Archive for the ‘Small Groups’ Category

I’m Not Alone

This is one of a couple posts from Buckhead Church attenders talking about what involvement in a Community Group has meant to them. Read their words, take them to heart, and consider joining us for GroupLink this weekend to get into a group.

About a year ago, I joined a small group, and it has made a huge impact on me. Before I went to GroupLink, I thought that being in a small group would only make my schedule tighter. I was worried about sharing my life with people I didn’t know and I wondered what the group would think of me. After a couple of weeks of being in my group, though, I actually was looking forward to our meetings. The time was a welcome relief in the week and I had found some great new friends. To me, it’s totally worth it, and it’s made such a difference in my life.

Over the last few months, I’ve reflected over how my life has changed since I joined a small group, and the Buckhead mission statement of “leading others into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ” just started to make sense. My group is a source of encouragement, accountability, and inspiration. I have gotten back into the habit of spending time with God through the studies that my group has done and we’ve challenged each other to continue to grow spiritually. I’ve also been inspired by seeing God at work in the lives of others in my group. My group has given me a place to share ideas, learn, see answered prayers, and become bolder in my faith because I know… I’m not alone.

::: Blake West ::: Men’s Small Group Member :::

GroupLink at Buckhead Church takes place from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. this Thursday, August 25, for men’s groups, Friday, August 26, for women’s group, and Saturday, August 27, for married couples. For more information, check out www.buckheadchurch.org/grouplink.

Life is better connected.

Why Go To GroupLink?

As the fall approaches, many of us view this new season as a time to start fresh. It may not be a new school year like it was as a kid, but there is something about fall (maybe it’s this brutal heat!) that makes us ready for a new season. Beyond the typical, work out more, volunteer more, and call my mom more often, there’s something else important that can change the way this fall rolls out for us all—be involved in a community group! The secular world has defined “community” as a group of interacting people living in a common location, and it often refers to a group that is organized around common values. While I could go more into the etymology of the word “community,” let’s be honest, you don’t really care.

So why go to GroupLink? What’s in it for you? While I can’t make any promises as to what your community group will ultimately bring into your life, I can tell you that my life would have been drastically different without mine. These are the kinds of friendships that last a lifetime—the first ones you call when you get good news, get a new job, move into a new place, and also in the hard times when your heart is broken, or you need to figure out life in general. They send you encouraging, Scripture-based text messages because you have a big presentation at work, love you through your poorest decisions and help you get back on track, stay up all night with you eating ice cream and watching movies, and maybe even help you plan your wedding and later become members of a married community group with you and your new spouses.

It’s about building on a foundation of Jesus Christ and having someone there to do life with. I’m sure I would be fine without having been in community groups all these years, but with everything these women have added to my life, WHY WOULD I WANT TO?

So, take a step this fall towards this thing called community. Come to GroupLink. I’ll see you there!

::: LeAnn Leagans ::: Community Group Member Since 2005 ::: GroupLink Volunteer

GroupLink Dates:

Men’s GroupLink: Thursday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Women’s GroupLink: Friday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Married Couples’ GroupLink: Saturday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, check out www.buckheadchurch.org/grouplink.

Bob & Betty Buckhead experience small group

Bob & Betty are normal people. They have three kids, one in high school and two in middle school. They’ve been Christians for quite awhile. Things had gone fairly smoothly for their family. Their kids were active in their respective youth groups and everybody looked forward to coming to church on Sunday mornings.

They’d heard Andy talk about joining a small group. To tell the truth, they didn’t feel like they needed it. They had plenty of friends and, like all of us, had too much to do already. But they decided to go to GroupLink and give it a try. They found a group and discovered that the leaders of the group were good at creating a safe place where everyone felt free to be himself or herself.

Then one of their kids got into trouble. Not just the “you’ll have to go to the principal’s office” kind, but the “you’re gonna have a police record” kind. They debated as to whether or not to tell the group. After all, it was embarrassing. But they decided to risk it. When they brought it up at the next meeting, they were surprised to find that the same thing had just happened to the child of another couple in the group. A few weeks later, a third couple had a similar experience.

Bob & Betty will tell you that the support and encouragement they received because of “being real” with the group were significant. It was so good to have a place to process things and be reassured that they weren’t horrible parents. They realized that they probably would not have shared this with their friends outside the group. They would have had to wrestle with the doubt, fear, guilt, anger, and “what do we do now?” questions in isolation. Turns out they really did need a small group.

Given enough time, it’ll turn out that we all need a community of people where we can give and receive encouragement. That’s just the way life is. Don’t miss your chance. Go to GroupLink. Take it from Bob & Betty.

GroupLink takes place at Buckhead Church from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, for men’s groups, Friday, August 26, for women’s group, and Saturday, August 27, for married couples. For more information, check out www.buckheadchurch.org/grouplink.

A Step Into Community

For the last five years, God has used the intentional relationships my wife Courtney and I have experienced in small groups as a major way to grow our faith. When Andy says circles are better than rows, we can promise you that it’s true! So, when our last community group ended in January, we were not quite sure what our next step was. We were in a very busy season of life and weren’t sure if we were up for starting a new long-term group. It was then that God opened the door for us to be part of a short-term Spiritual Growth Access Group.

From the ease of signing up online to the 6–8 week length, it was the perfect next step for us. We were able to meet people (single and married, men and women) who we may never have met. Over the course of those weeks, a very diverse group of people came together in our home to grow in our faith. From people who have been in church their whole lives, to people who had never read the Bible, it was a safe environment where we learned, applied, and prayed together. A few of the people from that group are now going to GroupLink in August to join a long-term community group!

In a hectic season, we found that an Access Group was a great way to step into community. We loved it so much we are leading another group this summer. If you’ve never tried a small group at Buckhead Church, an Access Group is an easy way to get started.

Ryan and Courtney Fitzgerald

Access Group Leaders

Summer Access Groups @ Buckhead Church

Registration is now open for our summer round of Access Groups. The topic for our summer groups is spiritual growth. Over the course of the 7-week Access Group, we will talk about what spiritual growth really looks like. Connection is an easy online process. You choose your group based on the area of town and night of the week.

It’s a short investment of your time and we think you will gain valuable information that will last long past your group experience. You’ll also get a chance to meet some other people like you that are looking to connect and learn. To learn more and to register, please visit www.buckheadchurch.org/accessgroups. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today!

::: Steve Giddens ::: Director of Group Life :::