Link to Ted Edwards Home Page
Everything in life revolves around "relationships" -- everything. People are
searching for love, acceptance, safety, trust, comfort, hope, edification,
encouragement, intimacy and freedom to express themselves. People are
seeking answers about life. They've tried it their way and now they are
searching for a better perspective to this life.
People are now looking for the boundaries that were obliterated by a
generation of baby-boomers. Americans are realizing that the things that
have happened in the White House, the schoolhouse and in their house are
things that shouldn't be happening in America. People are searching and are
looking for someone they can trust; some moral authority.
Americans are in search of relationships of accountability. Of course, the
most important relationship is a person's vertical relationship with God
through His Son Jesus Christ -- accountable to God, loving Him with all our
being. We must also be in relationship with one another; the horizontal
relationships -- accountable to our neighbor, loving our neighbor as
ourselves.
I am convinced that this best takes place in the basic Christian community
of small groups. People intentionally meeting in small groups once a week in
our homes. Communicating with God and with our neighbors -- being intimate
and vulnerable -- accountable one to another -- accepting the authority of
the absolute Word of God. Communicate and community; two words with the
same root.
Currently, West-Ark has several Small Groups that meet in members' homes
once a week. The need for effective small group ministry is implied in the
New Testament. If our congregation is to truly develop the spiritual gifts
of our members and mobilize the terrific power of the Holy Spirit to work
through us, if we are ever going to facilitate true relationship-based
community, we need to organize more groups where this can be fostered.
We are in the process of training more leaders so that we can form and begin
several new groups. If you're interested in becoming a Leader/Facilitator,
make plans to attend a training session scheduled for Sunday Sept. 23, 3-7
p.m.
Questions? See Ted Edwards, Larry Roper or Blake Frost.
See you in Bible Class!
Link to Ted Edwards Home Page