By Victoria Ostrosky
Small groups, or life groups, had their beginnings with the new church, as baby believers met in one another’s homes, breaking bread together and encouraging each other. Those first home churches though were just that – small, intimate, home churches. Small groups today are quite different – they’re typically comprised of members of a larger church who spend time together outside of the regular Sunday service, doing life together, and building each other up in their faith.
To get an idea of how our modern life groups, or small groups started up, we have to travel back a bit in time to Frankfort, Germany. In 1669, a young minister named Philipp Jakob Spener had a burden for his congregation. He wanted them to have something more than just the Sunday sermon. His desire was for his flock to grow in their faith, living out their faith every day of the week. He called it a ‘movement for piety’. John Wesley, impressed with the results of these small groups, some years later expanded on that idea, and here we are today.
Small groups and life groups are touted in almost every Protestant church now, offering a multitude of options for men, women, couples, new believers, specialty groups, and much more.
Travis King knows all about the immediate and eternal impact of small groups. He refers to his current faith walk as a “beautifully painful road,” and describes himself a few years ago as “broken physically, emotionally and spiritually.” Travis has learned how being surrounded by other Godly men, learning from them and growing with them, has given him spiritual endurance.
In 2021, Travis was devastated and consumed by hurt. He lost his job, his wife divorced him, and his sons didn’t want to have anything to do with him. Painful though it was, God used it for good. As C.S. Lewis so beautifully articulated, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Travis knew he needed help. “We need hope, and where does that hope come from? God orchestrates things in your life. Over time you get to where the things of earth – the daily fears and concerns – don’t affect you the same. There’s a peace and hope that the Lord will walk with you and help you.”
But Travis also knows that it takes consistency in reading and studying God’s Word, consistency in surrender, and consistency in attending his small group to experience the growth that only comes from the Holy Spirit. “Piece by piece God softened my heart and my sons’ hearts. That made me feel valued and worthy. Now I can share what God has done. You have to lay it all down and surrender it. God has to orchestrate it and direct it.”
Being part of a small group is a powerful thing. Meeting together weekly, reading the Word, sharing struggles, praying for each other and being transparent with each other produces a feeling of safety and security. When you feel safe, it’s much easier to grow. And then, as Jesus commanded us, we need to go – go and tell the world about forgiveness of sins in Him and eternal life.
Jesus is coming back very soon, and we still have much work to do, bringing in the lost sheep. So, get yourself plugged into a Bible-centered small group so you can be better equipped to go out into the harvest fields.
You can hear Travis King’s entire interview and listen to many other incredible stories on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com.
Author: Sowal Editor
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