A Connect Group That Reaches Out

It’s important as a Connect Group leader to be committed to helping the people in your group learn to care for and be involved in the lives of people outside the group — including people who don’t follow Jesus. Ideally, believers in a Connect Group should receive, grow and give.

Turning the corner from getting to giving is often a difficult step. It’s far easier for people to stay in focus inwardly on themselves. However, a Christian cannot love God without caring about others.

The best kind of Connect Group is the one that reflects the priority of loving and caring for people. Here are some ways you can help your group start reaching out.

Encouraging each other to be sensitive to the needs of others is a big part of our becoming like Jesus (sanctification). Here are some ways for your group to do that:

• Learn what the Bible says about peoples’ spiritual needs. 
  • Key passage to study: Romans 1:18-3:20.
• As a group, develop compassion for others by studying God’s compassion for people who don’t know Him. 
  • Key passages to study: Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 15; Romans 5:6-8; Luke 13:31-34; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 19:1-9.
• Expose your group to peoples’ needs.
  • Use examples from everyday experiences such as articles, media, culture, news events and so on.
  • Have someone who works with people in need in your community come to your group to share about the realities right next store.

Regardless of where they are in their faith, people can come together by giving to others.

Take into account where your Connect Group members are in their faith when you plan an activity to help them go from getting to giving. Start with a simple activity to help build a caring attitude about those outside of the group.

• Host a dinner as a Connect Group and invite friends from all different spiritual backgrounds.
• Volunteer with a ministry at New Hope (like the mission or outreach teams).
• Bring food or collect supplies or money for someone who’s discouraged or in need physically, financially or spiritually.
• Make time to pray together each week for people in your lives who are in need.
• Invite a friend who is curious or open to faith to an event where they can learn more about Christ.

Like many things in life, compassion is often contagious. If reaching out to others is part of your life, your group members will learn from your example.

Take individuals in the group with you while you do ministry and they will often come back personally motivated to do the same kind of ministry.

• If you volunteer, take some group members with you and serve together.
• If you are going on a mission trip, challenge your group members to come along.
• If you frequently have spiritual conversations with a specific friend, invite a group member to join you next time you hang out. (Check with that friend first to see if it’s OK to bring someone else.)

Connect Groups can reach out to the people around them in many ways, but none is more important than reaching out with the good news of the gospel. The greatest need any person has is to be reconciled to God, so the best gift we can offer people is to introduce them to Christ.

Equip your Connect Group members to share their faith. Teach them how to share the gospel using a simple tool like the Knowing God Personally Guide.

Sharing the good news of forgiveness through Jesus and serving others is essential to following Christ. A group that pursues loving God will naturally love and pursue people as a result.