For Betsy Evans, it was a no-brainer. She could keep complaining about not knowing anyone at church. Or she could join a group and do life together. That simple decision in 2011 changed the course of her life — and her faith. Once I felt like I started to belong, I started to respond,” she says. “Talking to others made God’s message clear and easier to apply in my life. Unexpected Change It was in a NewSpring Group that Betsy realized she needed Jesus in her life, and where she found help to leave behind the bar scene. And it was in a NewSpring Group she started that she first got to know her husband, Dan. She had invited him, actually, along with anyone else she could find -- from the gym, from work, from church. You can’t expect to grow by yourself As a fairly new Christian, Betsy didn’t fret about how much of the Bible she knew. She simply opened up her home. They way she led the group — as a community, not a Bible study — helped Dan see she was special. I always try and tell my group, I’m learning next to you,” she says. A Weekly Highlight When the two married, leading a group together was their natural next step. Serving as hosts to their group of singles and couples inside their small, two-bedroom apartment is now the highlight of every week. They eat. They talk. They pray. Sometimes, they’ll make special dates to go out and have some fun. And they’ll do frequent service projects, too, such as building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Encouraging Next Steps The time they invest in relationships with one another creates an environment where people are encouraged to take next steps. One Group member started serving and decided to put God first in his finances. A newlywed couple found support to overcome some early struggles in their relationship. And another Group member, who was struggling with health issues, met Jesus during a group hospital visit. The group celebrated her baptism together, too, just a few weeks later. To see everybody grow is just an awesome experience, and the fact that we get to do it together is that much more rewarding,” Dan says. You can’t expect to grow by yourself. You just can’t do life alone. Watch the video to see for yourself how the Evanss lives changed because of a NewSpring Group. Then sign up to join or lead one newspring.cc/groups.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 11:30:00 +0000
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