One of the catapults into cooking more consistently came from the group that Luke and Jess dreamed up that meets on a mostly-steady, at times-irregular basis. We started by calling it Bible study. Then small group. Now we’re close enough to the idea and each other that we just call it group. I love group. I love this group, but mostly I love the ways this group does ‘group.’
Before we made the move up to Chicago, Austin and I were blessed to be part of the most wonderfully random and refreshingly honest group of young adults back in Arizona. Every Thursday night our 3958 Cat Balue door would fling open and we would be greeted by a plethora of lifelong friends, sweet new acquaintances, and complete strangers, each somehow invited by another member of the ever-growing and ever-different group. I don’t think there was a single repeat of the same crowd, and yet miraculously, we never lost steam. These were brave and passionate men and women of God that came to lay their hearts on the line, ask questions that would forever matter, and take part in 30-minute long prayers, as each person prayed for the person on their left (or wait, was it the person on the right? Wait… J) We would pop popcorn, eat dark chocolate M&M’s and laugh uncontrollably whenever Allie would bust into an impromtu yoga pose, when Lad would fall asleep in the middle of prayer, or when Max ‘showed off’ his new tattoo. God moved in mighty ways and found great pleasure in those hours that we met because,
“All who believed were together and had all things in common,” Acts 2:44.
We didn’t know each other well. We had many nights of ‘nice to meet yous,’ and yet, each unique member had nearly all things in common. Some were in school, some working, some graduating, some looking for a job, but nevertheless, we were united in our phase of life, in whom we believed, and in the fact that we were together, and when all who believe get together, miracles happen.
Our group now is similar in many ways, but also different. The chief difference came naturally and beautifully as Austin and I shuffled into a new phase of life. Now, we meet on Friday nights, and consider it our social lives in action instead of a social life buzz-kill. We cook for each other, do dishes together and always have about 3 options for dessert. We watch lessons, pause for clarification, ask deep-rooted questions of each other and demand honest answers. The funny ones of the group silence the room with their profound reflections and the quiet ones make us roar with the pitch-perfect side-comments. Jess always asks the best questions, Lauren never misses the chance to join another by saying ‘me too!’ And I think Dan laughs the hardest when Luke’s wit fills the rare, silent moments. We look to Austin for theology definitions, to Katie for heartfelt prayer, and to Melissa for the perfect sum-up. Molly brings story-telling to a new hilarious level, Kyle asks questions that we’re all thinking but don’t end up saying, and newbies like Zach and Allison come with their armor down and heart open to all the crazy our group has to offer. I love how we do group because we are devoted to truth and unapologetic of whom we know Jesus to be. Yet, we acknowledge how little we have figured out, we’re floored by the grace God showers on us, and we lock arms in an effort to be such solid disciples that we could’ve blended in with the twelve originals (okay, eleven).
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42
If there is a true ‘group recipe’ it has equal parts of these descriptions in Acts. We long to be like the early church because of the awe that came upon every soul (vs 43). This man, this Christ is the real deal. And sometimes all you need is your well-seasoned, God-fearing group around you to be convinced of that.
‘…And he added to their number day by day those who were being saved.’ Acts 2:47b
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