This morning I shared the Top 10 Reasons You Need to Be In a Community Group. Since many of my readers are from other churches, I thought I’d share them here as well. I did them in a Letterman counting down way, so I began with the number ten reason.
Number 10. You will be a part of a miracle. – In our short time as a church (almost 3 years) nearly 700 people from birth to adults have become involved in groups.
Number 9. Your faith will grow. – Community groups provide a system of doing life together that tremendously assists spiritual growth.
Number 8. It’s the best way to connect at Grace. – If you are not a part of group life at our church you will not feel connected to the church.
Number 7. It strengthens Grace. – As members of groups grow spiritually individually it strengthens the entire church. (I actually said I’m not sure we will be any stronger as a church than what happens Sunday through Thursday nights in home group meetings.)
Number 6 It was Jesus’ model. – In spite of the large crowds of people following Jesus He consistently pulled the 12 disciples aside to hang out with them. If Jesus placed such a value in this process, how much more should we?
Number 5 Ben Reed Needs a Job – Ben is our community group director. He’s awesome. This was intended to be comic relief, but it is true. Ben and his wife Laura are about to have their first child soon.
Number 4 You will make friends for life. – I am firmly convinced that I will know where the people I’m doing groups with are even 10 years from now, whether or not they live in this community or not. I am forming authentic, lifetime relationships.
Number 3 It’s fun! – The best belly laughs I’ve had in the last 3 years have come from groups. It’s also fun to learn common connections with people I didn’t know before.
Number 2 You will be prepared for the unexpected. We are extraverted with our online friends sometimes, but when life crashes in around us, we need friends with skin. Groups are the truest picture of the 1st Century church I know of today where everyone truly cares for each other’s needs.
Number 1 You’ll have to experience it for yourself. – I showed pictures of my recent vacation. I shared that Cheryl wanted to go with me this year to places I had been the year before. When we got there, she kept saying, “Pictures can’t do this justice.” A picture never can. A picture can’t capture the emotion of experiencing something firsthand. I can share all kinds of stories about life change from group life, but until you actually give it a chance, you’ll never really understand why it’s such a big deal to us.
You can hear the podcast of this message at the Grace Podcast Site.
