Strong Circles

Almost 18 months ago our small group took the challenge and multiplied. Last night, for the first time since we divided into two separate groups, eight of our original ten group members (two others were out of town) came together for a barbecue. We had all seen each other at Nativity to say hello and ask how things were going, but we had not spent any time together. The strength of a good circle is amazing.
It was like we had never stopped meeting. After dinner we sang a few songs (this group is where I became the Guitar Hero for the first time) and talked about our groups. Tough questions were asked and honest responses were given. Just like the old days. “It hasn’t been the same since we split.” “We’ve struggled to go as deep as we did in our original group.” “It’s tough to find time for group sometimes.” “We have a good group, but it’s not the same.” After some great conversation, we each prayed. It felt good to be with this group of brothers.
I left wondering if we had made the right choice to multiply when we did. As one of the guys said, “There’s never a perfect time to multiply.” I think he’s right. I left with lots of questions, though.
But I’m sure of one thing – the strength of a good circle is powerful. We are all still in a small group. We are still bonded as brothers. We still want to care for and support each other. When we prayed, it was easy to feel God with us.
We have each been truly blessed by that group experience we shared. And we are each challenged not to duplicate the experience – that’s not possible – but to use the growth we experienced from that original group experience to help our new groups experience the power and depth of a faith filled circle. Given what we each gained from that experience, how can we not try to share it with others?
We sang Amazing Grace last night. A signature song for the evening. The strength of a circle – amazing grace.