This post comes from Ian Carmichael who lives in Sydney, Australia.

We’re a few months into the year now. The weather is starting to cool as autumn transitions to winter. Work pressures are mounting, and the gradient on the ‘life fatigue’ graph is increasing. So how is your Bible study group going?

I know the train of thought—I have it too. It’s been a busy day at work, and it’s just beginning to wind down. My mind turns to the commute home and the evening ahead. Oh, that’s right: tonight is Bible study night. I was already feeling physically and mentally tired, and now I realise I’ve got to get home, do a quick turn around on dinner, then up and out in the cold to head to my home group. Or … I could stay home, get those nagging chores done, quickly watch the next episode of that Netflix series I’ve been enjoying, and get to bed at a time more in keeping with the level of fatigue I’m feeling. I’m sure my group and the leaders will understand. They always do.

Here are five quick reasons to intentionally derail that train of thought and go to growth group.

Because it’s grace, not law

Of course going to growth group is not about earning God’s approval. Being a Christian isn’t about rule-keeping: “thou shalt go to Bible study every week (or fortnight)”. And that’s why I should go—because studying God’s word is a joyous reminder of God’s amazing grace to me.

Because showing up is a powerful ministry

When I show up at discovery group, my action testifies to two things: that God and what He has to say is important to me, and that the people in my group are important to me. The fact that I gave up my comfortable (self-focused) night and made the effort to come to meet with God and you should be an incredibly encouraging thing for you, as indeed you coming to meet with God and me should be encouraging to me. When you think about it, before we even open our mouths in the group, we have encouraged each other deeply just by being there.

Because someone is giving you a gift

Have you ever given someone an expensive gift, only for them not to seem to value it at all—perhaps even leave it behind? That’s what it’s like for a Bible study leader who has invested considerable time preparing a study to help me understand the riches of God’s word, only for me not to show up at the last minute. That leader is giving me a gift; I should try to be an appreciative recipient.

Because habits matter

We all know the verse in Hebrews 10 about “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some” (v. 25). I wonder if we tend to read that verse as being all about Sunday church? But I’m sure it’s not limited to that; it’s about meeting together to encourage each other and stir one another up to love and good works. We are doing that in our home groups, not just in our Sunday church. So don’t neglect it. Don’t make it a habit to not go; make it a habit to go.

Because it always feels better just after growth group than just before

I don’t know where they come from—although there seems to be a bit of a sulfurous smell attached to them—but the negative feelings I have just before Bible study don’t prove right. I am almost always glad I went. Don’t trust your pre-Bible study feelings.

Perhaps you can think of other or better reasons for going to growth group than my five. Whatever they are, preach them to yourself every week.

Acknowledgement

This post was written by Ian Carmichael of Matthias Media in Sydney, Australia.

Posted, May 2022