Connection within Community: Church Small Groups

Connection within Community: Church Small Groups
Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, defines connection as “a state of being knit or fastened together.” In this definition, a bond is formed. All the way back to Genesis, we learn that human beings were not created to be alone (Genesis 2:18). When God created Eve, it was so that Adam would have a helpmate and not be alone. God knew community was vital to the Garden of Eden.  

The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul spent significant portions of their ministries teaching on unity and community within a local church. The Church is Jesus’s body (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 4:15-16). Paul Alexander stated, “For a believer to say that he/she loves Jesus while showing indifference to community within a local church is actually offensive to King Jesus.” Christians need community within their local church.

Since the fall of man, every local church has been imperfect. This does not give us permission to do life alone as a Christian. I grew up hearing how the “lone ranger Christian” was not a desired way to live life, and now I definitely agree with that statement. There have been dark times in my life that I would not have survived on my own, but the community of believers in my local church was there to support me. Paul Alexander stated, “We cannot truthfully say that we love Jesus while we are embarrassed to be seen with Him in public as He embodies Himself in a yet-to-be-glorified church.”

The first individuals to reach out to me during those dark times were members of my small group. As we were living life together as a group, the members of my small group were sensitive to my needs. When problems arose, the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5-9) went into action. As best as I could tell, none of them provided support for recognition or to make themselves feel good. They responded with love and care because it was their “priestly” duty. Some of them contacted us (my wife and I) to let us know they were praying for us. Others visited the house to give wise counsel and pray with us. Some of them even brought food to our house. One Christian brother took me out for coffee multiple times so that we could talk through life’s struggles. Shedding tears over coffee with a fellow Christian proved to be very beneficial for both of us.

In our current small group at Cornerstone, we have a sense of belonging to what feels like extended family members. We meet on a nearly weekly basis and “break bread” together (food is an important part of our group!). We also talk about the joys and struggles in our lives. We discuss sermons we are hearing at church to learn what the Bible is trying to teach us through our pastors. We share our prayer concerns and pray for each other throughout the week. God has allowed us to participate in acts of service by serving at a local city park installing playground equipment and by feeding a group of individuals from Celebrate Recovery. This small group is not just weekly event on Wednesday night, it is a daily part of our lives. The connection or “bond” we share is strong, through the power of Jesus. I cannot imagine what life would look like now without my small group.

In my own experience, God has shown me that one of the most effective ministries within His church is small groups. His design for community within the local church is not something new. Community within the church is not a 21st century idea. God’s design for community within the local church is actually thousands of years old. The first church—its growth, doctrine, and practices—were recorded for us in the New Testament, primarily in the Book of Acts and in the Apostle Paul’s epistles. This church was doing many things right, within small groups of believers, and God was faithful to their ministry. New life in Christ was abounding in that group of believers. God’s favor was with them, and “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

I cannot say it any better than the way it is stated on gotquestions.org. It says, “God knows we are fragile creatures who need constant reminders of what we are supposed to do. A small group is a key tool to help with this. Regularly meeting with a committed group of believers allows us to reinforce the core of what we believe so we can live it out, learn more about God, and maintain the strength to serve others. Churches shouldn’t have small groups to gather more people or follow the next big trend. They should have small groups when and if they are the best way to make and develop disciples of Christ.”

So if you know of a healthy church with strong Christian service fleshed out by dedicated men and women of God, you will most likely find active and dedicated small groups within that church. Small groups can definitely be a place where believers recharge and share how God is working. To love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves is a command from Jesus (Mark 12:30-31). Jesus did not make this optional. One way we can freely love our neighbors is within a church small group.

What are some things God is calling you to think about for 2024? Could God be calling you into action by joining a small group within your church? If so, would your joining and serving in a small group strengthen your Christian walk? Is God calling you to see how you can be more involved with the community inside your local church? The answer to all these questions is this: Step out in faith, and give it a try to see what God can do!

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