Groups

The other night I hung out with some new people. Most of them were from Texas and they moved here in July to help out with the church I am a member of now, to learn about church planting and see if they want to plant one. It was awkward and uncomfortable, partly because I didn't really know anyone and the people I went with I barely knew. It was interesting to observe though. This is what I saw and experienced. Not just with this group, but also other groups.

1) Groups that are formed are hard to break into unless you know one or two of the people well, or if the group is small enough to allow for one to one conversations.

2) Groups have inside jokes, gags and things they all can relate too, not being able to relate to them makes it impossible to become a part of the group. (For this group they all worked at the same place and had inside jokes about it...I could not relate)

3) Without relating to them it is hard and almost impossible to share in and be a part of the conversation...which results in people thinking you are not enjoying yourself or are bored.

4) Groups are not very inviting to new people. They don't exhert a lot of effort to let them join in or in getting to know them.

5) There is always a funny guy in the group who draws attention to himself, which creates an atmosphere that doesn't allow too many other conversations outside of him...I could be wrong about this and maybe sometimes I am this guy.

I find this interesting. Groups don't like to add new people and it takes a while for the new person to be added and apart of the group. Yet as Christians I believe it is the most important part, whether they are fellow believers or non-believers I believe that this is one of the biggest parts of being a Christian to including people and strangers into belonging and being a part of a group and inviting them in. Without this it just seems like another clique or club in which you have to be a certain way in order to join. This is love and this is a part of what loving others is all about inviting them in and knowing them and accepting them for where they are at and who they really are through God's eyes.

Reminds me of the verse in John after Jesus is washing his disciples feet and he says that this is how they will know you are my disciples by how you love one another. I want to learn to love others and to love them well