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5 Ideas for Creating Life-Sharing Relationships

Church small groups are not designed to simply be meetings where knowledge is transferred from one person to another. They are intended to be the practical application of Jesus' command in John 13:34, a place where the one-another commands of the New Testament can be lived out.

A small group should be a community of people who have committed to share their lives with one another. In the process of sharing their lives, their unity with one another accurately represents the trinity and promotes a deeper fellowship together with Jesus Christ.

Here are a few simple thoughts about how your group can more effectively build life-sharing relationships:

1. Spending time together away from your meetings will only increase the effectiveness of your meetings.

2. Nothing says, “I’m in this with you” like providing a meal.

3. Figure out who in your group has the gift of caring, and put them in charge of your group’s care for each other!

4. Avoid too much routine. (if group participation feels like a job, lives won't get shared)

5. Create comfortable routines. (a few traditions provide a touchstone around which to build community)

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