small group, big impact

I've been spending a decent amount of my free time lately re-reading through some of my older posts. I think it is interesting to look back at the words that were on my heart a few years ago and to see how God has been working in my life to deepen the understanding and knowledge of His grace. I was sharing a little of my testimony the other evening, and as I was talking, it was the first time in a while that I had stopped to look back over my personal "great awakening". My journey into the Word of God, defining what I believe, and why I believe it started around 10 years ago, and through the ups and downs of life in those years, I can say with great confidence that I am most definitely not the same man now that I was then. Even more so, it threw back into light that it has really been the last 4 years of my life that the foundational bedrock of my beliefs has been solidified and that God has been able to build upon His foundation in my life. As I come to realize the timeline that is apparent in this change, it is impossible for me to miss one important fact:

It was just over 4 years ago that I finished my first nursing degree and was able to finally stop working every weekend, and as such, I was able to plug into a small group community in our church. This small group of men, and the investment that they have made into my growth as a man, aiding me in responding to the call of God in my life, calling me to more diligently seek after His glory, have been immeasurably valuable in my life. I never knew that there was any importance in connecting with my peers for the support, accountability, love, reproof, and edification that comes from small-group community. Our church offers many such groups, and several that exist for married couples, but there is also a class just for men, and one just for women. I love the flexibility in this, allowing each married couple to determine what they need most for their individual growth as well as their marriages. For us, the ability to commune with same-sex only peers has been incredible.

If you aren't involved in this kind of group, or any kind of small-group community, do yourself a favor, seek one out! If you need a place to seek, come check us out at FBC Nixa. Join the community, invest into the community, and watch the grace abound!