Have you noticed what is happening in our Connect Groups (aka Sunday School, Small Group Bible Study, Bible Fellowship Groups)?

It may be hard for you to know what’s going on since we no longer give a week by week report about Connect Groups, Worship Attendance, and financial giving.

Here’s what is happening in our Connect Groups. January has been a record month for Connect Group attendance.

This is the attendance for the four weekends of January: 1578, 1600, 1536, 1684. The average attendance for this month is 1599.5. We’ve never had a month that even approached this kind of attendance (and this has been a cold, rainy January). January is not historically a great month for Connect Group attendance.

Why is this important? Well, of course, it shows the growth and outreach of the church, but it does more.

When people are in a Connect Group, they have moved a giant step closer to being involved in the ministry of the church.

In Connect Groups, people receive encouragement from other people. Encouragement about their families and marriages as well as how to live for God on a daily basis. When we join together in a Connect Group, we “make the church small” by meeting and getting to know other people. In Connect Groups, we have the opportunity to experience community and ministry. We have a group who helps us in our troubles, and we get to minister to them in similar ways.

Connect Groups allow us to live in close community with other believers.

On top of all this, we get to study the Bible, pray, and know God.

I am grateful to see God doing such great things.