At our fall prayer and planning retreat a few months ago, after some time in prayer, my staff and I began to have a conversation around what it might look like to truly focus on the ECC Touchstone of Transformation in the coming months. There was a bit of back and forth—and even some divergent thoughts around the room—but then we landed on something key.
In our conversation, in answer to prayer, and even in the back and forth of our divergent ideas, the idea surfaced that the key to people coming to ECC, coming to know Christ, and setting out on the journey from mere curiosity about God to Christoformity in Christ, I believe we heard the voice of the Spirit of God.
It’s all about two words: community and connection.
We practice community when we live life together with others, carry one another’s burdens, pray for one another, encourage one another, and even challenge one another. We engage in the practice of connection when we entrust ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit and live out healthy relationships with our sisters and brothers in Christ.
Community and connection can come together in healthy smaller groups of people who gather on a regular basis for these purposes. We call them Life Groups. Once again, our wildly important goal for 2022 is to go from 75 people currently in some type of small group at ECC to 150 people fully engaged in Life Groups at ECC by September 30.
The staff and I have begun to develop strategy, and we will meet with an expert in small group ministry less than a week after you read this article.
Things are happening!
Next week, we will run our ideas by Chris Croyts (who also happens to be our guest speaker for the men’s retreat, May 6-7) and begin to flesh out a plan for the next several months on how to meet our goal on time.
The next part of our strategy involves you.
If you have ever hosted or led a small group in the past, or if you are doing so now, we want to hear from you. Even if you have never led or participated in a small group before, but you are interested in the possibility, we want to hear from you. Please join us in the Great Room at ECC on Sunday, April 3, right after church, for a light lunch and a conversation about the vision of Life Groups at ECC. Please mark your calendar now, and plan to join us as we seek to listen to the Holy Spirit, to one another, and to take the next steps God has for us in these things.
Watch the bulletin, the web site, and our Bible App Live Event each Sunday for details, and register!