Small Group. Discipleship Group. Leadership Group. Cell Group. Life Group. Connect Group. Bible Study Group. (Feel free to add to the list)
Although known by a variety of names, these groups exist for the same purpose and geared towards a mutual goal. And that is to follow Christ together.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1: 7)
No one can be a lone ranger Christian. We need encouragement and prayers from other believers who sincerely care about us. Sometimes, we need loving reminders to keep us on the right track. We need friends who will do this Christian walk with us.
This is fellowship. This is sharing lives.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3: 13)
The first time I attended a small group meeting is an event to remember. I was relatively new to the faith while the girls I joined seemed like veteran Christians. There were five of them. They knew their bible, got their memory verses in check, and were discussing (drum roll, please)… eschatology. I wanted to do triple somersaults in the air. I was thinking, “I just got saved and the end times is already on its way, great.”
They were so comfortable talking about faith with each other. They spoke about rapture and tribulation as if these were the most common, most normal subjects chicks talk about alongside fashion, and Hollywood, and the latest diet fad. I have to admit, I winced whenever they said the word “enemy”. The enemy this, the enemy that, the enemy is working extra hard to snatch the souls of mankind. You can probably imagine my level of discomfort sitting there in that white plastic chair.
When all that was said and done, they invited me to next week’s bible study. I could’ve said no, could’ve made up an excuse. Instead, I resorted to the safest non-committal response known to human race – “I’ll try.”
During the week that followed, God spoke to me. He reminded me of how I asked Him for a small group and told me that this small group is His Perfect Choice for me.
So, the next bible study, I was there. This time, the atmosphere was less apocalyptic. I got to meet other ladies belonging to the group who were absent the previous weekend. They were very welcoming, but I still felt like I didn’t belong. I imagined myself as the black sheep of the herd, bleating, “These people have no idea what kind of person I am, what I’ve done in the past, they’d never understand.”
But it was me who didn’t understand who I am in Jesus.
Sharing my experiences and thoughts with the group started as a struggle because I was always fishing for a correct answer, answers that sounded Christian. I found it difficult to own up to my mistakes, let alone admit these to anyone.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8: 1)
No condemnation in Christ. What a beautiful message. When God revealed this to me, I dropped my hypocrisy and watched it shatter. Gradually, I dismantled the wall I put up. I started opening up my heart to my small group. Little by little, I shared with them my weaknesses, my fears, my personal issues. I realized that they weren’t there to judge me based on who I was or who I was pretending to be. I also realized they couldn’t help me unless they knew the things I was going through.
That was when it all made sense.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. (Acts 2: 42)
Two years have passed since my crash course in eschatology and I’m still with the same group. Some members have come and gone while some have chosen to remain. From around 5 members, Jesus more than tripled our number.
Sometime during our first couple of years together, these ladies stopped being people-I-study-the-bible-with and became my soul sisters. If it weren’t for them, I don’t really know how I’d be able to keep the fire burning within me.
We pray for each other. We encourage one another through testimonies or revelations from God. We attend services and worship together. We keep in touch throughout the week via Facebook, text messages, and emails. We go out on coffee, lunch or dinner dates not only to talk about scriptures but also to just hang out and be girls. We can discuss doctrines, parables, prophecies and also movies and clothes, and sometimes, even boys. I laugh with them, I cry with them.
Fellowship is relationship. It must be built on mutual respect, trust, and love. It has to be nurtured. Above all, Jesus must be at the center of it. Otherwise, it will fall apart and come down to nothing.
BELOVED. That’s us. We are chosen, a royal priesthood, women for his own possession, holy and blameless, clothed with righteousness, covered by the blood of the Lamb. We overflow with God’s hurricane love. The same Spirit dwells within us. And through Christ, we are able to give out what we receive. To each other, to our Jerusalems, to our Samarias, and to our Judeas.
Like a Raging River 