This is an little preface that Chuck Missler wrote for his book "The Once and Future Church". I thought it was insightful and briefly expressed a truth that has become a reality in many peoples lives. We've had so many people tell us that they love God but have gotten tired, wornout and basically fed up with 'church'. For too many churches the motivation driving them isn't the personal growth and spiritual matruing of the people they have. The drive is to get more people in the doors and to be seen as being successful. This is at the expense of the saints that are yearning for a closer walk with the Lord, to build relationships and don't have time for all the 'obligations' required. We have found many of these needs met in the context of the small group meeting.

"Over the many decades that I have enjoyed my love affair with the Bible, I have had the marvelous benefit of many great teachers. But I also would like to let you in on a precious secret. The greatest personal growth I’ve ever witnessed occurred in a home Bible study. The fellowship of those intimate home groups, where people can interact, ask questions, and hold one another accountable, was the place of growth for all of us -- teacher and student.

This was, of course, the way it all started. A group of only a dozen -- fisherman and others -- along a seaside in Galilee. Even later as Paul traveled and planted, it was the intimacy of home fellowships that provided the earliest forums for the Gospel. The declarations in the synagogues and on Mars Hill were but an initiation. Their resulting questions were responded to in small groups in homes and on hillsides.

Today, too many people get lost in church and are only getting a surface skimming of the Word of God. We encourage you to be intentional and get involved! If you are not presently in a small, weekly, Bible study group, we strongly encourage you to find one and give it a try. You may be in for a truly life-changing surprise."