For the past couple of weeks, we’ve all been encouraged to use one of the blue signup cards to commit to a 4-week small group experience during Lent. These opportunities come around from time to time in all churches; for Messiah… at this particular time… the small group opportunity is titled: “Live Like You Were Dying.” According to the signup card, “it’s an experience that could change your life!”
You might well ask: “Yeah, right… how is meeting with a small group of people once a week for 4 weeks going to change my life?” The answer is that Christian churches everywhere recognize the awesome potential of the small group experience to connect people with the life-changing power of God’s Holy Spirit.
Simply coming to church does not connect us to God’s Holy Spirit; neither do good works, prayer, or even belief in God. So often, people find that, though they attend church religiously, they still feel empty and unsatisfied. Like the toaster in the picture, they may well be in the kitchen, but they are not plugged in. If you are not plugged into the source of power, you are not able to fulfill your purpose… whether you are a toaster… or a wonderful and unique child of God.
Plugging into God’s Spirit allows us to begin to fulfill our purpose. Becoming alive in the Spirit helps lead us to a closer walk with Christ, and a more intimate relationship with God.
So, how can we plug in? How can we tap into the power of the Holy Spirit? How can we energize our relationship with God? Simple:
- Listen; read and study God’s Word… and how it speaks to your life;
- Pray; share your daily concerns and triumphs… talk to God;
- Worship; thank, praise and glorify God;
- Fellowship; be an active part of a Christian community.
The small group experience has proven to make it easier for people to fellowship. It is far easier to learn the names of 8 people, rather than 800. Small groups of people connect better, share more, and tend to encourage, support and care for each other. They form intimate communities that study, pray, and worship together… connecting with God’s Holy Spirit.
In fellowship, God’s Word comes alive when discussed, shared, and explored by people who are connected.
In fellowship, our prayer life is energized and enhanced when we pray together. The Holy Spirit often shows us how to expand our prayers through the prayers and concerns of others.
In fellowship, we can be a blessing to others, and allow them to be a blessing to us.
When have you felt most connected to the Holy Spirit? Have you had an awesome fellowship experience? Have you had a fellowship experience that changed your life?
Of course, there are many ways to connect in fellowship. Small group opportunities have just proven to be very effective, so I really encourage you to participate in every small group opportunity… wherever you happen to be a partner in ministry. So, get energized… get alive in the Spirit… plug in!
Your brother in Christ,
Dave
Because we were singers, Diehl's mom said whenever we moved (which was a lot, especially the early years of our marriage), we should join the choir. That is a built-in group which (usually) prays for each other, enjoys each other, encourages each other, and the foundation is praise to our Lord. We were at one church only four months, but we were definitely 'theirs' as they sought if they could help in any way and welcomed us greatly.
ReplyDeleteThe other part of that is 'commit' - here only four weeks ('only' - easy for me to say, I know). The ones who get/grow/are blessed the most are the ones who are connected, participating, actively considering their life in light of God's love and His Word, and the love of God shown in each other for each other.