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What's In a Name?

by: Steve Rodenburg

Do you have any questions about LIFEGroups? What is a LIFEGroup? Lots of churches have small groups, why does Calvary have LIFEGroups? What makes a LIFEGroup different from a small group? What's the difference between LIFEGroups and Sunday school? "What's in a name" will try to answer some of those questions you might have about LIFEGroups. We'll talk about what a LIFEGroup is and what makes Calvary LIFEGroups Special. This week will start a five week series on why we have LIFEGroups. If you have a question about LIFEGroups email us and we'd be glad to discuss it.


Have you ever joined a new church? Moving to a new church can be a challenging and alienating experience. Do you remember the first time you came to Calvary? My first experience at Calvary came on a cold January morning. I walked up to the front door which was being held open by a greeter. That's where I got my first hand shake. Then at the second door I received a second handshake and a bulletin. Finally I moved into the Family Life Center when I received my third handshake and a second offer of a bulletin. Before I even sat down I'd been greeted three times.

I remember sitting down and thinking two thoughts. First I thought it felt like a friendly church. Second, looking at all the chairs around me, I thought about how easy it would be for a person to get lost in a church of this size. I came from a small church where I knew everyone and now I was starting all over. I was excited to get to know some new people and make some friends in Muskegon. The service started with amazing music and ended with an amazing message. When the service was over, people streamed out of the Family Life Center and into the parking lot.

The worship was amazing and the message was amazing. The problem was I didn’t feel connected. The only faces I recognized were the three greeters and all our relationship consisted of was a handshake and a smile. At the end of the service it seemed like everyone had some place to be. So I sat in my seat and wondered "How am I going to get to know anybody?"

Thats where LIFEGroups come in. Simply put, LIFEGroups get people connected to other people at Calvary. A LIFEGroup is a group of individuals who share their lives through formative, caring, and missional relationships to the glory of God. So how does one move from attending that first Sunday morning service to becoming part of a LIFEGroup? Tune in next week for the answer.

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