Summer is an awesome time to build community, especially for young adults. College students have returned home, calendars are typically lighter, and the warm weather is begging to be enjoyed! We sat down with Andreya Miller to learn more about opportunities at FBC for young adults not only to connect, but to make this summer count for eternity. Andreya serves both as FBC’s Communications Director and as a leader in The Bridge 1825 - FBC’s young adult ministry. So, if you’re a young adult, or you know someone who is, enjoy our Q+A with Andreya below!

What’s the story behind the name, “The Bridge 1825”?  

“The Bridge” comes from the idea of bridging the gap between your teen years and adulthood. It’s this “in-between” space where you’re on your own, but you haven’t moved into the next stage of life yet. “1825” is the age range of our group: 18-25 year-olds.

What’s been your personal story with The Bridge?  

It started off as a unique opportunity for my friend Arin and I. When we first started coming to FBC in 2021, we really just desired a community, and we didn’t have one. So it was basically us and a couple of our friends. We started coming here and asked around about a young adults group, and FBC didn’t have one at the time. So it was put on Arin’s heart to organize one. When we met with leadership at FBC, we learned that Matt and Shari Cox were in the beginning stages of establishing a space for young adults to connect. A few months later, Matt reached out to us and gave us the opportunity to be involved in it from the start. We met at his house - 12 of us who helped start it - and that’s how it began.

What does a normal gathering look like?  

Normally we do a study, a game, and snacks. In the summer months, we do a lot outside - volleyball, pickleball, or wiffle ball. Occasionally, we will do special nights of worship. Outside of Tuesdays, we do a lot of random stuff. We’ll put something in the group chat and whoever can come, comes.

What’s the craziest / most random THING you’ve done at THE Bridge?

I know immediately! We did hide-and-seek in the church building. There were people everywhere. I hid in a trashcan…I also hid in a cabinet…I definitely feel like that was the craziest thing we’ve done!  

How has God used this community in your life? 

Being a leader in The Bridge has helped me lead in other areas of my life. It’s really equipped me in ways I wouldn’t have expected it to. When I first started, I was on the leadership team, but I didn’t have responsibilities or take ownership yet. Once I gained more responsibilities, I wanted to make sure I was leading well and being a good example for other people. In that way, it’s really grown my character.

Besides leadership, being part of this community alone has grown me. You feel so lost and so lonely in that “18-25 gap”. No one in that stage of life has everything figured out, so you’re trying to answer questions like, “What do I want to do with my life?...Who am I?…What was I created for?...What’s my purpose?”

If you’re navigating all of that without community, it gets really hard and really lonely. So, Bridge has helped so much with that aspect. I have incredible friends, and we encourage each other in the Lord. We’re all like-minded, and we hold each other accountable. Being able to have friends that you enjoy being around helps a lot with the loneliness that you can experience in your 20s.

One thing I love about Bridge is that everyone is who they are; no one’s putting on a front. We’re very honest about where we’re at. I also love seeing everyone’s hunger for the Word. Right now, we’re going through the book of Matthew just a few verses at a time. It’s so good.

How have you seen THE bridge connect young adults OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WALLS?

Initially, it was just Bridge. Then last year, Arin and I had the idea to also play volleyball on Monday nights. It started off as just a handful of friends. This year, we decided to open it up and see what would happen. We met in a local church’s gym and invited everyone we could possibly think of. We started off with one court and had ten people the first night…and then it grew to fifty people! We were packing that gym every single week. It’s crazy. Now, we play outside at Goshen College during these summer months. Our attendance at Bridge has grown so much just from volleyball. There are people there who don’t go to church but have heard about it and started coming, or they’re looking for a young adult group, and we direct them to Bridge and invite them to come and join us.

What advice would you give to FBC college students who are home for the summer? How can you make one summer at home count for eternity? 

I would definitely encourage them to get into community. Even if it’s just for the summer, see how God will bless you in taking steps of obedience and surrounding yourself with godly people who encourage you to get into the Word and spend time with Jesus and just encourage you in your walk with Christ. It is such a gift that you don’t always realize that you’re missing until you have it. You’ll wonder, “How did I ever go without that?!”

The greatest thing is to spend time in the Word every single day. That is the biggest thing that’s going to change you. Spend time with God. Be intentional with the time that you have – whether that’s spending meaningful time with your family or the friends that you have here at home. Just be purposeful with your time, and don’t waste it. Maybe you do have friends here, but they cause you to go back to old habits; maybe this summer, you could make a shift.

How can new 18-25 year olds get involved WITH THE BRIDGE?

I think the big thing is, show up to something! Come join us for one of the Tuesday gatherings. We have an Instagram page that we update all the time. You can also go to the website.

We all sit together in second service in the front of the Worship Center. We’d love to meet new people if they feel confident enough to come up and say “Hi”. We’d totally love to meet them, add them to the GroupMe chat and make them feel comfortable coming to Bridge.

ANDREYA MILLER | COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Andreya Miller has a passion for using her gifts and knowledge to serve God’s people and her church family, which makes her a GREAT fit for our Communications Director here at FBC. She has a heart for the local church, as well as for those in other countries facing poverty and/or persecution for their faith. For inspiration, Andreya loves being immersed in nature (preferably the ocean!), and she happily owns the titles of aunt, coffee lover, sister, and friend. A really good day for Andreya would probably include a Star Wars marathon with an almond milk latte in hand. 

We’re already seeing an abundant response to this year’s Season of Generosity launch, and we’ve only just begun!

You’ve probably heard about the two main ways to get involved:

1. Giving of your time and energy by participating in one of our local service opportunities

2. Giving of your financial resources to bless one of our local or global ministry partners

We encourage you, first and foremost, to spend some time asking God to lay some of these opportunities on your heart. As you are drawn to certain serving initiatives or financial needs, you can jump in by signing up to serve, or by giving to our “Season of Generosity” fund.

Maybe you’ve already chosen some serving opportunities to jump into. Maybe you’ve thought about what it could look like to give extravagantly. That’s amazing!

If you’re looking for ways to go one step further…or to lean in a little more intentionally with your kids about what generosity looks like…or to carry Season of Generosity into your home and your routines…we’ve got some ideas.

Below, you’ll find a list of 10 ULTRA-PRACTICAL (and creative) ways to infuse your everyday life with generosity in this season.  

START HERE…

• Grab a mason jar and a handful of popsicle sticks and write down the names of our FBC Missionaries and Season of Generosity Partners on the popsicle sticks. Before each meal, have someone pick out a stick at random, and then pray for that missionary or organization.
  

• At the beginning of the week, write the name of an FBC missionary or Season of Generosity partner on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker and pray as often as you see it.
  

• Take a “prayer walk” around your neighborhood (solo, with a friend, spouse, or your family) to pray over our local and global ministry partners.
  

• Pick out one of this year’s 3 global partners and make a recipe from the region where they serve. (Think Middle Eastern, Indian, or Chilean Food!) Pinterest is brimming with international recipes you can make with common ingredients! Before you dig in, pray for the corresponding missionary.

  • Bassam Banoura - Middle East

  • Abraham Thomas - India

  • Alejandro Armijo - Chile
    

• Invite a new friend or a neighbor to serve with you. Serving together is a great way to build connection and bless our community at the same time!
  

• Check out products that support this year’s ministry partners. Most are made locally!

  • Church Community Services | Soup of Success Products

  • The Crossing | Micro-businesses: Spark Candles & X-Treme Tree Services

  • Trail Life USA | Featured Products
    

• Follow the social media platforms of the organizations we partner with to stay connected and informed.

  • Cultivate Culinary | Facebook | Instagram

  • Church Community Services | Facebook | Instagram

  • Faith Mission | Facebook

  • RETA | Facebook | Instagram

  • Ribbon of Hope | Facebook

  • Michiana Biblical Counseling Center | Facebook

  • The Crossing School of Business & Entrepreneurship | Facebook | Instagram

  • SPA Women’s Ministry Homes | Facebook | Instagram

  • Trail Life USA | Facebook | Instagram

  • Fresh Paint on the Road | Facebook

  • Time to Revive | Facebook | Instagram
    

• Treat our service opportunities as springboards. Ask ministry leaders if there are ways to continue volunteering in the future. Keep “spreading the cheer” by delivering boxes of donuts or Christmas cookies in your own neighborhood.

• Next time you’re at the store, allow one of your kiddos to pick out a toy to donate to RETA’s November Toy Drive, or take advantage of a sale at the grocery store to pick up something extra for Bristol Food Pantry’s November Food Drive. (For the full experience, allow your kids to personally drop off the donation in the big boxes in the Commons on Sunday morning!)

  • Check out RETA’s Toy Drive List here.

  • Check out Bristol Food Pantry’s List here.
    

• On your way to serve, leverage the car ride to talk to your kids about the “why” behind the “what” that they’re about to do. How will it bless the recipients?  

Have some additional creative ideas? Share them below!

Last summer, I went to war in my backyard. The “front lines” were situated around a mulberry tree and some purple irises that blanket the grass around it. My enemy? Poison Ivy. Somehow, it had managed to wind its way under, over, and throughout the tree, iris leaves, and a nearby fence. It would multiply itself weekly. For a while, I tried treating it with a DIY Pinterest concoction. Sure enough, the leaves shriveled up, but never for long. After several topical attempts, I got serious. Someone with a greener thumb than I have told me it propagates itself with vines that grow underground, and the only way to truly eliminate it is to dig it out.

So, covered from head to toe and armed with double layers of protective gloves, I set out. I started with the sinister trios closest to me, wedging my fingers underneath to find their roots, without success; the tips of the vines were too young and too fragile to pull on without breaking. In frustration, I broke off all the leaves I could see – a far cry from a lasting solution. After regrouping, I tried to locate some of the vines closer to the base of the tree. There they lay, tangled and matted together in what seemed like an impenetrable above-ground network of burgundy cords. I started yanking on the vines until, drenched in sweat, muscles trembling, and mulberries embedded in my hair, I had filled up a garbage can of my leafy opponents.

I made a good dent in the poison ivy that day, but more rewarding than the blow I dealt it was the lesson God taught me along the way. The process became such a spiritual metaphor. As I took hold of those crimson roots and pulled, I watched what had been hidden under the surface of the ground become visible. My eyes traced the vine, leaf by leaf, as it sprung out of the earth, eventually dislodging the tip, until I held the entire strand in my (thoroughly gloved) hand. This method proved far more effective than merely plucking at the leaves in plain sight.

It dawned on me that the sin in our lives develops very much the same way. It thrives just under the surface. Its visible evidence springs up in our actions, tracing direct, underground lines all the way to the source. Scripture teaches that sin’s roots can be found in the heart – the command center of our lives – the very core of our thoughts, will, and emotions. The roots run deep. James 4:1 tells us that our passions are literally at war within us. We know the dangers of letting these vines grow unchecked. Sin not only poisons our own environment and chokes out our capacity to thrive in the space God has given us, but it poses a dangerous threat to those we invite into the environment of our lives. John Owen puts it this way: “Be Killing Sin, or Sin will be Killing You.”

So, with good intentions, we set out to remove it. If we’re overly ambitious, we even dare to pluck every visible “leaf” we can see. Things look better in the yard – at least for a few days. We’re disheartened, though, when we return to find the same sinful patterns growing even faster where we had labored before.

The truth is that we won’t make much lasting progress with behavioral modification alone.

It is in grasping the roots and digging them out that we find victory over the obstinate, insidious sin patterns in our hearts. It’s not easy. It’s messy and sweaty and frustrating and makes your spiritual muscles shake and you might find mulberries in your hair. We’re often not prepared for the grittiness and the strain that fighting sin involves. John Owen describes our tendency to underestimate the challenge:

“Men look upon it as an easy task and as that which will be carried on with a little diligence and ordinary attendance. But do we think it is for nothing that the Holy Spirit expresses the duty of opposing sin and weakening its power by mortification, killing or putting to death?...Everything will do its utmost to preserve its life and being. So will sin too; and if it is not constantly pursued with diligence and holy violence, it will escape our assaults. Let no man think he can kill sin with few, easy or gentle strokes.”

This realization humbles us. We quickly realize we are unevenly matched for both the volume of the earth, the complexity of the root system, and the tenacious hold it has on the soil. I love the way theologian J.C. Ryle describes this tension:

So deeply planted are the roots of human corruption, that even after we are born again, renewed, “washed, sanctified, justified,” and made living members of Christ, these roots remain alive in the bottom of our hearts, and, like the leprosy in the walls of the house, we never get rid of them until the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved. Sin, no doubt, in the believer’s heart, has no longer dominion. It is checked, controlled, mortified, and crucified by the expulsive power of the new principle of grace. The life of a believer is a life of victory, and not of failure. But the very struggles which go on within his bosom, the fight that he finds it needful to fight daily, the watchful jealousy which he is obliged to exercise over his inner man, the contest between the flesh and the spirit, the inward “groanings” which no one knows but he who has experienced them – all, all testify to the same great truth, all show the enormous power and vitality of sin. Mighty indeed must that foe be who even when crucified is still alive!”

 
As I followed the vines to their origin that day in the yard, I eventually landed on the root bundle about a foot underground. The main vine was as thick as a tree limb. Even with a shovel, I needed help to dislodge it.

This reveals another crucial spiritual truth:

Fighting our sin involves extreme personal dedication, but we cannot do it in our own power.

Paul, in Romans 7, gives a pretty vulnerable account of his struggle with sin:

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:15,18)

Our hope of victory over the twisting roots of sin does not come from our efforts alone. We don’t have what it takes. This is where the precious Word of God meets us with a GLORIOUS and HOPEFUL reality:

• “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

• “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

• “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live…” (Romans 8:13)
  

God alone is able to fully uproot sin in our hearts, and He has CHOSEN TO DO IT IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES.

God has not only given His power, but has also given us unsearchable resources for the task – one of which is each other.

We put a high value on Biblical Counseling and the community provided by Life Groups at FBC because they allows us to partner together to do the hard work of uprooting sin in our lives with the strength that God supplies. Where simply plucking the leaves hasn’t been successful, we dig out the roots, shoulder to shoulder. As a tool, He has given us His Word, which alone is able to unearth the poisonous roots of sin below the surface. Behavioral modification might remove the visible shoots, but God’s Word plumbs the depths of what is hidden from plain sight:

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

This is hard work. Messy and painful work. But it works. And it’s pretty amazing to watch as the Holy Spirit uproots a string of frustrating sin patterns that have always seemed impossible to kill. True Christian community is committed to the gritty work of laying hold of those vines and dealing with their roots. And freedom is found as sinister, crimson-tipped leaves fly upward.

There are still occasional and stubborn poison ivy remnants under the mulberry tree in our yard. I’ve learned that it’s a process that takes diligent and ruthless attention – the “holy violence” John Owen described. And on a heart level, it’s a process that won’t be finished until Heaven, when the Master Gardener perfects the soil of my heart once and for all. Until then, I’ll keep doing battle with the sin in my heart as God reveals it to me, in the context of the community He has given. 

And by His grace and because of the gospel, I can confidently echo Paul’s words:

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  Philippians 1:6

Alaina Roberts is the Administrative Assistant for FBC’s Worship Ministry. She is passionate about the importance of speaking truth, and she loves expressing that through worship leading and writing. She’s happiest when taking adventures with her husband Josh, or when she has a cup of coffee in hand. (Real mug, preferably.)

Not all have been called to walk alongside men and women in trauma every day. But some have been, and their perspectives and insights are usually well worth listening to. There’s something about the stories of first responders, emergency personnel, and crisis counselors that draws us in. Maybe it’s because life and death moments awaken us to what’s truly most important in life. They uncover spiritual realities that are otherwise numbed by life’s distractions.  

These are the moments where Loretta Salchert lives every day. She’s been serving as the Executive Director at Ribbon of Hope for 15 ½ years, where she leads her team in bringing help and hope to cancer patients, families, and caregivers. What does that actually look like on a day-to-day basis? It’s so much more than crisis counseling; along with their team of volunteers, Ribbon of Hope provides:

·      Personal attention

·      Monthly encouragement notes

·      Phone calls

·      Hospital visits

·      Occasional household assistance

·      Transportation to medical appointments

·      Faithful prayers and spiritual encouragement

·      Bereavement care

·      Cancer resource information

·      Child/youth support (parental coaching)*

*List source: https://ribbonofhope.org/patients/

Here’s the best part: God has given Ribbon of Hope a position of influence at Elkhart General Hospital to not only partner with patients, meet practical needs, and provide encouragement, but also to share the message of a Savior who brings hope. “I could tell you so many stories,” Loretta shared. “The unsaved almost always come back with a ‘Why would you do this for me?’ statement. And we get to tell them how much God loves them and wants a personal relationship with them.”

C.S. Lewis wisely wrote,

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

The pain and heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis, in the hands of a loving God, can awaken a hurting heart to the goodness of relationship with Jesus Christ. Ribbon of Hope has seen it happen over and over. Loretta gets to watch Christ breathe life into the hurting and restore hope to the hopeless, and that never, ever gets old.

Trauma care isn’t easy. Loretta told us, “I had a professor who warned me many years ago while in class that those who are called into trauma/crisis care are being asked to work in the catacombs of the tombs. This work is dirty, depressing, dark, hopeless, and can be lonely. She charged us with learning to work in the tombs and not live in the tombs.” And while Loretta and her team help individuals and families wrestle with some of the most difficult realities of life in a fallen world, she wants the church to know, “Your support is a great reminder that we are not physically in this alone. Your prayer support is PURE GOLD!”

Local churches like FBC provide many of the volunteers that fuel the ministry at Ribbon of Hope. In fact, one of the things that impacts Loretta and her team most deeply is “watching churches roll up their sleeves through prayer and practical involvement in ways that ‘lift up our arms’ as we serve every day in cancer care.” First time volunteers often respond with comments like,

“I was a little scared when I signed up, but now that I’m trained, I’m ready!”

---

“I had no idea it could feel this good to serve strangers.”

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“Serving others for Christ is challenging me to draw closer to Him.”

Loretta shared with us that Ribbon of Hope is preparing to open a second office on County Road 17 near FBC in early 2022! “We need more volunteers who love Jesus to help us bring hope to our community through practical acts of kindness,” said Loretta. “God is letting us ‘meet people at the well’, and we don’t want to miss the chance to do that.”

It’s been said that pain is humanity’s “lowest common denominator”. Whether touched by cancer or another trial, everyone needs the hope that is freely offered in Christ. Loretta reminded us, “Our community is hurting. So much is uncertain: politics, economy, jobs, family, etc. The one absolute we have is Jesus.”

FAITH MISSION

Every day, Vera Swihart looks forward to working with volunteers who, in her words, “feel like they are being just as blessed by serving others as they are a blessing to those they serve.” The outpouring is reciprocal, and Vera has witnessed it firsthand. She’s worn many hats at Faith Mission over the years, including secretarial work in the 70’s and administrative assistant duties in the 80’s and 90’s, before she became Faith Mission’s volunteer coordinator in 2008.

Faith Mission was born out of a shared dream of two pastors in 1956 to serve the homeless community in Elkhart. The space they rented downtown became a haven for those without lodging or food, and the streets of our city became their well-worn routes for carrying the message of hope in Christ.

Today, Faith Mission still operates with the same heartbeat: providing shelter, meals, clothing, programs, and faith-based hope to our community in need. They’ve added long-term residential and life skill programs that help individuals and families build strong foundations for longevity and stability, pursue employment, and experience lasting change. Over the last few years, they’ve partnered with The Crossing School, local businesses, churches (including FBC), and community volunteers to build “Tiny Homes” that provide emergency shelter to individuals and families.

FBC VOLUNTEERS CONSTRUCT TINY HOMES

God has flooded blessing and favor on what began as a nudge from the Holy Spirit on two pastors in a Bible class together. It has grown to truly demonstrate the passage written above the serving counter in their dining room in scripted brushstrokes:

“Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.” – Isaiah 58:10 (The Living Bible)

“Generally speaking,” Vera shared, “when an individual is at his/her lowest point, even the basic things we provide at Faith Mission are really appreciated.” By helping Faith Mission meet even basic physical needs, volunteers make a profound impact on lives. What blesses her the most, is her volunteers’ willingness to perform their best as “unto the Lord”.

Matthew 25:35-40

(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

“‘For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink;
I was a stranger and you took Me in;
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you took care of Me;
I was in prison and you visited Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’

And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

FEED THE CHILDREN

Across town, Darlene Anderson Wilson spends the best hours of her days at Feed The Children. This location that God has placed “in our backyard” is one of 5 distribution centers where Feed the Children funnels food resources and other essential supplies to families in poverty and affected by natural disasters.

Darlene’s role at Feed the Children as Volunteer Engagement Supervisor has her constantly sharing life with the people that make this enormous operation work, and she LOVES it: 

“I am always touched by the generosity of volunteers’ time to come in. I know how busy my life is and I know many of them have just worked an 8 to 10-hour day and still come in to pack boxes to help others as busy as they are.” – Darlene Anderson Wilson

In addition to guiding Volunteers, Darlene oversees the Teacher Store, which invites teachers to “shop” for classroom supplies at no personal expense. Darlene has seen the way this impacts the hearts of local teachers: “I’ve seen it in something as simple as providing a teacher with a new chair for their desk or having books that are “perfect” for their students,” Darlene said. “The teachers leave here knowing we care about the work they are doing, and some have cried from the generosity they are shown.”

FBC VOLUNTEERS AT FEED THE CHILDREN

The overwhelming pattern in what Darlene shared with us is how God shows up in the moment-by-moment interactions that happen at the Distribution Center.

She treasures her interactions with the at-risk students who come and volunteer, describing the moments when they share with her the things that are important to them, their smiles in response to a “job well done”, and their laughter and camaraderie as they tell stories and even sing while packing boxes. “They come in and help complete whatever task we have for the day with enthusiasm and an eagerness to help out. When they are here, it seems like they forget about their circumstances for a while and are just kids volunteering,” Darlene shared.

Whether she’s helping a driver who can’t find an address or even helping a parent line up community service work for their son or daughter, Darlene understands that each of her scenarios at Feed The Children is an opportunity to spread kindness and grace to others.

As God uses Feed the Children to intervene in the cycle of poverty both domestically and abroad, He is also orchestrating encounters and conversations in a volunteer context to intervene in lives with His love. And that’s pretty incredible.

1 Thessalonians 2:8
“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

We know Paul’s affection for the Thessalonian church ran deep. He LIVED to bring others the message that had so deeply transformed him. He brought that message to a city named Philippi, but was imprisoned and later thrown out of the city. Desperate to keep sharing, Paul walked 94 miles east through Greece until he reached Thessalonica. Can you imagine the thoughts that flooded his mind as he walked? The conversations he had with God?  

Can you imagine the tears that likely filled his eyes when the people he found in Thessalonica received the gospel with sincerity (1 Thess. 1:5)? This time, Paul stayed in the city for weeks, teaching the new believers and kindling the flames of a first-generation church (Acts 17:2). When Paul later reflected on that time with them, he remembered being delighted at the chance to share the gospel. But he also remembered another layer of delight – the joy of sharing his life with them.

Maybe one day in Heaven, we can ask Paul about the moments that flickered across his mind when he wrote this down. Did he recount moments of patient reasoning in the Jewish synagogue? Or looking into the Thessalonians’ eyes and describing the love that led Jesus to the cross? Maybe sharing life looked like the meals he enjoyed in the homes of these new believers, trying the Greek food they fixed for him. Was there Tzatziki sauce back then? Maybe he remembered meeting little ones who tugged on his hand and begged him to let them show him around their town. Maybe he told them about meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Maybe he just took it all in – letting these new spiritual brothers and sisters introduce him to their bustling, commerce-driven seaside culture. Those who were strangers only days before suddenly shared the most important thing in common – belonging to Jesus. And Paul got to spend time with them exploring what it would now look like to carry this new identity into their everyday lives - what it would look like to build the church. He shared his life with them.

What does it mean to share life today? If all the formalities and expectations of what “community” is supposed to look like were stripped away, what would be left? Hopefully, you’ve experienced it. If you want to know who you truly share life with, just ask yourself:

• Who are the first handful of people you share news with?

• Who do you call when you’re desperate to make sense of what’s happening in your life?

• When you need help with a project, who do you ask without feeling awkward?

• When you have an abundance of something good, who do you want to share it with?

• Which relationships in your life are sturdy enough to support more than small talk?

• Who would you drop everything for if they were in need?

Do you share life in Life Group? It’s all too easy to abandon the pursuit of life-sharing for fear we don’t have enough in common to experience real camaraderie. But because we belong to Jesus, we have the most important thing in common - regardless of the diversities in age, ethnicity, education, sports team loyalties, occupation, income, political affiliation, or music preferences.

A shared identity in Christ provides a deeper and more relevant platform for relationship than any other kind of solidarity.

With that understanding, Life Group becomes a context not only to meet together once a week, but to truly share life in the way that brought such joy to Paul in Thessalonica. Life Group becomes a celebration of our shared love of Jesus set against a vibrant patchwork backdrop of dynamic life experiences and personalities (complete with all of our personality quirks!). A group of wildly distinct people curiously united by their common love for Christ makes our world do a double-take. It’s the beauty of the gospel.

So, in the name of the beautiful and awkward and 1,000% worthwhile pursuit of life-sharing, here are 10 practical ways to actually share life in your Life Group this year:

1. Small but Mighty

   Don’t underestimate the power of a quick text or call to check in with someone in your Life Group. “Hey, just wanted you to know you’ve been prayed for today. Care about you.”

2. Wanna Join?

   Let’s say your family is grabbing ice cream on Friday night. In the spirit of spontaneity, check with someone in your Life Group who lives on that side of town to meet you there and share in the simple stuff. Relationships are formed over hundreds of small shared experiences.

3. Read Something

   Ask the girls or guys in your group if they want to read 1 book together over the next few months – 1 chapter a week. The time you dialogue with each other could be as simple as 1 takeaway each on a group text or a quick meet up for coffee. (P.S. You don’t need to be a Life Group Leader or Assistant to instigate something like this!)

4. Keep Praying

   Find a creative way to share prayer requests with your group. Group texts and Facebook groups are great, but the sky’s the limit here. Have the girls and guys find prayer partners of the same gender within your group to follow up with each week. Each night when your family prays for dinner, pick out one individual or family from your Life Group to pray for specifically. Don’t forget to follow up and ask about the requests that have been shared.

5. Share a Skill

   Most likely, there’s someone in your group with a skill you’d like to learn. Or, there’s someone that would love to learn a skill you have. Think: changing the oil, keeping a garden, painting your house, making sourdough bread from scratch, building a table, fixing a vacuum, navigating the toddler years, doing your own taxes, replacing a water heater, picking out a computer, learning hospitality, or cutting hair, just to name a few examples. You’ll benefit from sharing the skills, but you’ll benefit even more from the time spent sharing them.

6. SERVE TOGETHER

   Visit MY FBC and find a local community outreach opportunity that sparks your interest. Get your Life Group Leaders on board and give your group a day and time where they can jump in with you and bless someone. Whether you’re raking someone’s yard or serving meals to homeless families in our city, you’ll find an incredible sense of unity as you carry the love and hope of Christ into our community.

7. SPARK GENEROSITY

   Plan and pull off a random act of kindness together with your Life Group that no one will know about except for your group. Pool some extra cash together to anonymously bless someone. Or surprise someone in your group with free babysitting for a date night, a Starbucks gift card, or a surprise service like mowing their lawn. Gather your family and find one creative way to bless one individual or family in your Life Group each week. Think: handwritten notes and drawings from your kids, a surprise drop-off of their favorite snacks or drinks, their go-to coffee order dropped off at their workplace, etc. If you have kids, let them in on the spontaneity and watch them learn to love the practice of being generous.

8. Get Intentional with Sunday Mornings

   Next time you see each other on a Sunday morning, go a little deeper than the customary “how was your week?” Ask about what they’ve been reading in their Bible lately. Ask if there’s a way you can be praying for them specifically this week. If you’re not seeing someone in your Life Group at church for a few weeks, give them a call.

9. GET OUTSIDE

   Plan a walk together and bring the kids, find out if you go to the same gym, or meet up and walk a few laps around our church’s outdoor trails. Explore a disc golf course, take the dogs for a walk, host a bonfire, or find a playground for the kids.

10. SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE!

    Share your favorite music playlists, the best podcast you’re listening to right now, a favorite recipe you’ve tried, or something that brought joy to you this week. You just might find out you share more in common than your love for Jesus.

If you’re not currently part of a Life Group, we’d love to help you find your community and share life. Click on the link below to start a conversation with us!