SmallGroup+

PictureAbove: Myself with Ray Vanderlaan after his class
The idea for SmallGroup+ began in 2015 when I joined InterVarsity, an on campus ministry, at Grand Valley State University and many of the members became exposed to my unique method for learning about the Bible. I will not claim the origins of my studies, that belongs to one of my life long mentors Ray Vanderlaan, but my time at GVSU has given me time to develop my own material and research following his example. This teaching style places emphasis on the idea that in order to more deeply understand and appreciate the Bible, one has to have a sense of the land and the culture from which it sprang. The Bible is full of images and analogies that still hold meaning today but if they are placed in the context of the original listeners and in the original geography become enhanced and this allows for a deeper understanding of God's word.   

So the first year this group met it was myself and five other consistent members who would gather every Monday night for between one to three hours depending on the conversations. Today in 2018 the group has grown to reach thirty students, leaders of InterVarsity and Christians who are new to their faith. And instead of meeting on Monday night we meet on Friday evening, that fact alone has shown me how important this group is; surely these people could find something else to do on Friday if they wanted but they choose to come to Small Group Plus. God has surely blessed this ministry and turned a passion I have for learning about his kingdom into a calling that I will pursue the rest of my life.   

Teachings

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Every week after spending time in prayer I send out a survey to the Small Group Plus community with three different topics that I felt called to pursue by God. All of the members vote for any or all that they personally feel a connection to. I then take the results and prepare a lesson which acts as a primer for the discussion each meeting. I will open the meeting by teaching in a very energetic and active participation lecture style and then we'll move into a group reflection and discussion period which can last for hours as members talk about and explore what this new revelation means to their faith. I have seen how learning about the Bible and the nature of God in this way can make the story of salvation come alive in a totally new way for my fellow Christians and that "ah ha" moment when the realization hits them is what I teach for. I love seeing God open people's eyes to a new understanding of him and I will continue to follow God's calling in my life to spread discipleship and deeper learning among believers.

Impact

Here is a link to a Flipgrid I created where I asked some of the members of this study to share their thoughts about the group. If you'd like to hear the reactions of a couple students click on button below. I received many more than this but many of them contained personal messages meant specifically for me about how I changed a student's walk with God that I want to respect their privacy. 

The PASSWORD for the Flipgrid is: SG+