I have two questions for you, starting with a pretty easy one: Are you lonely?
That’s a question few people feel comfortable truthfully answering. It can be awkward and embarrassing to admit that you feel alone or don’t have the relationships you wish you did.
First, it’s important to acknowledge that you’re not alone in your loneliness. About 60% of Americans identify as feeling lonely. It’s a problem for our entire country. It’s not just you.
But now comes my second and more challenging question: What are you doing about it?
It’s okay to lament our lack of meaningful relationships. However, if you’re not actively creating opportunities for yourself to meet new people, you’re part of the problem.
Sorry if that’s harsh but, as the kids today say, that’s just facts.
There are opportunities for you to find community and develop deep, impactful friendships in your life, but you often must actively pursue them. Expecting best friends to fall into your lap is likely going to lead to disappointment.
That’s where Connect Groups come in.
These King of Kings small groups meet for seasons of 8-12 weeks to grow deeper in their faith and learn more about Jesus, but also to get to know each other and experience the type of connection all humans seek. Connect Groups aren’t just Bible studies; they’re an opportunity to live out the life of community that Jesus called us to.
It’s up to you you to take action.
You have to sign up and you have to show up. Week after week, even when you’re busy or don’t feel like it, you have to make the effort. With that intentionality comes the opportunity to make friends that go way beyond surface level.
Let’s look at the early church in Acts 2, which is often used as the gold standard for what the church should look like. Jesus had just ascended to Heaven and the disciples, having received the Holy Spirit, were establishing the model for the Christian church without Jesus physically there. Check out Acts 2:42-47 (bold emphasis added by me):
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Look at all the action verbs in that paragraph! These people were intentional about finding community. They actively pursued community by being together, eating together, giving together, and praising God together. This is exactly what God intended human community to look like!
These people were thrilled by the opportunity to encounter the Holy Spirit and devour the apostles’ teaching, but they didn’t do it alone. They made the conscious decision to gather and learn about Jesus together.
So what does that look like in modern times? Jesus’ apostles aren’t around to gather people today. Peter isn’t rallying people together with impassioned speeches in the town square Some of the distinct advantages these people had simply aren’t a reality today, and our world is more fractured than ever. The average American spends more than three hours each day streaming video compared to fewer than two hours per day socializing. Our culture tells us it’s normal to have a more committed relationship with your phone than another human.
Connect Groups are one way to combat this. King of Kings has intentionally selected and recruited leaders who are skilled at bringing people together and making them feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves.
In a Connect Group, you don’t feel alone; you have intentional community built into your life each week.
As you grow closer to your fellow group members, you’ll likely find that weekly meeting extends to texts, phone calls, shared meals, and more as you get to know your people better.
I can speak from personal experience about the impact that Connect Groups can have. I didn’t know most of the people in my group before we met for the first time about a year and a half ago. Now, I’ve attended one of their weddings. I’ve set up a meal train for another couple after they had a baby. I’ve served at their work events. We’ve cried and prayed together. My wife and I have shared things with them before we tell our families — that’s how close we’ve become.
Now, I’d be lying if I said it was always convenient. There are some Mondays where — especially after a long day at work or an exhausting weekend — my wife and I don’t feel like seeing people. It’s so tempting to cancel the meeting, get into our pajamas, and fire up the TV rather than prepare our home and host people.
Yet, we’ve never cancelled, and each time we’ve been tempted, we end up having a great meeting. When our friends depart and we’re cleaning up, my wife and I look at each other and agree we’re so glad we decided to meet.
That’s the power of community. When we’re feeling low or need help, we have people who love us to lift us up, and we can in turn provide that same support for them. It’s how God designed us.
Sounds pretty great, huh?
So, get signed up for a Connect Group today. Connect Groups at King of Kings operate in seasons, so you’re not committing to anything more than a few months. If the group isn’t a fit for your personality or season of life, that’s okay. We get it, and after the season you’re more than welcome to join another Connect Group.
We have groups of all types — men, women, couples, singles, in homes, at King of Kings, etc. — so there’s one that fits your needs and desires. Peruse all your options here, or email [email protected] and I’ll happily make personal recommendations to help you find your ideal group.
We were created for community. We’re not supposed to be lonely. If you want to escape the pit that loneliness can feel like, join a Connect Group at King of Kings today.
