i have been in some sort of small group Bible study for many years now.
i was in one when i was College age.
i lead one after i got married and i was helping with the youth at our church.
i was in one with the young adults.
i was in one when our young adults group split and we moved in for Dan to lead the study at another group.
after we led the study the leader of the group left and we stayed.
our current small group is the same group that has been remade...
people have left, people have come, but the core group of us have stayed.
we get together every two weeks.
we have switched nights, times and, when the study requires it, we have gone to every week.
it took me a while to feel comfortable to open up to the group - especially when new people arrive.
our group is a mixture of:
those who were raised in the protestant church.
those who were raised in the Catholic church but received Christ as their savior and now live out the Protestant faith.
those who were raised in no church and accepted Christ into their lives as adults.
those who have seen many struggles and survived them from their own persistance and determination.
those who have seen many struggles but have stayed true to their Saviour
- amidst questioning but drawing close to Him -
those who have walked away from the Christian Faith, only to make the decision to do an about face and come running back to Him.
those who have stayed close to God through their young life to question Him for a time as an adult.
those who are raising the first generation, in their family, in the church.
those who are raising the second+ generation in the church and in faith of Jesus Christ.
we are made up of a group of people from different backgrounds.
who have messed up.
who still sometimes mess up.
who are not perfect.
who like to think they're perfect but deep down know they're not.
who make mistakes.
who admit their wrongs - even if it's just to their spouses.
but we all have one thing in common.
we love Jesus Christ.
we know He is God's Son.
that He came to earth as a babe (why we celebrate Christmas).
lived as a man.
died a gruesome death after being falsely accused.
was buried in a tomb.
but... defeated death!
He rose again!
He did it for me he did it for you.
he did it for the romans who put him on the cross.
he did it for the Jews who were scared of him and his teaching.
he did it for everyone in this world.
so that we could have a personal relationship with God, and have eternal life
- going to heaven when we leave this world -
our small group is made up of people who are thankful for what he did.
who strive to live for Him each day.
we screw up... but we are forgiven.
Jesus was our sacrifice.
wanna know what i love about my small group?
i'm gonna tell you anyway, so either stop reading now or sit back and enjoy reading my thoughts.
i have been raised going to church.
my mom adores Jesus and made sure to take my brother and i to church each week.
i did sunday school, i did youth group, i volunteered,
i attended the main service, i went to the evening services,
i worked at a Christian summer camp, i went to a one year Bible college,
i worked at a mennonite camp...
i asked Jesus to come into my life when i was little.
i have been surrounded with church and churchiness for as long as i have memories.
i am in this small group now.
about half the group met Jesus when adults and the rest of us have known Him most of your lives.
i love that.
i will be honest with you right now.
telling people about Jesus scares me.
i have been immersed in the faith since i was wee,
but sharing it in words has always put an amount of fear in me...
fear i'll say the wrong thing or not know the answers...
this fear does not come from Jesus it comes from my humanity and from Satan.
i am a very relational person.
i want my daily life and actions to separate me from those who don't believe,
so they will want to know what makes me different.
i'm more comfortable to live this way...
it is not necessarily the best way...
sometimes i need to step out out of my comfort zone.
the people in my small group who met jesus as adults can see the urgency,
the importance of sharing this Jesus they adore with those around them.
they have an excitement about inviting others to things.
they have a passion to share with others.
are they afraid?
at times, yes.
but you know the difference between me and them?
they do it.
they tell others..or invite others.
i can't sleep, i sweat, i feel nauseous...
but those others.
when they tell their stories,
when i hear them get excited...
it encourages me.
i feel the same excitement.
i may have been immersed in the church,
and maybe i can answer some of their questions about the Scriptures,
i know the answer, of what i should be doing and why,
but the newer Christians...
the ones that didn't grow up in the church...
these people in my small group.
they encourage me with their passion to share with others,
as they were shared with not too long ago.
their faith in Jesus...
it's amazing to hear them talk about it.
i know it goes both ways.
there are most likely things about my life,
my knowledge in Jesus,
my long-standing faith in Him,
that encourage them.
every one of us in our small group comes from a different past.
we all have a different story before and since we fell in love with Jesus.
we all have different struggles in our faith.
some have the same struggles.
we can all encourage each other.
we can all pray for, and with, each other.
we can support each other as we travel this thing called life.
i am so thankful for my small group.
for each of the people,
the variety of personalities,
the different stages of our lives,
the different stages in our walk with Jesus.
if you are a follower of Christ i encourage you to find a small group Bible study that you can be a part of.
find one that you determine to be able to open up and share with them one day.
you do not have to share your most intimate secrets with them at the first meeting,
but as you pray together, share together, learn together,
over time you will want to share with them.
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—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
i was thinking about this as i was digging in my garden,
but had to stop to come in and write it.
this may be a mumble jumble of thoughts,
but when i was digging, i had written the most eloquent blog post...
but...
this is what you get!
