Life Group

Graceland will start in a home. If you’ve followed my blog long you probably assumed that much, but I’m just beginning to accept it.  For some reason I assumed the leadership would meet in a home until the church launched (whatever that really means) and a church born.  However, we are submitting to Him and truly believing God is going “old school” with us.  Someday (hopeful April 2009) we will meet in a larger location but for now we will be a home church.  This is nothing new, this is how the early church began (Acts 2:42, 44, 46-47, 5:42; Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19; Col. 4:15).

The most exciting part of starting in our home is that it will be a Life Group (our form of a small group).  Starting a small group with other Christians is a fairly routine matter, but attempting to begin one with unchristian or de-churched people can seem overwhelming.  But we are not approaching this as people with all the answers – Jesus has those answers.  Augustine once wrote, ‘God is He who gives God,’ and we realize that we cannot give God but we can demonstrate openness and humility, creating a space where God can give God.  So we’re simply created a space where it is safe to ask deep questions and as a group, with the Bible as our source, find some answers.  We will not cheapen million-dollar questions with ten-cent answers.  The views expressed and the beliefs shared will run deep and cannot be altered with easy answers. But if we can be people who are open to God at all times and encourage others in this way of being – we will help to produce a clearing where God is free to give God.

Here is some attributes we hope are found in Life Group:

• The person of Jesus is intriguing to people.
• Learn to accept love and show love for others (John 13.35).
• Jesus found in the gospel and the lives of believers (John 20.31).
• The Holy Spirit is the pressure, not us (John 10.3).
• Appreciation for the Bible is increased (Heb 4.12).
• People feel they belong to something bigger than themselves.
• Prayer becomes captivating and absorbed.
• Natural place to invite friends, relatives, and work associates.
• Future Graceland leadership birthed.

Please be in prayer for us this week.  Friday, June 27^th from 7-8:30pm we will have our first official Life Group.  It’s very exciting and overwhelming – I’m so honored God would use us and our home.