Why You need a Life Group

We believe strongly that every person on the planet was imprinted with the need for deep relationships at the moment of creation. Having a Real Community is necessary to succeed and be whole as a person at all stages of life. Life Groups fill that need for community by helping foster deep relationship with other people by living life together each week. Below you will find 10 reasons why you need to be a part of life groups:

1. You Were Created For Community

Community is never one sided, though we try so hard to act like it is. The friends in life group need your personality, your perspective, your giftings, and your struggles just as much as you need theirs. When you live in community you function as a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Just like a body can't function properly without one of it's extremities, we can't function properly without each other.

2. We Are Stronger Together

Read Ecclesiastes 4: 7-12 ESV:

"7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Notice that author recognizes that you can actually work hard and make gains all by yourself, but he also the question of "but for what?". When we walk in community we can be stronger, more successful, and more productive in accomplishing the goals we have in life.

3. You Will Stumble and We Will Be There To Pick You Up

Jesus sent out this disciples in groups of no less than two. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main reasons Jesus did this was because the journey of following Jesus is not easy, but when done in community you will be more successful in every way.

Luke 10: 1-7 ESV:

"1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house."

4. You Will Have Questions, Together You Will Find The Answers

Faith is full of questions and it's good to wrestle with them. Walking through the faith journey with others who are full of faith and wrestling with the deep questions of life creates a brotherhood or sisterhood so strong that these relationships will last a lifetime. Living life together doesn't mean that we all agree on all things... it actually means the opposite. What you bring to the conversation will always have different experiences and understandings simply because of how your life has been before now. That's one of the reasons why we need our community.

Proverbs 27:17 ESV:

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

5. When You Feel Safe, You Allow Yourself to Be Vulnerable

The longer you stay in community with someone the easier it becomes to let your emotional guard down and begin to reveal your inner self. Once you find the courage to share that area of your heart with safe friends, you will begin to process of growth as person like you've never experienced before. Life Groups are safe, and we want these moments to be a place where you can laugh, cry, care for one another, and feel the courage to be yourself without penalty.

John 15:13-17 ESV

"13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another."

Discussion Questions

1. What do you agree with after hearing these five reasons why you need Life Groups? What do you disagree with?

2. Do you think that committing to a community is important for your success while in college? What about afterwards?

3. Have you ever been a part of a community such as the one's described today?

4. Will you commit to being a part of a Life Group for this semester?