“God Created Us For Small Groups”

Listen to the sermon here.

We celebrate the Souper Bowl of caring this morning.  This afternoon in the football Super Bowl the Patriots and Seahawks will be competing for the Vince Lombardi trophy.  Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

I would add it makes a church work too. 

That is why we are encouraging you to join us this Lent in a journey of small groups at Bradley Hills. 

Some people at Bradley Hills have had their most profound spiritual experiences in small groups.   I recall when I first came here several folks talked about the experiences of being at Gail Brown’s, our coordinator of spiritual life, house, for evening small groups.  I heard people talk about the prayer, silence and discussion.  One person mentioned how people came with strong opinions and disagreements which melted away in the small groups.  I heard people talking with me about how they came with significant personal challenges and found the intimate setting very supportive.  Others found Gail’s presence and ability to hold silence a powerful model of calm in the face of busy lives in our area.

Then I participated in daybreak devotions and I understood why.  On Wednesday mornings Gail and a devoted group have met for years for silence and prayer and taking in the spirit.

I then heard and experienced similar feelings and attitudes in Bradley Hills Bible studies, men’s and young adult small groups.

It is out of the positive experiences so many of you have had with these and similar groups that we hope to make such positive experiences as broadly available as possible this Lent.  

Not all small groups work for all people.  For folks with little kids, groups meeting first thing in the morning or right after dinner are tough for many people.  That is why we are hoping to offer groups at different times. 

Wherever you are on your walk in life, we invite you to join us in our small group ministry opportunity and launch this Lent. 

Throughout church history, small groups have allowed Christians to connect and deepen their relationships with God and with each other. 

We grow in such relationships for a reason.  That we find ourselves strengthened in community is not an accident.   That we discover a greater spiritual depth in groups makes sense.   We are stronger for the journey when we are in small groups because small groups reflect a part of God’s character.  Let us pray.  Loving God of creation, connection and relationship.  Inspire us with the presence of your Holy Spirit, connecting us as the body of Christ, to you and to each other.  Amen. 

When I was on the staff of National Presbyterian Church the pastor was Gareth Icenogle.  Great name, great guy.   Icenogle’s academic research was largely on small group ministry. 

I recall Gareth sharing his experience and thoughts on small group ministry as a reflection of God’s character.  The book of Genesis starts with “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  The word for “In” in Hebrew  Bet  means two and implies the plural.[i]

In Genesis 1: 26, on the sixth day, when God created humanity, the author of Genesis tells us “Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.’”  God did not say “let me make humankind in my image.”  God says let us make humankind in our image.  The character of God in creation is plural.  

What is the likeliness of God represented through humankind?   It again is plural.   The writer of Genesis tells us that God created male and female to be in partnership.[ii]  

We affirm as Reformed Christians the idea of imago dei, that we are made in the image of God.  Every one of us, of different races, nationalities, sexual orientations, genders, beliefs, are made in God’s image.  

We favor gender inclusive language here because we believe that as we are made in the image of God, Godself includes both the male and female.   We might refer to God as Father at times as Jesus did, but God has the qualities of both genders.   God is not narrow but broad.   

God is inclusive and welcoming.  That’s in part why during our communion order today at the end when we say “the gifts of God given for all,” we’d like you to stretch out your hands and join us in saying and meaning, “For all.”

We are made in the image of a generous God who includes the plural, and we are made complete when we are in partnership.  Much of the Hebrew Bible description of God’s relationship with Israel was one of covenant.  A deep, committed relationship.  Such a covenant relationship is often the basis of small groups, which we often call covenant groups.  The root of the word covenant is also for convene, meaning to bring two or more people together. [iii]

In Genesis 3, in the “fall” narrative in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve “hide” from God and from each other.   Icenogle argues that humans have both a desire for and fear on intimacy.[iv]  One value of small groups is helping us connect with others in a safe environment.

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”   The writer of Ecclesiastes explains in the Message translation that “It is better to have a partner than to go it alone. If one falls down, the other helps.”

One day this week Bridget and I sat during lunch and watched as our twin girls decided to dance.  At first they took each other by the hand and danced in a circle to “ring around the rosy” inside a hula hoop.  Because they were inside the hoop balancing was hard and they easily fell down.   Because they were holding hands they were able to help each other up.  Then they started to disagree about what tune to dance to do.  We have one budding three year old ballerina who wanted the two of them to dance ballet.  We have one budding super hero who wanted the two of them to do super hero motions.  So we had two girls parallel playing, parallel dancing really.  Then they stopped after a while, as neither one could get the other to agree to their vision.  Soon they returned to the one dance they could agree on – ring around the rosy in the hula hoop.   They each would have preferred to have their sister dance their preferred motion perhaps, but when their highest priority was being in relationship, they were willing to alter their individual dances so they could continue to hold hands in connection with the other.  There is such an instinct in all of us.

That is value in the group.  The desire, hope and need to be in community is a deep spiritual instinct in humans because we are meant for connection.   That is the key to our second lesson today.

Now there are certainly times when we all want to be by ourselves.  Certain seasons of life when we need a self-focus or more time to ourselves.  In the New Testament, Paul praises singleness and celibacy.  The point here is not to take away from the value and benefits of singleness and the choices we might make in relationships or the seasons of life where we might journey without others. 

Yet Paul praises the connectionalism of ministry teams.  Luke wrote of how the early church grew from small groups.  We lift up a spiritual calling when we are in community.   This will play out differently for introverts and extroverts.  For young adults and mature adults.  Yet the body of Christ succeeds when people are involved and connect with one other. 

Our worship and praise of God involves following a Lord who is one of connection.  Indeed, the coming of Jesus Christ as a human shows God’s desire for relationship.  The incarnation and Jesus’ interactions, healing miracles, teaching, death on a cross at the hands of human beings, and then resurrection appearances to his disciples all indicate a desire for relationship with us.

The gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost shows our creator’s desire for connection.

For Christians, the entire Godhead is not singular, but plural.  It is, in a way, its own small group.  We are monotheists as Christians, we worship one deity.  Yet we understand God to work in three ways.   We have the Trinity.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to help us see how God operates.   All three parts of the Godhead were present at the beginning and all are equal.  All are in relationship.  The theology of the trinity helps us see the plural, relational nature of God.  When we engage our faith through groups, we reflect that nature of God.

I spent a few days last week with a clergy group in Florida.  Each day we would walk the beach and each time I would collect some shells.  I was inspired by a friend who shared a devotion about picking up and sharing shells.

Some of them are here in the font and on the table.  Some appear perfect.  Some are worn.  Some have evidence of having been broken.  Some show evidence of growth in colors added to the edges, almost like the rings of a tree.  Some have floated.  Others have ridden a wave.  Still others have crashed.

Some have sheltered life. Some have provided nourishment.  Most have been broken near the place where they connected to their partner.

All have evidence of a connection.   The sea or scallop shell is a symbol of baptism in the church.   Priests over the years have often used a sea shell to scoop water to pour over the head of the newly baptized.

This morning as we worship God, we do so looking to the font and the table.  We recognize that we are all likes shells on a sea shore.  We are all unique, all special.  As we come into the church through baptism we affirm that we are shaped by the spiritual waters of life which flow over us.   As we come to this table, we recognize that we are meant to be in relationship with God. 

We affirm that communion is a connection.  Within the bread and the cup, much like within the waters of baptism, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is a way we experience connection with each other and relationship with God. 

This Lent, we invite every Bradley Hills member to seek connection with each other and connection with God by being part of a small group.  As noted in your bulletin we will offer new groups that meet during the six weeks of Lent (between 3-6 times during the season). 

The groups will focus on building friendships with one another, connecting with God through scripture, prayer and conversation as we journey through Lent together.  If you have an idea for a particular discussion topic or interest, please reach out to Kori and she will work to connect you with others of similar interests. 

On February 15 at worship, we hope everyone will prayerfully consider and commit to participating in a small group experience during Lent. The first meeting of each group will be on February 22nd over lunch after 10:30 worship, and the subsequent meetings will gather at various times.  As you sign up, there will be options to indicate times in which you are available to meet, and we will work to match groups together based on availability and interest.  If you already know you would like to participate, but cannot be at worship on February 15, email Kori with your interest. 

We were created by a God who cares about groups.  Whose broad nature is reflected in our diversity.  Who we experience not as a singular being, but in three persons.  Who came in Jesus to connect with us.  Who seeks relationship still with you and with me through the Holy Spirit.   We look forward to this exciting Lenten journey together.   Let us pray.  Loving Lord, help us see your character in our experience of small groups.  Help us to connect more deeply with you and each other in the weeks to come.  Amen.