5G The Ultimate Connection: Growing Deeper Through Connection

We all have people who have shaped our spiritual journey. When you think about the person who has had the greatest spiritual influence on you, it probably isn’t someone you only heard from on a stage, in a podcast, or through a YouTube video. More likely, it’s someone you knew personally—a parent, grandparent, mentor, friend, or someone who walked with you through both the highs and lows of life.

There’s something powerful about being known by other people and walking through life together. That’s why, in week two of our 5G: The Ultimate Connection series, we’re talking about the second rhythm that helps us stay connected to Jesus: Group Time.

Our big idea is simple:

Our connection with Jesus grows deeper when we’re connected to His people.

We Were Created for Connection

Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit.”

Last week, we talked about God Time and what it means to remain connected to Jesus. But we aren’t the only branches connected to the vine. God designed us to be connected to one another, too.

In fact, connection isn’t simply a helpful strategy for spiritual growth—it’s part of how God created us.

From the very beginning, God existed in community: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then, in Genesis 1, God said, “Let us make human beings in our own image.” And shortly afterward, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone.”

Before sin entered the world, before broken relationships existed, God established that people need people.

We were made for connection.

Jesus Modeled Life in Community

Jesus certainly spoke to large crowds. He preached to thousands and taught the masses. But most of His time was spent with a much smaller group of people.

He discipled the twelve.

And His twelve weren’t exactly easy people to be around. There was Thomas, who doubted. Peter, who made big promises and then denied Jesus three times. And Judas, who ultimately betrayed Him.

Jesus knew firsthand how messy relationships could be. Yet He didn’t pull away from people. He leaned in.

That’s because Jesus understood something we often forget: spiritual growth happens in relationships.

The first believers in Acts understood this, too.

Acts 2 describes the very first Christian community after 3,000 people put their faith in Jesus. They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, meals, prayer, worship, generosity, and life together. They gathered in the temple, but they also met in homes.

They didn’t just attend church together.

They did life together.

Circles Are Transformational

There’s something powerful about gathering together on a Sunday. Rows are wonderful. They allow us to worship, learn, and experience something together as a large church.

But circles are different.

Rows are wonderful, but circles are transformational.

When we ask where people most often grow in their faith, it’s frequently not in a large gathering. It’s in the context of relationships—when people know one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, challenge one another, and walk through life together.

That’s what the early church experienced.

Acts 2:42 says that the believers devoted themselves to fellowship. The Greek word used for fellowship is koinonia. It means more than simply hanging out or having coffee together. It describes participation, partnership, sharing, and deep connection.

God wants to do things in us through relationships that He may not do when we try to follow Him alone.

God Grows Us Through Relationships

Not every relationship will draw us closer to Jesus. We can have wonderful friendships with people who don't share our faith, and those relationships can be meaningful and important.

But there is something unique about having people in your life who are intentionally pursuing Jesus alongside you.

These are the people who can encourage you when you're struggling, celebrate with you when something wonderful happens, pray with you when life gets difficult, and remind you of who God is when you lose sight of it.

The New Testament is filled with instructions to one another:

Love one another.

Encourage one another.

Forgive one another.

Pray for one another.

Carry one another’s burdens.

Those commands assume something important: we're doing this together.

We Need Accountability

Accountability can sometimes sound intimidating. But biblical accountability isn't about someone watching your every move or keeping score.

It's about being known well enough that someone can notice when something isn't right.

It sounds like:

“Hey, you don't seem like yourself. Is everything okay?”

Or:

“I love you enough to tell you that I think this decision may be taking you somewhere you don't want to go.”

That kind of relationship requires trust. It requires vulnerability. And it requires people who care enough to speak truth into our lives.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us that two people are better than one because when one falls, the other can help them up.

We are all going to fall at some point.

We will experience disappointment, loss, failure, temptation, heartbreak, and seasons when we feel like we can't keep going.

Don't do it alone.

Having people around you who will help you back up can make all the difference.

Groups Give Us a Place to Be Real

One of the most powerful things about a healthy group is that you don't have to pretend.

You can celebrate together.

You can laugh together.

You can eat together.

You can share what’s really happening in your life.

And you can admit when things aren't going well.

James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

There is something powerful about realizing that you're not the only one struggling.

One of the enemy's favorite lies is that you are alone.

But when we get into authentic community, we discover that everyone has struggles. They may look different from ours, but everyone needs grace, encouragement, prayer, and accountability.

When we share our burdens, something incredible happens: the burden gets divided.

And when we celebrate together, the joy gets multiplied.

As Galatians reminds us, we are called to share one another’s burdens.

That’s the beauty of community.

Fully Known and Fully Loved

Deep down, most of us have a fear:

“If people really knew me, they might reject me.”

So we put up walls.

We keep certain things hidden.

We avoid vulnerability because we've been hurt before.

But God created us for relationships where we can be fully known and still fully loved.

That kind of community takes courage. It takes time. It takes trust. And sometimes, it takes a small step of faith.

But it can also change your life.

You Don't Have to Be an Extrovert

Maybe you're thinking, “This sounds great for extroverts, but I'm not really a people person.”

That's exactly why Kevin's story is so powerful.

Kevin describes himself as an introvert and someone who would naturally prefer to avoid social situations. But when he and his wife felt called to join a small group, he knew it wasn't an idea he had come up with on his own.

Over time, small group helped him break out of his shell, share his thoughts and emotions more freely, experience community, and—most importantly—grow deeper in his faith.

His story is a reminder that groups aren't just for people who love being around people.

Groups are for people who want to grow closer to Jesus.

And the beautiful thing is that community works both ways. You don't just receive from a group. You bring something to it.

Your story matters.

Your perspective matters.

Your presence matters.

You may have no idea how God wants to use you in someone else's life.

Take One Small Step

About half of our Landing Place Church family is already connected in a small group. But that also means there are many people who aren't.

Maybe you've been thinking about joining a group but haven't taken the step.

Maybe you've been hurt by church relationships before.

Maybe you're an introvert.

Maybe you're nervous about being vulnerable.

Maybe you simply don't know where to start.

You don't have to figure everything out today.

Take one small step.

Ask one question.

Meet one person.

Walk across the lobby and find out what groups are available.

Because sometimes God uses the smallest steps of faith to lead us into relationships that change our lives.

The goal isn't simply to join a group.

The goal is to find rhythms that help us connect more deeply to Jesus.

And sometimes, God uses His people to help us do exactly that.

Your connection with Jesus grows deeper when you're connected to His people.