The Accidents We Made On Purpose

Discussing how to go about purposefully setting up successful home groups for a new church has had me thinking all week about the home-based Bible study groups I've been a part of that I'd consider "successful" and attempting to identify just how they got that way.

And, I've come to a very basic conclusion.  Some of the very best things that happened out of those groups were unscripted.  They were the overflow of the things we did on purpose.

[YOOJ] was a group of girls that met weekly for over two years.  We did a few things on purpose.  We purposefully called ourselves "refuge" and designed our weekly gatherings around the idea of being a safe place to retreat from life's storms in the middle of the week.  We purposefully met in a home with a relaxed (often sitting on the floor) atmosphere rather than a crowded or noisy public place or a more formal classroom in a church building.  We purposefully studied and memorized Scripture together, working slowly through various passages, allowing Truth time and opportunity to do its work in our hearts.  We purposefully prayed with and for one another, regularly and out loud.  We purposefully maintained an open group, offering new visitors a brief rundown/explanation of our inside jokes and lingo to make sure they felt included from the outset of their time with us.

Accidentally, because of those things we did on purpose, we became a safe place to "strip down" emotionally.  Accidentally, we grew into a small family, deeply invested in one another's lives, celebrating and mourning numerous milestones together (birthdays, bridal showers, new jobs, new loves, broken relationships, prodigal family members, unsaved friends, deaths, mission trips, personal financial crises, graduations, moves, etc.)  Accidentally, we began to take on some of the character we were studying about together.  We fought for unity because we saw in Scripture where it was one of the identifying marks of the Body of Christ.  Accidentally, we developed our own lingo and nicknames, often abbreviating entire lessons or concepts with simple phrases.  (PTL!  Glory!  Crazy or Jesus?  Satan is a loser.)  Accidentally, we learned that some weeks it's okay to throw out the lesson in order to pull a sister into the "mush pot" and spend an elongated prayer time over her, even if that sister was the teacher.

Erin might be the bravest person I know.  She's been in Bible study with me in some form or fashion for the better part of 4 years now.  From [YOOJ] to G2 to Mariposa.  Erin can attest to my love for gold sticker charts, index cards, nicknames, and fresh coffee as well as my penchant for dressing comfy, sitting with one leg curled under me, and sharing lots of silly stories about myself in hopes that others will share, too.  And, she, can tell you those are all simple things I do on purpose, hoping for some Divine "accidents" to come along.  If a gold star encourages someone to hide God's Word in her heart, buy me a whole book of 'em, and let's get going!  If decorating index cards provides a place for someone to share and exchange her prayer requests, then get me a stack!  (Not really, I have them stashed all over the place already!)  If a fresh pot of hot coffee, helps someone want to curl up in a chair and open up about what's really going on in her life, then I'll keep it brewing.  If answering the door in my sweats or my work out clothes helps put someone at ease so that we can look at one another eye to eye, somebody get me my "uniform."  (Uniform = [YOOJ] speak for the black velour track suit I wore on a weekly basis for a few cold months in 2008.)  And, if telling you about the goofy things I've done this week, puts a smile on your face or makes you feel the least bit less foolish for your own foibles, then by all means, let me tell you about my latest case of foot-in-mouth disease!

And, if somewhere along the way, the Lord begins to move in your heart and prayers start changing your life, and people around you start getting impacted, too, then to God be the glory, another purposeful accident has occurred!