Looking for an Exciting Small Group? (Part 3)

What are some practical ways you can begin to develop Mission Communities within your own church?

First, you need to develop a clear sense of your personal mission. For this, you may want to utilize some of the resources offered through Bridge Ministries, Inc. (www.bridge-ministries.org). The LifeBridge Personal Workshop or (even better) the LifeBridge Video Workshop will help you develop a life plan centered around the unique design with which God has created you!

Some of the basics steps in the LifeBridge process include:

1. Asking the Holy Spirit to help you to look closely at your lives, to show you specific ways God has equipped you to impact your world for Christ

2. Asking other believers, particularly those in your "small group", to help you identify your spiritual gifts and natural motivations as they observe them in your life

3. Listing your own best talents (that is, learned skills such as softball, sewing, or preaching) and passions (ways we want to make a difference in the world, such as evangelism or helping the homeless)

4. Once you have identified your distinct gifts, motivations, talents, and passions, ask the Holy Spirit to help us put all these pieces together into a clear mission statement.

Second, you should seek to fulfill your mission within a specific mission community. A small group can provide the encouragement, feedback, instruction, and correction you need to activate this personal calling. Are you in a small community of believers seeking to fulfill a mission--both individually and corporately? If so, encourage each person to share their personal mission, and as they do discuss and look for common themes. Then encourage the group to pray about and identify a group mission that emerges from such an open discussion. Finally, encourage your group to activate your group mission by seeking out specific ways to serve your community and, in doing so, to introduce the grace and truth of Christ to those who would otherwise not have such contact. Perhaps your group can visit a homeless shelter, join a city softball league, do "home makeovers," or serve churches in a foreign country-whatever naturally develops as you identify your group mission. Each unique group will have a unique mission, and the sense of true Christian community will be strengthened as the group's mission is activated.

A mission community mindset not only trumps the "Lone Ranger Christian" syndrome but actually transforms churches by helping each believer align their personal mission with the Great Commission within the context of a small group.