One of the greatest blessings is when a small group begins to feel like a family, but that is also one of the greatest dangers as well if it prohibits others from experiencing the same thing. Are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of others?
Christians should know better than anybody that no one is too far gone. We serve a God who has done the impossible time and time again. So when people come to church in dire situations, do you still believe that there is hope?
The church should be the most friendly, outgoing, warm, hospitable group of people in all the world, but that has not been all of our experiences. The longer we belong, the more difficult it is to remember what it was like before we did.
We all want those people in our lives who will ensure we never walk through dark days alone, but are we that kind of friend to others? Do we provide what we actually expect? To grow deeper relationships takes time and effort. It’s time to go the second mile in intentional availability.
You are committed to a church. That’s great, but how do you navigate the complexities of life when most of the challenging moments happen outside of your church gatherings? We need each other more than once a week.
As the people of God, we need relationships with one another, but we often settle for names on a role instead of relationships for life. Impactful relationships always start with intentionality. We have to commit to being together. It’s time to go the second mile in rejecting shallow relationships.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to help one another follow Him ever more so closely. But how exactly are we supposed to do that? It starts by being intentional with one another regarding our personal commitments to Jesus. It’s time to go the second mile in creating careful accountability.
As your small group gathers, your lesson plan can include robust theology, interactive questions, thought-provoking activities, and memorable illustrations, but if it doesn’t translate to application, you are missing out. It’s time to go the second mile in experiencing intentional accountability.
You can listen to the greatest sermons, hear the greatest teachers, read the greatest books, and subscribe to all the greatest posts, but you aren’t actually destined to grow in Christ. Studying the Bible isn’t enough. It’s time to go the second mile in working toward biblical application over information.
We need each other. As Christians, we know that life is difficult and that it is unwise to attempt it alone. But how do we develop authentic relationships that maintain needed trust? Having a safe place to share life is vital. It’s time to go the second mile in having authentic and safe groups.