As we finish our summer Growth Groups semester this week, I would like to say thank you to the following people for facilitating a group this summer: Paul Eill, Don Brown, and Rex Culbertson. They stepped out and helped us test this Bible storying experiment this summer with our groups. They have done an excellent job! I have received more positive feedback this summer from those in Growth Groups than at any other time in the history of our church! We have seen time and time again that the Word of God is "living and active" from Hebrews 4:12. The more we examined God's Word, the more God continued to reveal His truth. As group members shared what God was teaching them, life-transformation was taking place every week.

I also want to thank those of you who volunteered in your Growth Group to share the story, rebuild the story, and even facilitate. Some people did this for the first time ever. It was exciting to see you step out of your comfort zone. That's usually when we grow the most. At Ridgeview, our goal is to make disciples who are making disciples and Growth Groups are the primary vehicle we use to do that. We saw disciples being made this summer! We are now seeing disciples who want to make more disciples!

As we take a month off from Growth Groups, let me remind us all that we never take a day off from discipleship! May we as followers of Christ continue daily to see God shape our thinking, our hearts, and our burden for those who do not know Him.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Tommy