the powerful influence of a “Volunteer” small group leader
Everything Changed
Growing up, my family regularly attended a mainline traditional church. My siblings and I participated in Vacation Bible School and did all of the church “things”. I knew of God, but I did not know God. Our parents separated when I was eight years old, and our weekends were shared between the two. Time in church was inconsistent for many years, and it did not seem to make a difference either way. Upon entering middle school, I was downright angry and bitter. Nothing mattered more than my social sphere and extracurricular activities. Negativity, gossip, and rage were the markers of my daily life. At the time, my mom had decided that church was non-negotiable anymore. We began visiting a non-denominational evangelical church. I was attending the youth ministry each week with my closest friends. Though I would not voice it too loudly or show it too outwardly, I was actually having fun. Behind the scenes and in beautiful ways, God was undeniably after my heart.
During the final months of my eighth-grade year, fear and anxiety entered my spirit with overwhelming vengeance. I remember seeing demonic images and hearing nasty thoughts every night before bed. I would wake up feeling physically ill and began to experience discouraging health challenges. As the weeks went on, the elephant on my chest was too much to bear. I became tongue tied and struggled to formulate complete sentences. My appetite was gone, and nothing made sense. Questions such as, “who am I? and “who will I be? consumed my mind and fueled my fear. All the while, God was working. He was drawing me to Himself, and Satan loathed it. In God’s perfect timing, Disciple-Now Weekend arrived, and without hesitation my mom loaded the van and told me to get in. I had no say in the matter, and I would definitely not be attending the basketball game of the century. I was one of 1,500 middle and high school students gathered that March weekend. For the first time in my entire life, I experienced the presence of God. I unknowingly lifted my hands in worship and sang the lyrics of “Holy Spirit” by Francesca Battistelli with tear-filled eyes. The weight that was surely going to crumble me began to release its hold. On Saturday, March 14, 2015, I accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life and everything changed.
Godly Mentorship
Fast-forward to my Junior and Senior years, Martha Gillette and Penny Beatty entered my life. My story is unique in that, from the moment I accepted Christ, I was truly “all-in.” I recognized that the culmination of painful events leading up to my salvation was intense spiritual warfare. The Prince of Peace would be the One to silence lies and calm the storms within me. I filled binders with prayers and sought to understand Scripture one verse at a time. Let’s just say- my interpretation was not exactly spot on. Fortunately, the two most remarkable women that I know said “yes” to leading our small group.
At this point, I had invited all of my closest friends to church. We were without a youth pastor and had honestly “aged-out” of the Wednesday night ministry, but we needed discipleship and we needed each other. Penny opened her home each week, and her cozy basement became our haven for hard, vulnerable conversations. Martha and Penny taught us how to pray. They faithfully pointed us to God’s Word and never shied away from the uncomfortable topics. To this day, I call on my small group leaders for advice and counsel. I share the areas of my life that few others have been exposed to. They continually pray for me and seven other women, all now in our twenties. These girls are some of my dearest friends, and we agree that small group was where our immovable bond established itself.
The week of writing this blog, I sent eight handwritten notes to the 11th grade girls that I will be leading this year. Each note ended by letting them know how my life changed during my 11th grade year because of two women who chose to share their lives and invest into me . My prayer is that these girls would experience something similar. Not because I am an all-star small group leader or Bible scholar, but because real growth happens in meaningful conversations among your peers and with guidance from trusted adults.
Side Story of God’s Sovereignty!
Ready to get chilled? Martha and my sister Dalene were college roommates in 1985. (Disc camera, Pat Benatar hair cut, the 80’s!) And to think that thirty some years later this amazing godly woman was God’s instrument in the life of a young high school teenager girl who is now my daughter-in-law. You rock, Martha! So leader, you never know the full story of who you disciple!
~ Rich Brown
