Developing Disciples: Resuming Community Groups

As you know, we are in the process of re-starting our in-person Community Groups here at Meadowood. We have endured a lot of challenges as a church in the past year. Pausing our groups was necessary while dealing with the virus and a building in the middle of
reconstruction after last summer's storm.

The long-term effects of not having groups meeting at our church would be extremely negative. We need strong groups to have a healthy church. And each of us needs group Bible study in our lifes to have a healthy relationship with God.

There are four reasons we say this:

1) Disciple making is fulfilling God’s plan for Meadowood and its members. Our group ministry is the primary way we make disciples. You need your fellow class members to challenge you and help you move forward in your faith journey. I’ve been doing some running lately. I found that when I run with a friend the pace of my exercise goes up significantly over the times I run alone. I need to be challenged to push myself. Good Community Groups do that.

2) Connecting with a church means connecting with people. Church isn’t just a place to come worship and leave and go on with your week. It is a place for deeper relationships. It is a place to experience life together with other Christians. It means caring for one another, praying together lifting one another up in times of need. When Christ established the church, this is what He had in mind. He knew we would need each other. Now more than ever we need each other.

3) Smaller groups are more effective in ministering to a larger community. Maybe you remember the old song called “Give Me 40 Acres and I’ll Turn This Rig Around”. (OK so I listen to country music.) Sometimes the larger church body is like that big rig truck. It’s just not nearly as nimble as a sports car. Small groups can be better connected, more easily mobilized and deploy a more person centered approach to ministry than big church programs.

4) Families that learn together, stay together. Our Community Groups are set up so each adult and child can learn God’s Word on a level and in an environment that is best for them. Our curriculum is linked so that the adults, youth and children of our church are
studying the same passages, which can foster a family spiritual discussion. Parenting and discipling is hard work, but the Bible shows us we are not meant to be alone!

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Meadowood plans to resume Community Groups activities on Sunday, September 13 at 10:30am. Beginning that same morning, our worship service—whether you choose to worship in person or online—will begin at 9:30am.