Missional Living

Hi, my name is Dwan Graham. My husband Jason and I started attending Living Hope in 1999 and became members in 2001. We have three children—Isabel, Mattie and Noah. We currently serve as small group leaders, work in the children’s ministry and are active in missions. I have also had the privilege to serve in Women’s Ministry leadership through MOPS and most recently missions. Serving at Living Hope has given me the opportunity to use the gifts God has given me and it is through service that He has shaped much of my life.

Living Hope is more than a church building, Living Hope is an extension of who we are as we come to serve, to worship, to grow, and to live missional lives. Jason and I do hold many different service titles within the church body; however, Small Group Leaders is one specific title that continues to stretch us, mold us, and encourage us. We believe Small Groups are an extension of the body of Christ that serves and loves one another as family but also reaches out to the community as a group to effectively serve and share the love of Christ with others.

Small Groups are a community of disciples who carry out Christ’s ministry. So how do we carry out Christ’s ministry? We do this by studying God’s word together, serving in love, praying for one another and others, providing support for those with a need, and going where He asks. In short, Small Groups are the Christian community living missional lives in relationship to one another and the world. Mark 10:45, says “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So what does this look like inside our Small Group? Providing meals, mowing one another’s lawn, offering/giving financial assistance during difficult times, babysitting one another’s kids, praying for each other, holding one another accountable and so much more! During our meetings, we have the opportunity to study, to worship, to pray, and to have communion with one another. Yet, even more than the love and service and study with one another as a Small Group, we have had the great opportunity to serve our community by adopting angel tree families, giving food baskets to people in need, providing lawn care for widows, taking care packages to an assisted living center, and presenting Backyard VBS for an apartment complex. This summer will be the second year our Small Group has hosted the Backyard VBS.

All these ways of serving and studying together grows you close in relationship with one another as a Small Group family but more importantly grows you into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. I praise God for our Small Group which has walked along side us during difficult times as well as joyous occasions. And through each circumstance or season our Small Group has joined us in prayer, provided spiritual support and loved us unconditionally. God is sovereign and faithful—and has given us a loving, giving Small Group Family.

The heart of the church is covenant: God’s commitment to us in Christ, and our commitment to God and one another in Christ. Do you realize that the phrase ‘one another’ is used 153 times in scripture? Love one another, spur one another on… Through Small Group we commit to help one another live our lives in grace by vowing to support the church’s common life and ministry with our prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Without covenant and commitment, there is no church. And what better way to commit to the church than through living life-together as a Small Group.

Commit today to either strengthen your Small Group or to join a Small Group! And may Christ be manifested in the life of our church and Small Groups today! Glory be to God!!