College Life

When you spend time with other people you’re able to see their finer points. You’re also able to see their flaws. Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them. But, it’s good to know we’re not alone in our flaws. Only Jesus is perfect, and it’s unfair to expect perfection from anyone else—or yourself. While thinking about our flaws might be depressing, there’s good news: Once we see each other as we truly are, in need of someone to redeem and save us, we can move closer to one another in life-changing community

When you try something new, you’re worried about what to expect: the dress code, the depth of study, the group dynamics. People who have been part of groups for a while forget how nerve-racking it can be. But remember that you’re not the only person who’s new to LifeGroups. Others will have the same questions. So relax, open up, ask questions, and just be yourself.

During your time together, there’s a good chance you’ll have the opportunity to begin new relationships. At the same time, meeting for only a few weeks doesn’t usually translate into a life-long friendship simply because you’ve met. To build those relationships, get together outside the group meetings. Some intentionality goes a long way in developing meaningful relationships.

As you meet with your group, you’ll develop trust over time. As your trust deepens, your discussions can go deeper as well. Don’t expect to jump into the deep end at the first meeting. It’s simply a natural part of forming relationships. But don’t be content with simply answering basic questions or staying at surface-level sharing. Take a risk and share a little more each time you’re together.

Unless a LifeGroup is grounded with a biblical foundation, it’s no different than a club or social group. A LifeGroup should always point you toward Scripture. As you study God’s Word and apply it, you’ll learn more about God and one another. Studying Scripture in a LifeGroup may not make you the next great theologian, but studying Scripture is “useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (2 Timothy 3:16). Expect not only to learn something new, but also to discover your next steps for growth.

As you get to know others better, you’ll begin to understand their needs, and this gives you an opportunity to use your spiritual gifts to serve them. For instance, you might provide refreshments or record prayer requests. Or you might help a group member with a do-it-yourself project, or simply listen to someone going through crisis. As a member of the group, you simply need to listen for needs and take initiative to use your gifts to meet them.

This is true for just about everything in life and it’s true of your time in a LifeGroup. Make the most of your time together by sharing in a transparent way. Come to meetings prepared, having read the study passage, and you’ll have more to offer to the discussion. You’ll probably take away more as well. If you attend regularly, you’ll develop deeper trust and relationships. Scripture talks about getting back what you put in when it says, “What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God! —harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvest a crop of real life, eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

If your first experience with a LifeGroup isn’t a good one, don’t give up. God created us to live together in life-giving community. But living together in community takes work. Biblical community doesn’t just happen when a LifeGroup is formed. It takes transparency, commitment, and openness to God’s leading for a group to really come together. Come expecting to grow, to learn, and to invest in others in your group.