Pastor Mark Dippre’s Reflection

Connecting with Your Christian Community

Getting involved in a small group or bible study can help enrich our lives as Christians and develop our faith. For some, joining a small group can seem intimidating, time consuming, or simply not important compared to other obligations. Life is busy with our families, careers, and the lengthy list of tasks we are responsible for. Committing to a small group may often fall at the bottom of one’s list of priorities for a variety of reasons. You may wonder if being part of a small group is worth it.

But people who are part of small groups feel more connected to their church, find ways to serve, and have a support system they can depend on for prayer and encouragement. When we look to the bible, we find guidance and insight into the significance and benefits of being part of a godly community of believers.

When we read how the early church formed dynamic Christian communities, we see that it was centered around small groups of men and women gathered in prayer. “Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).  There is something so wonderful about discovering the Lord with people that you call friends.

Every Thursday morning, I am privileged to be part of a small group of men willing to come together in fellowship, open to discovering how God is at work in their lives. We gather with no titles or egos, but just hearts open to discovering how much God loves us. This group has profoundly changed my life. We often sit around the table in awe as we open one of the greatest gifts given to all believers, and that is the Word of God.

At first, we thought that doing a bible study was going to be intimidating, but when you take a simple approach to reading one book at a time, you discover story after story of how God is working miracles in our lives. Even after all my years of studying the bible in seminary and being a pastor, through the eyes of these holy men I gather with every week, I am discovering the depth and love of God at work in my life.

There is something about a small group of trusted friends that feels like a treasured blessing from God. Scripture reminds us repeatedly that companionship, especially when it comes to our faith journey, is one of the most important tools we can have.

Here are some of the great benefits I have found in this small group of friends:

Community Building: This small group provides an intimate setting for us to share our lives, celebrate our victories, and support one another through our struggles.

Spiritual Growth: We are allowed to discover with one another how our faith needs to be put into action in all aspects of our lives. We learn from each other and can see through the testimonies we share.

Accountability and Support: Being part of a small group allows relationships to form where we can share our struggles, be challenged to grow, hear words of affirmation and praise. It is amazing to know how good you feel knowing that you have someone on your side walking beside you in your journey of faith.

Our church is very blessed to have many opportunities for people to build community. Women’s and men’s fellowships are a wonderful way to start. Attending a Sunday morning bible class when offered is another great tool. I also want to encourage you to take a risk and find a few friends and open the word of God in a bible study. I promise if you do, it will be life changing.

When you become part of a small group, you will have a chance to not only be encouraged, but to encourage others who are wanting to deepen their faith and live faithfully. You will get the chance to pour into other Christians who are looking for genuine community and fellowship. As God strengthens and empowers us, we can invest in others and point them in the direction of a solid relationship with Jesus.

Speaking from experience, joining a group has changed my life and allowed me to see God in a whole new way. I invite you to do the same.