Groups: The Life-Giving Power of Community

by John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson, Judson Poling

Community is God’s idea. Only in community can we know and be known, love and be loved, celebrate others and be celebrated by them. And only through close, transparent relationships can we be transformed as individuals.Groups invites you to enjoy the rewards--and embrace the risks--of community. Step by step, this study will challenge and encourage you to explore the amazing potential for growth found in authentic relationships. You’ll study the true nature of friendship. The power of paying attention. The path to intimacy. The encouragement of being for one another. You’ll learn what it means to live out these and other simple but vital truths for being all you are, giving all you’ve got, and receiving all you need as a member of God’s dynamic community, the church.Leader’s guide included!Groups group sessions are:This Is a FriendshipLove Pays AttentionKnowing and Being KnownWhen Community Breaks DownForgivenessBuilding a Passionately Inclusive ChurchBeing "For" One Another

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Dan Gobble · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great study book for creating discussion on building community. Church members who attend regularly often comment on visitors who come in for a few weeks, months, or maybe a year, and then disappear. Some judge these visitors as lacking in faithfulness and commitment. This book challenges that stereotype. People long to be known, to be celebrated, and to be loved. Core members of a church usually offer these gifts up to each other fairly freely, but outsiders / visitors have a hard time breaking through into the core of intimacy which insiders enjoy. If church's want to build their capacity to reach larger groups of people, they must be intentional about building community, intimacy, and relationships.
I had one gentleman, during our study, speak up and say that he had been a member of this church (where we were conducting the study) for over 30 years and he still felt like an outsider! 30 years!! He had married into the church and his wife was readily accepted as a "core" member, but her husband, who spent 30 years of his life at this church, was still peering in through the glass, hands cupped around his face, as it were, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside. How sad.
As a pastor, after this study, I started noticing that at our social gatherings where we served food, the long standing members went to the tables where their old buddies were sitting, instead of sitting down with the new couple or the elderly man or the single lady who had been worshiping with them for weeks/months/years. And then, they wonder where these people go. Why don't they stick around?
This study points out that visitors are very willing to hear your stories, they're eager to celebrate the life and people of the church, and offer love. BUT, they want to be known, celebrated, and loved in return. They want to tell you their stories, feel your love, and see that you care about their lives too.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did this as a personal study instead of within a group, and I do think it would be more beneficial within a group setting especially since it is all about the power of community. Regardless though, I did see some more truths about myself by going through the seven sessions, and I think these truths will help me continue to grow as I more greatly treasure the people that are in my current small group/house church community.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My church small group just finished this and it definitely brought us closer together.

[SHBC Leaders' Library]

1 available - study guide only