God's Multiplying Groups

Last night we went to a small group reunion Memorial Day BBQ / surprise birthday party for a friend in Rochester. We went because we hadn't been to Rochester for a while and we aren't sure when we are going to get back there. Two of our friends from there are finishing their residencies with U of R and we really wanted to see them and their families before they skipped the country. One of our friends has taken a position working in a hospital in Tanzania and the other is doing a two year Samaratin's Purse post residency fellowship in Napal.

It was fun to catch up with some old friends and meet some of the new people that are now part of our old small group. One of the neatest things was to hear news of how the small group ministry at Northridge Church and the small group that we started was doing.

Our first year in Rochester we were part of a neat small group from church that really helped us to grow spiritually and provided much needed friends and connections in our new town but at the end of the year it had grown to the point that it needed to multiply. We felt led (with another couple from the group) to break off and start a small group in the city that met on Monday nights (most of the other small groups met on Wednesdays and none were in the city). It was neat remembering with Brad how, on the first night, God brought two additional couples that we weren't really expecting and they were quickly followed by another couple. Brad told us that now, 3 years later, that group that we started has multiplied into 3 small groups. We  are humbled to see what He is doing. God is amazing. We have encouraged two other couples that we knew that were moving to Rochester to be involved in that small group (regardless of whether they decided to go to Northridge or not) which gave them immediate friends and God has used it to grow and develop believers for His glory. I am so thankful for what He has continued to do and how He at work in the small group ministry there. I am humbled that He used us to be a small part of it for a season.

From what I understand there are now 50 small groups meeting weekly and 80% of adult attenders are a part of one of them. To God be the glory great things He has done and is continuing to do through Northridge Church. I am so thankful that God allowed us to attend there for 2 years!