For years, people told me over and over again that grace changes the spiritual atmosphere around them. I agree. Within the family of God, grace is a catalyst for transformation in every area of life.
A force to be reckoned with, it is God’s vision for His special and favorite family members—and for those whom He longs to adopt. Grace-based relationships found here afford us what many of our families of origin could not. It is the seedbed for encountering God’s grace and presence.
As these qualities take root in such a community, you and I will discover the love, joy, and peace to mend and repair what life has broken up until now. Within the family of God, we are to empower one another to grow, repair, and restore areas of life that would otherwise keep us from joyful attachment to one another.
If you think it doesn’t matter whether you show up, you’re wrong. Faith in Jesus was never meant to be a solo mission. He came to create an entirely new spiritual family and walked through life deeply connected to His small group family of disciples. He modeled a life full of relationships and a functioning close community for us. If this is Jesus’ model for living, why are so many of us doing life on our own? Why are so many of us, for all practical purposes, living functionally disconnected from God and His family? Let me be clear: greeting the people around us on a Sunday morning is not the type of family relationships or community Jesus modeled for you and me. Nodding and smiling on Sunday doesn’t make us family any more than smiling at the barista who fills our morning coffee order forms a deep, enduring bond. You and I are to connect in ways that help us mature and share life together.
In His Family, we need others—and they need us. Let’s keep this in front of our minds: if we aren’t intentionally pursuing our days as engaged, participating members of God’s family, we will miss out on spiritual growth. Your decision here has the potential either to build or to bust your identity—and your choice will ripple through eternity for us all. So, show up for us!
INVITATION AND RELATIONSHIP
Remember: grace is both invitation and relationship. It is not informational dogma or head knowledge. What we learn in our small group study is a clear second to what we encounter in our small group relationships. When you and I invite others to join a small group “family,” what we are actually saying is, “Come discover life with Jesus—let’s share His presence and life.”
God’s transforming power is unleashed in our lives as we regularly practice and experience the Four Amazing Rs within our small group families. (If you missed the blog about the 4 Amazing R’s and want to know more, here is the link. https://www.equippinghearts.com/blog/four-amazing-rs)
All the dynamics of our families of origin apply within our spiritual ones. In league with this tight band of others, you and I will notice our rough edges begin to rub off. Then, walking more substantively in our real identity, we will experience the riches of ever-deepening relationships. And, before you and I may realize what is happening, the rich, real-time, grace-based encounters we share will turn our lives into beacons of God’s glory. Progressively, grace will become part of who you and I are—and what we are known for. Our image will befit our Father—a magnetic people of shimmering joy. That sets quite an atmosphere, I’d say!
Want to read more? Beyond Becoming: A Field Guide to Sustainable, Transformational Communities is coming very soon!
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