1. To Make Our Faith Real

Jesus never said Christianity was a "Spectator" Sport. In our small groups we have the time and place to meet on an individual level, to "connect" in our faith with others in the real, day to day experiences in what it means to be a Christian. The church is not a building, a service, or a theatre to go watch a service; it ultimately is the fellowship of believers who make up the church, "the body of Christ!"

Our Worship services are wonderful and have an important role, but much of what the Bible teaches about what we are to do and be as Christians can not be fulfilled there. We are told to:

Encourage one another, share one another's burdens, share our faith, pray for one another, fellowship together, etc. The church needs to be structured in such a way as to accommodate this. Regardless of the size our church grows to we are always to be personally connected, loved, cared for individually.

Take a log from the camp fire and set it out by itself. You will see it's fire die down and eventually go out. Alone you will see your faith dwindle. Together in fellowship you will constantly see how God is working in everyone's life and keep a vital and strong faith for your contemporary world.

The loneliest place is in a crowd. God doesn't want you to be alone, but to make friends. Trust levels are real and can only develop by spending time with people who are good and trust-worthy. Growth Groups are a way to get to know, and like people.

Unless we are developing in a love for one another, our faith and love of God are a sham! I John 4:20 says, "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." True Christianity will find people sharing their faith in their homes as well as in a public service. Ex. Acts 2:46; 20:20

Our Growth Groups are a time also for study, but not just to listen but to interact. As we share our individual insights and experiences we often experience a "Living Bible" study, where it comes from our hearts and lives. We often have different themes and lessons running in our different FGs. God tells us we are suppose to: ”grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we grow in love for God and one another, grow in faith and knowledge, start seeking and praying in God's will we start growing in spiritual power. As we minister to one another and are ministered to by others and by God we will grow in faith and spiritual power. God commands us to "Be filled with the Spirit" Eph.5:19. We are to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. I Cor. 14:1 We are to employ these spiritual gifts in ministry to one another Rom. 12 & I Cor 14.

How can we know how to pray for another or minister to one another if we don't even know others, their children, jobs, fears, concerns, joys, needs, prayer requests? Not only do we pray for more personalized needs but as we are together we know more specifically about what is happening in our church and how to pray for our church.

We can do so much more together than we can alone. We also use our Growth Groups as a way to share and work together in the church. Each leader is connected to our Elder's board and we have input and outgo therefore from each group. We know there is a spiritual warefare and we are not ignorant of Satan's devices. Therefore we take an aggressive effort to stand together in our church through our fellowship groups to pray and minister with a united front in the will of God.

A church is only as strong as its people are in faith and trusted relationship together. God teaches us in the New Testament that while each one of us is different and has different abilities, personalities and styles, we are all to be a working "Body of Christ". Formally when Jesus ministered he could only be in one place at one time; now by His people working in unity through His Spirit He can have a present and powerful presence in our world today. We are to be a Spirit-filled, obedient people working in unity in fellowship and ministry for His sake.

As God brought out the Israelites from slavery to go into the promised land, we read that the "stragglers" (Duet. 25:18) were the ones who became victims of enemies as they were not close in with the people. Many Christians today, go to church service, but keep apart from the fellowship of the church and stay at a distance. To keep yourself safe and strong, become involved in the fellowship and ministry of the people of God through the Fellowship Groups.

For all of the reasons above and many more, in order to be specifically obedient to God, we need to be doing what he says; the Growth Groups are a way of doing, practically, what God tells us to do.

Going to Growth Groups becomes a step in humility! Are you willing to humble yourself to fellowship with common people? It is like saying, "I need God, and the fellowship of His people." Maybe you can learn something from others. Maybe taking pride in being a "Lone Ranger" is your idea and not God's. Romans 12:16 says, “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”

It is a question of obedience! Are we going to be living out what God has told us to do and be.

It is a question of effectiveness! If we do things God's way, we will be a blessed and effective church!

It is a question of love, joy and blessing! If we walk with God's people in His ways we will reap the blessings.