Comments on: How your serving can solve 3 problems with small group studies

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:57:52 +0000

Good point. Rice is my favorite food, so it means a lot to me to give that away.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:55:29 +0000

Yes, I definitely think you will get in church too, I’m not saying you won’t. But we shouldn’t come at it with that attitude. We should come expecting to serve others and give our lives away… if you want to find your life, you have to lose it.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: amanda

amanda — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:15:07 +0000

Yes. The reality is, you may give all your rice away to a crying small group member one day, but when the shoe is on the other foot, you may be left in an empty house with no rice. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t step out and give anyway.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:50:05 +0000

Shouldn’t you give AND get in church, at least in an ideal world?

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:16:26 +0000

Yep, right on. I think it comes down to who’s reading it, right? Like if you’re the person trying to find a small group, I’d say it comes down to approaching it as a place to serve others. On the other hand, if you’re the leaders of the church, then absolutely it’s your responsibility to care for those who fall through the cracks for whatever reason.

In other words, whichever side you’re on (the leader or the potential participant), it’s your job to serve others [period].

I have a post set up (I think) for tomorrow about how to connect in small group studies. Still, I totally hear what you’re saying about someone, for example, who might have had an abusive experiences in the past. In that case, though of course that person has a responsibility to serve too, the church ought to be extra tender with that person.

Thanks you for stopping by and reading the post (and again for writing yours). It’s definitely provoked a lot of thought on my part about how I can better help others in this area.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:57:29 +0000

Good thoughts but it’s obvious you’re talking about a perfect world. It’s sad that sometimes an others-oriented attitude isn’t the solution to the problem. For example, someone who feels pressured to join groups doesn’t want to because of abuse in their past. They try out two groups run by men with real Type-A personalities and each meeting brings up the hurt of the past so they leave the group…and get labeled as problem members. Which, they do have a problem…but I’d argue it’s a church’s place to help a person in that case and not label them. We can debate if that person’s being selfish…I’d say they’re not. (Of course, I’m not saying I know a woman who went through that…wink wink nudge nudge.)

I can understand you wanting to defend the activity and in itself you’re correct that the issues raised are not inherently in those systems. I just think if that’s the ONLY system a church uses it can allow for people to fall through the cracks and puts people in sometimes awkward positions for not being “more active.” (I.E. the former addict who donates his time running AA groups but doesn’t make a big deal about it.)

Ah…perfect worlds. It would be nice, wouldn’t it?