Here’s an excerpt from a book I’m glancing over: it paints a picture of small groups that I find attractive. Do you like the sound of this? Every follower of Christ needs such a supporting environment. Food for thought!
“I’ve just come from a small group gathering where real life was being shared, lived, prayed and planned, and where both emotions and intellect were challenged. It is a typical Christian small group. The reason we gather is to experience life together, expecting Jesus Christ to be present and participate. We gathered in the home of a group member. We met for two hours. One couple was traveling on vacation and not able to be present. We prayed for their safety and rest. One spouse was not there. She was studying for exams. We prayed for her health, endurance and clarity of mind. One man just found out he may lose his job of twenty years. We prayed for him to experience God’s purpose and vocation. Another couple revealed that they were having some of the best years of their lives. We thanked God for the grace of their lives together. A woman described her frustration because her new business was so slow in getting started. We prayed for her to have patience and perseverance. As we told our stories, shared our pain, assessed our common humanity, dreamed, hoped, held hands, and gave each other hugs of greeting and goodby, we thanked God for the freedom and opportunity to gather as friends in face-to-face relationships, to speak the truth, to demonstrate love and to share faith in Christ. Nothing spectacular happened. But heaven was clearer. God was closer. And Jesus was more real. Thank you, Lord, for a small group of real people who love me.”
Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical Foundations for Small Group Ministry : An Integrative Approach (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1994).