During my Navy career, my wife and I had the opportunity to live in Sicily, Italy for four years. I remember my sister calling during our first November in Sicily and asking how the Sicilians celebrated Thanksgiving. The answer, of course, was Sicilians do not celebrate Thanksgiving, because Thanksgiving is a distinctly American and Canadian holiday. However, gratitude is a universal concept and hopefully a key part of every Christian’s life.
As a small group point person, I am thankful that, no matter where you live, November gives us a reminder that we have much for which to be thankful. Every November I am reminded that any success I have in ministry is a result of the amazing small group leaders I have the privilege of serving alongside every day. Here are the top ten reasons I am grateful for small group leaders.
- They willingly sacrifice their time and energy to bring others closer to Jesus.
- They truly want the best for others.
- They create a place where spiritual growth can happen.
- They have the courage to have hard conversations.
- They fight for their people and their group.
- They spend time praying for their group.
- They love and care for the hurting.
- They celebrate together.
- They challenge me to be a better leader.
- I see Jesus in them.
Without small group leaders it would be incredibly difficult to make disciples.
I have one more thing I am thankful for. As a small group point person that are times it can feel like you are the only person who is championing groups. And it can be discouraging. So, I just wanted to remind you that I am incredibly grateful for you. Knowing that you are out there connecting people into small gatherings of friends who are sharing the Christ-centered life fills me with gratitude. Understanding that no one stands alone when it comes to leading groups is refreshing for my soul. It is an honor to serve Jesus with you. Thanks for running your race well.
