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A LifeGroup Testimony and Invitation
2025-8-6 | Pastor Chuck Potts
The LifeGroup ministry here at The Grove is a critical component of our Touchstone of Transformation. We believe that living life together in community has a profound impact on our well-being, mentally, emotionally and especially spiritually. When we come together to learn, listen, and pray together, we invite the intricate work of the holy spirit to draw us closer to God’s heart and his will for our lives. For we know from Genesis that it is not good for us to live our lives alone, so we were created to be partners to share in this gift of life together!
Now that the summer busyness is slowing, we are looking ahead to the fall and are excited to invite all those that are not currently in a LifeGroup to consider joining one! And because we believe that each LifeGroup is as unique as those within them, we wanted to share a testimony with you from one of our current LifeGroup leaders about their journey.
Steph Rambo’s LifeGroup began in the fall of 2022. Here’s a look at their experience in Steph’s words, where we hope you will see the unique and beautiful journey they have been on thus far:
In the past, every life group I’d been part of typically began with a Bible study as the main way to connect and get to know each other. But when our current LifeGroup started, that approach didn’t feel quite right. We sensed the need to build deeper relationships first—to create space for more authentic conversations. So instead of diving into a study, we began by meeting every other week just to share a meal together. A few months in, we decided to start meeting weekly. At first, the idea of gathering every week felt a little overwhelming, but knowing it would simply be a potluck-style dinner and time to be together made it feel more doable. It became like a weekly family dinner—only we were a new kind of family, still learning each other’s stories. Sometimes people couldn’t make it, but meeting weekly meant we stayed connected, even if someone had to miss now and then.
Still, the question lingered: A LifeGroup without Bible study—was that even allowed? Were we really fulfilling the purpose and goals of LifeGroups at The Grove by simply sharing meals and life together? But as the weeks turned into months, our conversations naturally grew deeper. We began praying for one another, not just during our gatherings but throughout the week. Our group text thread, once filled with memes and sitcom references, started to include prayer requests, honest reflections, and ways we could serve each other—like organizing meals or simply checking in. What began as casual fellowship quietly transformed into genuine spiritual community.
Our core group has now been together for several years. We’ve watched some friends move on and welcomed new faces into our little circle, and I’m sure the future will bring even more changes. But through it all, our bond has continued to grow. And yes—before anyone panics—we have completed an actual study. But I’m so thankful we took the time to build real relationships first. That foundation made the study so much deeper, more honest, and meaningful for all of us. It wasn’t rushed or forced—it was built on trust, shared life, and the kind of connection that takes time to grow.
-Steph Rambo
My hope and prayer is that this insight into one of our LifeGroups helps you to see the heart and value for this ministry. And we hope that if you are not in a LifeGroup yet, OR if you would be willing to lead a LifeGroup and go on this journey like Steph and other leader’s have over the past few years, that you would consider going to TheGroveCov.church/Lifegroups and click the link to express interest in joining a group. From there, you can let us know your scheduling needs or what type of group you would like to consider joining.
How we move forward will completely depend on who and how many sign-up. You may be recommended for joining a new group, or you may be invited to join an established group that has space to grow. Either way, our goal is to get all that are interested plugged into a LifeGroup sometime this fall.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me or stop by the office to chat.
We look forward to another year of this impactful ministry, and we continue to pray that God blesses The Grove and this community through these LifeGroups!
--Pastor Chuck Potts