Group Hug

This blog entry is from AL team member Don Watt. Among a variety of roles Don has blessed the team with, he is the core author of "Dream Teams: People" and is the provider of all the discussion questions for each session in the books. Don also is our team member who took the content from our popular "Charting Your Course" seminars, did further research and put it all into excellent book form. We are all excited that the new "Charting Your Course" book written to be experienced in groups of three is now taking pre-orders and will soon be shipped.

From Don:

We had just finished saying good-bye to our son’s family when one of our granddaughters ran back in, threw her arms around us and shouted, “group hug.” For the next few minutes she and her sister pretended to leave and then rushed back in for another hug. Eventually their parents had to put an end to the “group hug” epidemic. Ann and I savored the warmth of their silly spontaneity for a long while after they left.

Notice the opening verses of 1 John:

From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. – 1 John 1:1-2 The Message

John saw firsthand the God of the universe (Jesus) laugh at lunch, cry over hurts, clean fish, touch the untouchable (lepers) and hug children. Although in John’s day, many hoped for the Messiah, probably no one ever expected that God Himself would show up. And certainly none expected to have Him over for dinner.

Christianity is “relationship rich.” I have been reading a book titled "Kingdom Living." It was written by a committee of “experts/practitioners” in the field of discipleship. They wrestled with understanding the core essentials for spiritual growth. Eventually they came up with seven process and three theological essentials.

Interestingly, the second essential they present is the need for “communities of grace.” Most of us know that spiritual growth is a product of God’s work in us. We relate to the “me and God” language of Psalm 23. But in reality, spiritual growth happens in a “me, others and God community.” The Ascending Leaders learning process of individual study, small-group reflection and especially triad application is designed to encourage the community needed for spiritual growth.

This Christmas as you experience the wonderful tradition of giving and receiving gifts, you might be thankful for the gift of grace in your small group or triad. Think about this: the others in your triad are gifts from God to you and you are God’s gift to them. The wonderful acceptance, love, encouragement and sharing of others doing life with you is essential to your and their growth. You have our permission for a triad “group hug.”

Have a wonderful Christmas.