Diet & Exercise for a Healthy Small Group

You know what they say about how to have a healthy body, focus on diet and exercise. What about having a healthy small group? Suppose you have read any of the other blogs on the RDN website. In that case, you are aware of how vital intentional, authentic relationships are to the small group’s health. Authentic connection is forged through transparency and vulnerability. These make up the diet the small group needs to consume to be healthy. What is the exercise portion of what a small group needs to be healthy? The answer is serving each other.

Just like exercising, serving others takes work at first. Sometimes we want to avoid putting the work in. We can become selfish and self-absorbed, but ultimately, we are called to focus our eyes on Jesus and others. Our strength to serve others comes from Jesus’ love and loving encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ. From these sources of love found in the truth of the Bible, we can focus our attention on those around us whom Jesus has called on us to love and serve. When we help other people, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Over time as we serve more and more, it doesn’t become so difficult, just like exercising. Not only does it benefit us, but it also begins to benefit others. People who are loved, cared for, and served can start to flourish. As they grow, they begin to trust those who lead them. As they continue to trust you, they will start to listen to the wisdom you have for them on how to function in this life as a disciple of Jesus. People may have said to you, “Nobody cares what you know until they know how much you care.” There is so much truth to that statement. When we serve, we begin to live out the heart of what Jesus wants for us when He says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:12-13

Jesus served. He gave up his life. His example is you and your small group’s path to health and real life. So, what is the barometer of your willingness to serve your small group? Put another way and a couple of great reflection questions I learned from my elders and staff, “Are you willing to lay your life down for your small group?” Put another way, “Are you willing to be highly inconvenienced for someone else’s well-being in your small group?”

Something to think about and ask your spouse for feedback on if the answer is yes for you.

This post originally appeared at: Diet & Exercise for a Healthy Small Group | Relational Discipleship Network (rdn1.com)