I currently serve as the Executive Pastor of Ministry Development at Central Christian Church.  I am part of an awesome team that helps people in find God and learn how to follow Jesus.   My wife Amy and I have been married for 21 yea ... Read More

July 13th, 2009

My journey of following Jesus started at age 23, shortly after graduating from college. While really fired up about my new faith, I had a big problem. I didn’t know anything about the Bible. I owned a Bible, but had never read it. I didn’t know the difference between the Old Testament and the New. I couldn’t even tell you the story of the guy who was swallowed by a whale!

Before long, I was invited to join a Small Group. I had no idea what a Small Group was or what they did, but thought I’d check it out. Once there, I realized it was all about the Bible. I was supposed to bring my Bible, open it, read it, and discuss it with others. Oh no! I felt intimidated and embarrassed in having to go to the table of contents to find the book we were reading. Thanks to a great Small Group leader, my fears and discomfort didn’t last long. Despite my ignorance, Bible study had a dramatic effect on my life. I was amazed at how quickly I was changing (and I had a lot of things that needed changing!). Naïvely, but faithfully, I just tried putting into practice what we learned each week. Later I learned that we call that obedience. God honored my obedience and helped me grow in ways I could never have imagined.

The Christian life is all about following Jesus. The primary way we do this - through the power of the Holy Spirit - is by reading, studying, and applying God’s teachings found in the Bible.  Sometimes we do these things alone and other times we do it together, in a Small Group. The Bible is at the heart of a Small Group. Learning God’s Word together in Small Group will undoubtedly change your life.

One final thought. A few years after I participated in my first Small Group, I was challenged to lead my own Small Group. This was a huge surprise and a step I felt very inadequate to take. But with encouragement, I took that step of faith. Since then, I have been privileged to lead many Small Groups and have met the greatest friends of my life along the way. Isn’t it ironic that a guy who once knew nothing about the Bible is now being used by God to help others who feel the same way? Only God can change a life like this. Only God.

Next Blog – 4th Way a Small Group Will Change Your Life.

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