Breaking Down Barriers
Esther M. Bailey
A small group encourages members to share with each other on an intimate level, which is good. Yet there is a danger that isolation may result. By focusing on each other’s needs, group members may become detached from the body of the church.
The following ideas suggest ways you can extend the hand of fellowship beyond the perimeter of your group:
Bring in a special speaker and invite other groups to be your guests. Plan refreshments and a social time afterward.
Recruit each group member to become a big brother or sister to children in the church who live with single parents.
Combine forces with other groups to work on a community project.
During a month, ask each person to visit a shut-in from the congregation. A planned schedule based on location and need will increase the effectiveness of the project. After the visit, members should write out a prayer request on behalf of the shut-in. These can be shared at a specified meeting.
Invite members of the youth group to perform a skit for your group. Serve the teens pizza or hamburgers afterward.
Especially when hard work is required, unanimous support of members will foster success of whatever goal you undertake.
If there are conflicts within the congregation, consider them as opportunities to build bridges between persons with different interests or tastes. A gesture that says, “Although we disagree, we still care about you,” provides healing to both sides.
As groups clash over divisive issues, action can be taken to ease the tension and restore harmony. How would the following actions change the climate in typical conflicts?
A group of young adults lobbies for a more contemporary style of worship. Nevertheless, the group takes up an offering to contribute toward the purchase of a new organ.
After opposing the decision to build a fellowship hall, members of a group show up to participate in the project.
The loud music of the youth next door disturbs a group of older adults. When the youth leader calls for one-on-one mentors to the teens, the older adults volunteer.
Any form of reaching out with love to outsiders forms a bond that benefits everyone involved. Even greater value will result from offering love and support to those who disagree with you. Sacrificing personal preference for the good of the church as a whole is an excellent way to go the second mile.
