Walking into a large church can be overwhelming. We realize this, and this is why we place such a huge priority on connecting in Small Group Life. Group Life is a great way to build refrigerator rights relationships. Refrigerator rights relationships are the ones in which the people close to you in your life can literally help themselves to the contents of your refrigerator without needing permission. These relationships are built on trust, doing life together, respect, and shared faith experiences. Our desire is to have a community of people whose relationships are tight enough to have refrigerator rights. Look at these staggering stats:
- 46 million Americans moved last year.
- The average American spends 28 hours a week watching television.
- 1 in 4 Americans have a diagnosed stress related disorder, making us the # 1 country in the world in this category.
- On average we can identify Seinfeld’s kitchen more so than the neighbors who live right next door to us.
- 35% of Americans spend over 40 hours/week looking at a computer screen.
- There are hundreds of millions on online social networks.
These stats indicate how our culture has made it increasingly difficult for people to maintain a network of close relationships and to offer refrigerator rights to one another. This is one reason why we are all about Small Group Life at ECC.
Small Group Life occurs in all ages, shapes, and sizes. We find that it is vital for Spiritual Growth and Maturity to happen in the context of, and through, relationship. It is our desire to be INTENTIONAL with opportunities for small group life to thrive in a larger church environment. As the ECC body continues to grow larger, it is important that we can offer opportunities that provide smaller community environments. The key word that defines who we are as small groups is TRANSFORMATION. Relationships are a vital part to every human being, and we encourage people to find a small group where they can Come.Connect.Transform.
