our ambitions,
etc. To gather “in His Name” means we gather “in Him”
as our life -- with His goals, His intentions and His interests as the
reason of our gathering. As we re-learn how to “gather” as
the Lord instructs us to, we will find that the church life is only genuine
means of true spiritual growth. Our Mandate: "To produce fully devoted followers of Christ" Our mandate is simply to facilitate the life-change in people that comes
from the infusion of God's life -- changes in lifestyle and heart that
reflect the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures: |
"To ather believer’s together in vital groups (of 2-12 people) for the purpose of fellowship, mutual edification and developing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.”
"Small groups provide the optimal environment for the life-change Jesus Christ intends for every believer" Significant relationships that are effective in influence and effect occur best in the context of smaller groups. Connecting people in small groups is not an optional sub-ministry in the church. The church is the sum total of its smallest units, just like cells make up the human body. Scriptures: Some of the advantages for meeting as a small group:
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