For Small Groups to be encouraging, inspiring and disciple-making, we need to learn from Jesus' way of relating to people in different settings. Today's story is from Luke 7:36-50, and in it we find key principles for small groups. A pharisee that challenges everyone in the room, a loving leader, and a broken woman who understood how grace, love and truth work.
Small Groups are intended to be a place to rest, to connect and be part of what God is doing in others. However, we struggle to find small groups inspiring and encouraging because we tend to see them as another program or another thing in our calendar. This message encourages us to think of small groups as a family that is organically learning to love each other beyond the meetings.
Today's message encourages us to learn from the New Testament church in how they interact with their faith. The Book of Acts show us that the church was excited and dedicated to the gospel, meeting throughout the week with a clear purpose. What can we learn from them?
One of the main needs every person has is to connect with others. Small groups provide a community where we all can feel connected, known and be able to know others.