Small Groups

Our current sermon series has got me thinking of the vital role that small groups play in the life of the church. One of my best friends, Brandon, is a chaplain for the Army Special Forces, and he is currently overseas in the middle of a “hot zone.” Brandon was deployed a few years ago during the massive military surge in the War on Terror in the Middle East. As Brandon and I discussed what he would be doing on this deployment, he shared some current military strategy with me. Though the Army saw measurable success in their surge a few years ago, they identified a key component in making their efforts even more successful. Whereas most of the troops had been sent into combat zones in massive numbers with massive force, the most successful operations were carried out by highly trained, highly specialized, small teams of soldiers. These teams were all part of the Army Special Forces. These teams saw marked success much greater than any other strategic move thus far in the war. As a result, the Army has increased the number of Special Forces units and has mobilized more, smaller teams to carry out the mission on the battlefront.

While listening to Brandon talk about the US Army’s strategy, I couldn’t help but draw the parallel to the Church’s war against Satan and his forces. As we seek to do battle against the forces of Hell and free those people who remain in bondage to sin and Satan, it’s fitting that we use a similar strategy. While we’ll see success in going out in massive numbers to engage this world on behalf of Jesus, I’m convinced that we’ll see the most success come from our highly trained, highly specialized, small groups. When our small groups “train members for godliness” (1 Tim 4:7) and specialize in connecting people to Christ and to His Church, then our group members are better prepared to battle the forces of darkness, whether in their own struggles with sin or in the work of evangelism.

As we at West Side find ourselves SURGING into the next chapter of the history of this church, it’s imperative that we recognize the vital role our groups play as the church’s Special Forces teams. It’s up to us as the leaders of those groups to train our members well for the purpose of holiness and to always give them our best.

Looking for a Service Opportunity for Your Group?

There’s something significant that happens when a small group gains a shared experience through serving together. That’s why I encourage small group leaders to look for opportunities to get their group on the mission field together. But, it’s not always feasible for a group to travel overseas together, so oftentimes we need to find local places to serve. On May 8 and 22 I’ll be leading a local mission trip to provide one of those opportunities. If your group is looking for a place to serve then you’ll want to check this out. I especially encourage groups that have never served together to investigate this opportunity, even if only some members of your group can make it.

 Who We’ll Be Helping:

We’ll be travelling to Refuge Ranch, a local ministry that partners rescued animals (mostly horses) with inner-city kids. The objective of the ministry is to teach kids about self-worth and a positive self-esteem that comes from understanding our relationship with God. Many of the children who benefit from the ministry of Refuge Ranch have unstable home lives, and so the ranch is a place for them to learn about and experience trust, dependability, and faithfulness. But the mission goes beyond that to helping these kids develop a sense of responsibility in the context of community. Each child who comes to the camp is paired with a trained mentor who works closely with them to encourage and care for them.

 What We’ll Be Doing:

But, the Ranch is in need of some help. They need to fence in some more land for their horses. So, we’ve agreed to help them clear some land, dig some holes, set some posts, put up some fences, and stain and/or paint some fences. There’s something for everyone on this local mission trip. No one is too old or too young to help with this trip…well, okay, maybe there are some exceptions. But everyone age 4-adult is welcome to help, and others are welcome to cheer us on from the playground nearby. This is a family-friendly, budget-friendly missions and service experience.

 Want More Info?

For more details, and to register members of your group for this trip, please contact Fitz at fitz@wschurch.org or 217-793-2800.

 For more info on the ranch, take a look at their website:  http://www.refuge-ranch.org/index.html

My oldest brother graduated from high school the year I graduated from first grade. My parents knew that the family vacation we’d take that summer would likely be the last time we had all six members of the family on a vacation together. As a result, they asked my brother, Matt, to choose the destination for the family vacation that summer, with only one stipulation. It had to be somewhere in the U.S.

 Matt chose Alaska.

We were on the road in our home-built custom camper about a week after school let out, and we didn’t return until about a week before school started up again in the fall. That’s right, for better than two months that summer we – my parents, 2 brothers, my sister, and our beagle mutt – camped our way to Alaska and back. To some this may not sound like their ideal form of a family vacation. But for us it was life changing.

I saw Grizzly bears, whales, mountain goats, and moose all in the wild. Sometimes they were even in our campsite (not the whale, or course). I saw mountains that soared into the clouds, the destructive aftermath of spent volcanoes, mountain lakes bluer than I thought imaginable, and an ocean that stretched forever. I have so many great memories from that trip. But beyond all the sights, I was able to spend some infinitely valuable time with my family. I remember laughing with them until I cried. I remember silly jokes and hikes through the forests. From that time with the family I learned that it’s not so much what you have, but who you have with you that’s important.

For my parents, that vacation wasn’t just about arriving in Alaska at some point during the summer. It was about the journey there and back. Every moment of that trip mattered. They did their best to make every mile count. And my siblings and I have an awesome shared experienced as a result.

I think that’s an important lesson for us to always remind ourselves of for our small groups. It’s not just about where we’re going and where we’re leading people. It’s about the journey we’re sharing with them as we go there. It’s vital for us to be intentional about the journey with our small groups and for us as leaders to do everything we can to make every mile count. So go forward and make memories with your group that will impact their lives forever, even into eternity.