Growing Together
Connect Groups help us to grow in God as individuals, and are also a building block to growing the whole church. A Connect Group is a group of guys or girls who meet regularly to study God’s Word and apply it to their lives. The Connect Group is led by a mature Christian who has been chosen to lead.
What Is a Connect Group?
Acts 2:42-47, 5:42: about the early church.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
All the believers were together and had everything in common.
They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 5:42 (NIV)
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
When did they meet?
Where did they meet?
What was their core message?
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
In what situation does Jesus promise His presence?
What Happens in a Connect Group?
Apply God’s Word to our lives –
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Learn from our Connect Group leader –
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Encourage and get to know each other –
Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Romans 1:11-12 (NIV)
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Be honest with and pray for each other –
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Connect Groups Are for Growth
Personal Growth
Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
How does Connect Group help you to grow in God?
Training Towards Leadership
Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Why should we and how can we grow towards leadership?
Evangelism and Multiplication
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
How can Connect Groups help to grow the church?
Ask a Friend
How has being part of a Connect Group helped your life?
Application
We should come to Connect Group each week eager to learn from God’s Word, we should be ready to receive encouragement and challenges, and to then apply them to our lives. We should also be ready to participate and contribute as our leader leads the group. In what other ways can we apply God’s Word from this study to our lives?
Prayer Model
Lord Jesus, I thank You that when we meet in a Connect Group, that You are here with us. Lord I commit myself to growing in this group. Please help me to apply Your Word to my life and prepare me to lead and encourage others with Your Word.
Key Verse
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,”
