Hebrews 10:25 says, “Do not give up the habit of meeting together with other believers. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” Our church takes this admonition seriously!
Along with Sunday morning worship and small group studies, Greencastle Baptist offers Sunday evening gatherings for eight weeks in the Fall and Spring. Volunteers host these sessions in their homes. All who wish to participate are randomly divided up to help us get to know more of our church community of believers.
We study God’s Word, pray, eat, and fellowship with one another. Everyone brings something for the shared meal. Dick and I have been part of three of these groups. We really miss it when something comes up that we must skip a night.
As the weeks go by and we get to know each other better, the level of honesty and vulnerability increases. We trust one another. Words of encouragement are shared all around. You can feel the movement of the Holy Spirit convicting and comforting. This time together is a blessing that I haven’t experienced since the early days of my walk with Jesus.
As we met for our final Fall get together, I took a few moments to look around, reflecting on all that was going on. Laughter and chatter filled the rooms, creating a joyous hubbub. Toddlers maneuvered through the group and were picked up by adults they didn’t know a few weeks ago. Older children helped the younger children. Those who have been attending our church for years joked and chatted with some who have only been coming for a few weeks. It was “Make A Pizza” night and there was lots of good-natured ribbing about what toppings went well together. It truly felt like family—and it is--the family of God!
Sunday evenings remind me of Acts 2:44-47. “All the believers kept meeting together . . . They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food. At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.”
Does your church offer such opportunities? If not, perhaps you could start one! You will be blessed beyond measure!
Be encouraged!
