Missional living means that I am intentional with my life. This plays out in everything I do. Every communication, interaction, activity…

Missional living means wherever I go, and whatever I do, I do with my mission at the forefront of my mind. And what is my mission? To love God, love others, and share the love of Christ with those I come in contact with.

This is not always easy. Especially when dealing with people who are not kind or considerate in return, or when I just get stuck in my own ways, self-seeking, forgetting that I have a mission. At times, I fail and could really use some encouragement and accountability.

That’s where I believe small groups come in.

Small groups consists of people who, like you, should be focused on Missional living. This provides the support and accountability that we need in the body of Christ to reach out intentionally to our community around us.

Small groups, especially in larger churches, are also the life-line to building community. We can never know everyone at church just by sitting in a room with them for an hour on Sunday. We have to invest in relationship…and that is impossible to do with large groups. Small groups are our place to build community. It’s our place to grow relationships and do life together.

Small groups are for living on mission together. They are for sharpening each other in the faith, encouraging spiritual growth, showing unbelievers what love looks like, feels like, and lives out on a daily basis.

Small groups are more about reaching out to others than fattening up ourselves. We need to invest in others. Not just others who are like us, but others who are nothing like us, but need our love, encouragement, and friendship. Others who are lost, without Christ, without hope, who need someone to welcome them in and shine the light on the path towards His mercy and grace.

For me, it is the hardest thing to reach out to those I do not know, but it is what God has called believers to do. If we do not reach out and share His love, who will?

I need that small group. I need that push to be more for Christ. I need that encouragement to keep my focus on Him. I need to see other believers living in their spiritual giftedness. I need to see other believers struggling, but finding their foot-hold through Christ. I need to see other believers committed to the cause of Christ – it encourages me to keep going, to keep pushing on, to hold to Christ and live by great faith.

Friends, we need small groups! We need our “people” who are with us, understand us, support us, grow with us, encourage us to be more, prod us forward, and hold us accountable to the point of confronting us when we need it.

If you find yourself feeling lost in a growing church, don’t seek something new somewhere else (unless God has specifically called you to leave). Instead, find a small group. Invest in others. Create unity and life giving relationships that go out into the mission field, your own neighborhood and town, and draw others to Christ!

“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” ~ Acts 2:46-47, NASB