It’s a question I get pretty often as I meet with businessmen contemplating their next step in their spiritual growth. I believe in small groups and it is one of the first places I suggest as a place to take a next growth step in faith. I want to suggest to you that a small group is a place:
- To BELONG
- To be ENCOURAGED
- To be CHALLENGED by the WORD
- To SERVE
Hebrews 10:24-25 says “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” These two verses are a great reminder of why meeting together is so important.
YBL small groups are places to belong. Friendship happens! We all need a few more friends. Businessmen experience groups that are small enough where all of the guys in the group have the opportunity to really get to know the other men in the group. These relationships go beyond surface level friendships as men have the opportunity to experience what it means to belong to something that can help them grow in their own faith journey and help them grow as leaders in their homes and businesses.
Small groups are also places to be encouraged. Let’s be honest; not every day is a good day. I hear often from businessmen how much encouragement they receive from the other men in their group. Whether the encouragement is from a prayer offered on their behalf or a text message during a difficult and challenging situation, encouragement is a big part of being a part of a small group.
You will also be challenged by time in the Bible. Bible study is a big part of what our small groups do when they meet together. Don’t think Sunday School class where a leader teaches for an hour. YBL small groups are designed to create a conversation around the truth of the Bible. Our leaders work hard to design questions that will create a dialogue among the group members. They dig deep into the Word and allow the Word to challenge every part of their lives.
Small groups often serve together. They take what they are learning and they go and put it into action in the communities that they live in. Relationships and spiritual growth are enhanced as group members serve alongside each other.
If you have been thinking about your next step in your spiritual growth, let me encourage you to join a YBL small group. Contact your local YBL Office and the director will be glad to help you connect to a place to belong, a place to be encouraged, a place to be challenged by God’s Word and a place to serve alongside your brothers in Christ.