Why Groups?

The foundation of Christian community described in Acts 2, was the foundation of the local church. The mission of the local church has always been to carry out God’s instruction to love him and love people and then to go to the world with the good news of Christ. To be on mission with God requires a connection with God’s people.

One of my previous ministry positions was as a group’s pastor. In that role, I spent a lot of time telling people to get into groups so that they could grow. But what I have discovered is I was wrong. The motivation for every follower of Jesus to be connected in a group is because it is the best place to love others and serve the world. The description of Christian community in the Bible is not as much about personal growth as it is about God’s glory being revealed in God’s disciple making mission. Don’t get me wrong, growth will be the result, but it is not the motivation.

Groups are simply people joined together in relationship through being partnered together in God’s mission of making disciples. Groups come in all different shapes and sizes, but the goal is the same; partnering with God in his mission of life transformation. Groups that are active in that mission, flourish. Groups that join together for only part of that mission, such as friendships alone, tend to flounder.

So a group that is on mission together in pursuing God’s disciple making mission will experience Christian community the way God designed.