{"id":1008,"date":"2014-08-01T15:07:48","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T15:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/journeyonleadership.brentwoodbaptistonline.com\/?p=1008"},"modified":"2014-08-01T15:07:48","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T15:07:48","slug":"strength-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leadership.brentwoodbaptist.com\/adult-discipleship\/strength-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Strength in Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Community, Accountability, Family<\/h2>\n
By Eric Warren\u00a0<\/address>\n

It\u2019s no secret that Brentwood Baptist is a large church setting.\u00a0 For some, it is all too easy to slip in and out of our church building without making a meaningful connection with anyone.\u00a0 We are here to remedy that as quickly and as passionately as possible.\u00a0 While corporate worship is shared among many, we aim to make this big church setting feel smaller and more intimate, which is one of the countless benefits of LIFE Groups<\/strong>.\u00a0 We are so thankful for you, the leaders, for helping facilitate such intimacy throughout the many people that make their way in for LIFE Groups on Sundays, during the week, on campus, and off campus.\u00a0 But the goal is still out there for us to keep striving forward.<\/p>\n

42\u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong>And they devoted themselves to the apostles<\/em>\u2019 <\/em>teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Acts 2:42-47<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>
\nWhat a fantastic scene being painted here, of the once downtrodden, the once defeated, now redeemed by the resurrection of Christ.\u00a0 Here, a watershed moment where Christ issued His Helper upon his followers and thousands came to professing Jesus as Savior.\u00a0 The journey for these multitudes of people didn’t stop at their decisions for salvation in Christ, they continued on in fellowship with one another, to teaching, to caring for one another.\u00a0 Just as these masses were struck with awe, we pray with every fiber of our being that all who step foot in Brentwood Baptist would be struck with that same awe because they have a people so ready and so willing to love them and care for them to ends unknown.\u00a0 That is why we do LIFE Groups<\/strong>.\u00a0 We hear words like \u201ccommunity\u201d and phrases like \u201cbuilding relationships\u201d and perhaps after hearing them over and over, they tend to lose a bit of their zeal.\u00a0 Let this be a time where you are refreshed in their meaning and struck with awe and wonder at the family you have found here with your brothers and sisters in Christ.\u00a0 Know that that is our call to discipleship, to provide this sense of family and community for everyone as we encourage growth and advancement towards Christlikeness.\u00a0 LIFE Groups<\/strong> are such a wonderful tool that we get to utilize to breed such growth, love, and care.
\nAgain, with Group Connect on the horizon, we are asking you, our leaders, to come alongside of us in prayer and support as we pray that so many would come thirsty for life abundant, and that they would find Jesus through the teaching offered in LIFE Groups<\/strong> and the intimate community to be had.\u00a0 We ask you to look at your own experiences, your own blessings that you have found through LIFE Groups<\/strong> and know that those same blessings are to be had by so many.\u00a0 So, pray for boldness, that many would step out and be vulnerable for a bit, only to find the open arms of Jesus waiting on them through the small group LIFE Group<\/strong> communities and families.
\nThings to Pray For:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n