Belong, Grow and Laugh
One of the great joys I have had in ministry is being in or running a Growth Group. There are few things better than gathering with others around the Word of God for riveting discussion, contagious prayer and the occasional laugh. A growing majority of our church members are in Growth Groups and are enjoying the weekly interaction with each other and with God. And the good news is, now is the time to join a Growth Group for 2026.
What is a Growth Group?
It’s a small group of people who meet each week, usually in someone’s home, to read the Bible and spur one another on towards love and good deeds. In many churches they are called Bible Study groups but we call them Growth Groups because we are expecting our small groups to do more than study the Bible. We pray that our groups will be brilliant weekly opportunities to see everyone grow as wholehearted disciples of Jesus.
What happens at a Growth Group?
Gerard is constantly working with our leaders to create a realistic and dynamic portrait of a healthy group that recognises each group as a living entity with mixed maturity and diverse lives, but all seeking to live out their faith together.
The portrait we are currently using describes four things we want to see in all our groups:
First, depth in Word and prayer. We pray that our groups will gather to listen closely to God’s Word, seeking wisdom and application for our lives. We expect that leaders will engage the whole group so we can teach one another and treasure each other’s insights and questions.
Second, mutual accountability. We pray that everyone in groups will make gathering weekly a priority and be present in each other’s lives. We expect that members will grow to know, love and trust one another well enough to encourage, admonish and spur one another on in Christ.
Third, pastoral care. We pray that members will walk together through the various trials and seasons of life and carry one another’s burdens in practical and prayerful ways. We expect that people will really seek to know each other and make themselves known to others.
Fourth, mission mindedness. We pray that members will talk and pray regularly about sharing the gospel with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. We expect that you will think creatively about how the group and individual members can open doors for the gospel, making the most of Share Life resources and events throughout the year.
Now I reckon that is an attainable portrait for any group but it does rely on everyone being engaged with and committed to each other and to growing together as wholehearted disciples of Jesus.
How important is it to join a group?
In our church, Growth Groups are absolutely critical to you experiencing belonging. To you feeling like you are a part of what is happening. To you finding consistent care and community. In a medium size church you cannot know everyone and you need a circle of belonging and one way to find that is by joining a Growth Group.
The choice not to join a Growth Group or not to attend your group regularly is a choice to remain isolated from others, insulated from community and independent from the mainstream of what we do as a church. It’s a choice not to deepen your sense of belonging. It is often a choice to become disappointed with church. Can I urge you not to make that choice in 2026.
So this is your heads up for this Sunday. We are beginning to look to 2026 and we are praying that you will grow through your Growth Groups throughout the year! Join up this week!
