"Breath Life Into this Group"

Several years ago, I was working with a small group that was floundering.  The leader was a good friend of mine, so we were meeting almost weekly to pray and try and find ways to breath life into this little community.  I could tell that he was frustrated and even though he never admitted it, I sensed that he was about ready to thrown in the towel.  It seemed that every attempt to change the direction of this group was failing and we were prepared to allow it to disband, assuming that it had possibly run it's course and it's season of ministry was over.  We ended our meeting in prayer, asking God to confirm our assumption by the next group meeting.  It was at that point that things changed, not only for this group, but for each individual involved.

The transformation for this group began with six simple words that closed our prayer: "Lord, breath life into this group."  From that point on, that is exactly what we saw happen in this community.  God, breathed life into a lifeless body and changed each person forever.  In asking God to accomplish something very simple from His perspective, He accomplished the seemingly impossible from ours.  God transformed the group.  God transformed the people.  And through that transformation, they saw a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God can really be like.

My friend recounted what happened in this small group as they met that week.  To the best of my recollection, these are his words to me:

"Something happened in me.  As we prayed and begged God to revive us, I felt His Spirit in a way that I never have.  It was as if God had been revealing the answer all along, and we just never heard it.  It was like He was saying, "Hello?  I've done my part, when are you going to do yours?  This group is dying because it's suffocating.  You are suffocating on each other."  At that moment, I knew exactly what He was talking about.  We had become a group of people focused inwardly, rather than externally.  We cared for and loved each other, but that only carried us so far.  We had become exactly what we never wanted to be.           

We ended our prayer, and that's when it happened.  I spoke up and told the group that we were not disbanding this community.  We were going to change it.  We were not done, but only beginning.  If we wanted life breathed into our group, it was up to us to breath it in!  It was already there, waiting for us, just as the air around us.  And it was as if every person in that group collectively breathed in at that moment!  We all smiled at each other, realizing that something happened that changed our group and each one of us.  It was as if we were a new group.  It was as if we were meeting for the first time.  We were excited.  We were ready."

From that point, my friend and his group began a journey that has continued to this day.  We keep in touch and meet at least once a month.  Each time, he shares stories of how God is working in this group and revealing the Kingdom of God to the world.  He shares stories of how God is working in peoples lives outside of they're group.  In fact, he rarely tells me anything about himself or any of the group members.  Only things about what God is doing through them.  I guess you can say that this group has become a new group.  They are involved in the community around them and changing lives.  They changed their focus from and "inward" perspective, and began thinking "outward".  It's like the old saying from Rick Warren; they realized that it wasn't about them, but about God and His Kingdom.  

Last week, my friend sent me an email and shared what this community was doing as a group through the Christmas season.  He shared that they had adopted a family in need and were going to take care of all their needs for Christmas.  I instantly knew what ministry they must be working through, because I've been involved with them for years, especially in adopting families for Christmas.  Lighthouse Christian Ministries is the organization that sponsors this program.  You can check them out online at http://www.lighthousecm.org/               

Here's my challenge to you as a Life Group leader: Consider adopting a family as a Life Group through Lighthouse. If your group is meeting this week, spend some time in prayer and ask God if this is a direction that He wants your group to take.  Your group is most likely not at the same place as my friend's, but ask God to breath life into your group.  Your group may be vibrant and active, but ask Him to breath new life.  See what He does.  He may confirm that he wants you to be involved in this ministy with Lighthouse , and He may not.  Maybe there is something different that He has in mind.  Either way, the type of ministry is not important.  The important thing is God's Kingdom.  I might suggest that it's really the only thing.  Imagine the transformation to the culture around us when God guides us outwardly.  Imagine the impact when He breaths life!

If you decide to move forward in this ministry, just let me know and I'll take care of all the preparations to get you started.  Just let me know!