Comunity Group DNA

My blog has evolved into two components:

On the left side of the page are postings that I write related to things I am finding important in my life. These generally are core beliefs of mine or at least things that are important to my life at the time when I write them.

On the right side are Bible verses that I find significant during my daily devotions. I enjoy highlighting words in these verses that I believe God is speaking to me. Finally, I summarize the idea of these verses by giving them a heading. These headings are leading to themes for the postings.

Since April 24 of this year, my daily devotions have been reading one chapter a day in the New Testament, first in the Gospels and now Paul’s letters. I do them early in the morning when my mind is at is creative best. I enjoy reading each verse unhurriedly and then graze on its meaning. This is really opening my mind as to my role of Care Pastor as PAC.

So when you read my blog, read both the left and right side. (I seem to add to the right side much more than I do the left side at present)

Earlier this year when I first started blogging, I posted this piece on the A, B, C’s of small groups. It is what Community Groups are all about; the DNA of small group activity. I believe that this piece is essential enough to re-post it again. I will comment on it from the Community Group perspective in the future.

Here it is:

“The A, B, C's of community in small groups are Authenticity, Belonging, and Caring.

Authenticity - is our basic desire to be fully known.

Belonging - is our basic need to be a part of something bigger than our selves so that, interacting with others, we can learn about our selves and receive:

Caring - we need to know that we are considered precious by others. We need to be loved.

The problem is that, on our own, we can get this exactly backwards. We start to think that if we are authentic - if people come to know us for who we really are - they will reject us. We will not Belong, and if we don't belong, we will not be loved. So from a human perspective, we see a conflict between being authentic and being loved.

But the good news is... Jesus fully knows us AND fully loves us - enough to die for us on the cross. And once we really accept the grace provided by the cross we can begin to be authentic with God. We can stop pretending that we can be good enough and accept the fact that through Him we truly Belong in the Kingdom of Heaven. In that security we can ask God to help us see ourselves - authentically.

So with Jesus, the Love comes first, when we accept this unconditional love, Belonging and Authenticity follows.

So why do we need community? Because when we are alone, we fall back into human conventions. Like thinking that A comes before B and B before C. Even when we come here for corporate worship - we put on our best clothes and we tend to leave all the stuff that needs to be brought before God at home in closets. We're afraid to bring that stuff here because if we did, we might not Belong. And, as a result, we might not be loved.

So what we need is a place that's modeled on God's A,B,C's of community - not ours. Where the Caring comes first and the sense of Belonging follows. Together, these create an environment in which it is safe for us to be Authentic. And here's the good part - at this point a feedback loop kicks in - when a more authentic version of you is loved (even while being held accountable), you really feel like you belong and this allows you to be even more authentic, and when this version of you is loved, you belong even more..

When this upward spiral takes place lives are transformed as we grow in Christ, together. I believe that this spiral occurs more easily in small groups than in large ones and it occurs most easily in small groups where the caring - unconditional caring - comes first. So, if you are not in a small group, get in one. If you are in a small group, do what you can to make the caring come first. You'll be amazed at what happens next.”