In A.D. 64, a great fire broke out in Rome. It burned for days, destroying large portions of the city and leaving many people shaken, homeless, and angry. It is unlikely that Nero himself started the fire, but as rumors…
The Christian church did not begin in a place of cultural ease or political safety. It began in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus had been crucified, buried, raised, and from which he ascended into heaven. In the earliest days after…
In the opening moments of Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye explains how his people survive in a harsh, unstable, and uncertain world. Their life was fragile—like a fiddler trying to keep his balance on a rooftop. What keeps everything from falling…
As our small groups wind down for the summer, our Small Group Ministry newsletter column will also take a brief pause. In its place, we will begin a new series throughout the summer that reflects on the history of the…
One Body, Many Needs Even within the same small group, people come with different needs. These needs have been summarized in many texts and can be boiled down to three areas: the desire to accomplish, to belong, and to make…
In recent newsletters, we have explored what a task-oriented and relational small-group ministry looks like. We will continue exploring small-group ministries, using Emory Griffin’s Getting Together: A Guide for Good Groups as a helpful resource. Today’s column focuses on influence…
In the last small newsletter, we considered what a task-oriented small group ministry looks like. We will continue exploring different types of small-group ministries, using Emory Griffin’s Getting Together: A Guide for Good Groups as a helpful resource. Today’s column…
Some groups exist mainly to do something: plan an event, decide a direction, solve a problem, build a ministry, or study Scripture with focus and clarity. These groups can be deeply honoring to God—when they’re led well. Building on Emory…
Scratch Where They Itch In the next few columns, I will share insights I have gained from a helpful book on building healthy, Christ-centered small groups: Getting Together: A Guide for Good Groups by Emory A. Griffin. Small groups can…
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about and thinking about what makes a small group truly “good.” It isn’t perfection—it’s presence. Healthy groups are marked by people who keep showing up. They come, they stay, they invest. Over time that…
I’m grateful for the ways God is using small groups at Christ Church Ann Arbor to foster care, community, and growth in grace. As we are already well into the new year, I want to share a vision for our…