As a new follower of Jesus, it is critically important that you get plugged in with a thriving, healthy church. The best place to learn about God and grow in your faith is around other people who want to do the same.

 At The Ridge, our mission is “to KNOW Christ and GROW to be like Him.” That happens through both large weekend services and in smaller, more intimate group settings.

 Making the commitment to get involved in church gives you many great opportunities to grow in your faith. You get the opportunity to:

•  Worship through song
• Learn from your pastor
• Meet new friends
• Use your talents to serve other people

 Actually, getting involved in church is not optional. God commands us to gather together as a spiritual family. He wants us to understand the importance of meeting together regularly with other people who are passionate about following after Him. If we don’t, we will naturally begin to get discouraged and pulled down by the everyday concerns of life. We have to have set apart time to come together with other believers for worship and teaching.

 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…  — Hebrews 10:25

But not only that, God wants us to do life with others who are on a journey similar to our own. We were built for relationships with one another, and those relationships are best developed in small group environments.

 One of the best Next Steps you can take as a new Christ follower is to join a Growth Group. At The Ridge, our small groups are called Growth Groups.

Growth Groups are 5–15 people who get together to learn about God, develop friendships with each other, and have a great time. When you join a Growth Group, it usually lasts 12–16 weeks.

 Then when that semester is over, you may sign up again or sign up for a new group. At The Ridge, there are always different types of Growth Groups available to meet your schedule and your interests.

There is no such thing as a healthy, growing, lone-ranger believer. As you plug into the church and join a Growth Group, you will learn more about God, develop relationships with other believers, and have the chance to serve other people. All of these things, combined with your faithful prayer and Bible study, will work together to help you GROW like Christ.

Darrell

For more about Growth Group at the Ridge and to sign up for a Growth Group go to www.ridgefellowship.com  

Sources:  Nelson Searcy Coaching,   http://www.churchleaderinsights.com

 The New Living Translation of the Bible