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Special thanks to Tim Davis, Connections Minister at Downtown Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas, for sharing and inspiring many facets of the following post.
Consider the following definition: Small Groups are intentional gatherings of parts of the body that meet regularly for the purpose of partnering in God’s mission.
Breaking this down, we see that a Small Group:
• Is an intentional gathering. There is a purpose to the gatherings. As Iron Rose Sisters, our primary purpose is to connect to God and one another more deeply, as well as to serve as iron sharpening iron, encouraging one another to be as beautiful as a rose, in spite of the thorns. This is accomplished primarily through Bible study discussion and prayer.
• Is a subset of the body. It is its own church family—Iron Rose Sisters—that is part of the larger church family and, of course, the kingdom. Small Groups are the intimate, personal gatherings of the large group.
• Meets regularly. A small group has a regular meeting time and schedule. The group knows when to expect the next gathering.
• For the purpose of partnering in God’s mission. Iron Rose Sister Ministries’ mission is a part of God’s greater mission. IRSM exists to equip, encourage, and empower women in their relationships with God and one another—the mission of multiplication and mentoring. This mission is realized in Small Groups, but also extends beyond the scope of the Small Group gatherings for the transformation of lives in the image and example of the Son.
Iron Rose Sister Ministries equips women with the tools to fulfill this definition of Small Groups. We truly believe that Small Groups are where deeper relationships with God and with one another can be best facilitated.
Small Group gatherings are not to the exclusion of one-on-one time with God nor other gatherings with women that accomplish other purposes. In fact, those other fellowship times and constant personal communication with God will enrich the Small Group time when gathering with your Iron Rose Sisters.
We would love to hear how Small Groups, as defined above, have been a blessing in your life! Which aspect of the definition do you think is most important? Intentionality, a subset of the body, meets regularly, or for the purpose of partnering in God’s mission.
If you have not had the blessing of participating in a Small Group like this in the past, we would like to encourage, equip, and empower you to start your own group of Iron Rose Sisters! There are four different Bible study books available and other resources for getting started, on our website.
#IronRoseSister #smallgroup #Godsmission #smallgroupBIGDIFFERENCE #notalone
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Gathered in the kitchen, the six Cuban women have read a Bible verse, shared prayer requests, and a cup of coffee. They came from different backgrounds of faith and church experiences. Yet for most of them, Christian or not, this was the first time they had been empowered as women to spend time in God’s Word and in His presence, growing together as women.
Always tentative about sharing her story, the Christian sister came to value the safe environment with other Christian sisters—Iron Rose Sisters—encouraging her in her walk with God and strengthening their relationships with one another. For the first time, she could share the deeper burdens on her heart and realize she was not alone.
Entrapped by a limited understanding of who Jesus was and the example He left while walking the earth in human flesh, one woman wrestled with guilt and struggled to break free from her misconceptions. She had been limiting Jesus and limiting herself until she met with a small group to discuss the Human AND Holy aspects of the One who sacrificially gave it all up to show us how to live and invited us to dwell in His love. Since then, she has used those same resources, Bible verses, and new understanding, to equip, empower, and encourage other women through other small groups, in their own personal journeys.
What is your small group story?
What successes can we celebrate of what God has facilitated in a small group context?
#IronRoseSister #smallgroups #MichelleJGoff