Growing community is God's work, not ours

Our congregation has more than a dozen groups totalling around 150 people that meet midweek to encourage each other, to worship Jesus, to share life and to mobilise for mission. One of our group leaders writes about growing their community over the last season and some of her insights may encourage you.


Acts 2:47 ...and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.


When starting a home group last year our dream was to grow quickly, as I am sure it is with all home group leaders. We started with 6 people in our group and a long list of people attached to our group but not attending. We faithfully contacted them every quarter to try and motivate and persuade them to be in community. After numerous calls, texts and emails I got despondent and frustrated and couldn't understand why people didn’t want to join. It was then that the Lord reminded me of what is written in Acts 2:47 “...the Lord added to their number day by day....”. We realised that it was not up to us to persuade people to be in community but that the Lord will add people to our group. Our instruction from the Lord was to love them like Jesus loves them and to care for them and to keep reminding them that we are there for them. In addition to this our group prayed for them every week and we included them in our communication as if they were part of our group.


Almost a year later our group has doubled in numbers and we are a group of committed followers of Christ. People were added to our group by the Lord. Of the non-attending people we were able to assist some of them to slot in with other home groups and four of them are now regularly attending our home group.


We believe that this is because of faithfully praying for and loving and caring for non-attending members. It is our responsibility to love those outside back onto the flock so that they do not go missing. I now understand and truly believe that all home groups should have a non-attending list. It is the responsibility of the home group leader and the group to care for and love those non-attending members, but we should not forget to pray earnestly for them as it is the Spirit that gives life (John 6:63) and it is God who puts the desire in our hearts to worship Him (Jeremiah 33:40).


We must constantly remind ourselves to trust Jesus and not our abilities - it is after all His church!