Talking about life

With Life Groups being launched this Sunday, Tash Edwards shares her thoughts on what life groups are all about...

I was listening to Tim Keller the other day over my morning gym session (trying to lose the dreaded 5 "honeymoon" kilos) talking about Jesus and community.  He was discussing how salvation is not only the forgiveness of our sins but also entry into a new community of people.  He went on to talk about how this new community is characterised by a different set of values as demonstrated in the sermon on the mount to that of the world. 

But I was thinking of how challenging that actually is to live out; that it really is a battle to live contrary to this world's values of materialism, status, the love of self and all the other mentalities that we know are so prevalent.  I guess the truth is, we can't do it by ourselves, and God knows this. He has given us three tools to helps us fight this battle, His word, His Spirit and His people...and it seems from scripture that the three work in harmony together. 

Life Groups are an atmosphere in which these three intentionally collide as we together encourage each other to value and apply God's word and as we together minister to each other through prayer and the gifts of the Spirit.  I think the writers of Hebrews' words to the disheartened and persecuted Jewish believers of the day still apply to us "Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." 

-Tash