o lifegroup, how I missed you

I knew that I was missing lifegroup, but tonight was a stunning reminder to me of how good and necessary community is.  I believe that I may have mentioned something about the world’s greatest lifegroup before.  After a summer affected by vacations and graduations, internships and relocations, after a month of Wednesday nights spent prayerwalking around downtown 16801, lifegroup was back in action tonight.

Here’s how it works for us, at least in its present form:  A bunch of people show up between 7 & 7:15.  Some bring kids; some bring food; some are in college; some are empty-nesters.  Sometimes we worship with singing; sometimes we play silly run-around games.  About 8 we make some announcements and divide into smaller groups.  This makes discussion and getting to know each other better/easier.  We spend the next block of time talking about (again, at least in present form) the sermon series.  We have a discussion guide, but we’re certainly open to veering down a path less-traveled.

My small group was beautiful tonight.  Some of the folks are returning from last year, others are brand new.  Some of the veterans brought friends for the first time tonight.  Other newbies found their way to the group.  We talked about hopelessness, and they shared deep hurts and holes.  We talked about the gift of salvation and they shared about redemption, forgiveness, healing.  We talked about being God’s masterpiece, and they shared about God’s call on their lives, both long-term and short-term, both definite and undefined.  We closed with prayer and a reminder to be praying for the people in our group.  Some of the folks didn’t want to leave…they lingered, sharing more laughter and story.

It was a beautiful thing to watch tonight.  Strangers felt welcomed and accepted, so much so that deep things could be safely shared.  Words of hope and affirmation were spoken.  Dreams and hurts were revealed, and with each tumble through the lips the lack of clarity seemed to weigh less, seemed to be more tolerable, seemed to be less daunting.

And all of this happened in a room full of relative strangers.

There’s a principle at work here: Even among people we don’t know very well, when we are able to share from our heart, to be vulnerable and trust others with our story, with our pain, God is able to use them to encourage and minister to us.

Every person needs to have a group of people who will love, encourage, and walk through life with him/her.  We need to grow smaller as a church, as a body, if we are going to be healthy as we grow larger.

I can’t wait to hear how the other breakout groups fared tonight.  I loved the time I got to spend with folks and absolutely expect God to be speaking to them throughout the coming week.