A Look into Kid’s Ministry

The following is an excerpt from our kids ministry handbook. All volunteers will review this handbook soon, but we want to share this part with all of our parents and visitors so they can hear the heart behind our program.

Purpose

Here at Griggs our philosophy for kid’s ministry is ”A church within a church.” Simply put, we want Sunday morning for all ages to focus on sharing the Gospel, building community, and growing in our understanding of God. We don’t want the kid’s ministry to just be a “childcare service.” We want it to be a safe, fun environment where children can learn about the Gospel at age-appropriate levels while their parents focus on worship and instruction during the service upstairs. 

We accomplish our purpose by focusing on three main categories: Safety, curriculum, and connection.

Safety

• To ensure that parents feel comfortable with leaving their child, we have a check-in system to make sure every child is accounted for. The sticker they get has their name, any important medical notes the parents want added, and a parent contact number. 

• We also have all volunteers backgrounds checked. The volunteers talk with the Children’s Directors before serving to make sure they feel comfortable with their roles on Sunday mornings. 

• We have Service Leads every Sunday who lead a pre-meeting with our classroom volunteers. The Service Leads also run the check-in system and assist the classrooms if anything comes up (child needs to go to the restroom, needs water, someone gets hurt, etc.). 

• There is a simple first-aid kit in every classroom and a robust kit at the check-in station. Our directors are CPR, AED, and Epi-pen certified and can to step in if ever necessary. 

Curriculum

• We use The Gospel Project curriculum from Lifeway. It is broken down into 12 volumes (there are 13 lessons per volume) that begin at creation and work their way through the whole Bible. 

• This program is gospel centric and has a “Christ Connection” that goes along with every lesson to show the students how the OT and NT are all connected. 

• We practice one scripture passage and catechism for a whole month to help it really sink into the students memory.   

• All students do a review coloring page during class and then get companion activity pages that go along with that weeks lesson to complete at home with their parents.

Connection

• We want to make sure we are connecting with the students and showing them genuine Christlike love, by encouraging them, teaching scripture, and getting to know each of them on a personal level. We want them to know we listen to them and are genuinely interested in their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and lives.

• We want to make sure we are connecting with the parents. We need to check in with them and see how they are doing, encourage them, and discover what ways the church can help them. This may include getting them connected with other families in the same season or with people who have some wisdom because they’re on the other side of the toddler tantrum or pre-teen years.

• We want to connect with the volunteers. We want to make sure volunteers feel confident about what they're teaching and how the classroom should run. We want to pray with them and make sure they know that Children's ministry can be difficult at times. We want to make sure volunteers feel comfortable sharing the wins and the hard parts of their classroom. We also want to take a genuine interest in our volunteers lives and know how we can support them.

Greenville Homeless Report

We’re thankful for our friends at the Greenville Homeless Alliance. Please see their report below to get a good understanding of housing issues on our side of town.

What is Affordable Housing?

Pastor Mitch here.

As we minister in and around West Greenville, you will hear concerns about affordable housing. Therefore, it may be helpful for you to have a definition of affordable housing in the back of your mind.

The general definition of affordable housing is a safe, livable space (apartment, house, etc.) for a family unit that does not cost them more than one-third of their monthly income.

When people spend over one-third of their income on housing, they often cannot afford the other basic necessities of life. They also have a much higher chance of defaulting on their loans.

The more specific definition of affordable housing, in most contexts, refers to governmental laws or programs that aim to help families with low incomes acquire and stay in homes for one-third of their monthly income, even if that amount is lower than the city’s fair market value. Stratham Place, right across from Mountain Goat, is one example in our neighborhood. These apartments are funded by the government, and the wonderful folks living there pay different rents based on their income, which must be below the poverty line to qualify.

In Greenville, the average income is $60,000, meaning the average home buyer can afford a $250,000 home. Yet, the average home in Greenville costs over $300,000. This means people with average incomes will struggle significantly to find a home, and those with low incomes are almost completely locked out of home buying.

The situation is similar with renting. Middle-class and low-income families must constantly choose between having fewer bedrooms than needed or spending over one-third of their income on rent.

As a result, they either have to move away from Greenville or endure a very low quality of life. This can create economic, safety, and crime issues that lower the overall well-being of the city.

The government is compelled, at least in theory, to try and create ways for low-income families to stay, work their jobs, and make progress. There are cases in which this works out and cases in which it does not. For example, I have seen civic leaders claim they are addressing affordable housing, while in reality, they are just developing homes that are slightly less luxurious and expensive than they could be. Thus, they get social credit for caring about the poor while benefiting from partnerships with high-end developers.

Many times, the best solutions come from Christians in our community who care about this issue, like our good friends at Homes of Hope, Front Porch Housing, and Soteria Community Development Corp. These are all non-profits that we fully support. They also aid families in finding and maintaining affordable housing, not by rule of law or tax incentives but through the giving and volunteering of the church and the community at large.

When ministries tackle affordable housing, they often care for people in a more holistic way. For example, they may require (and provide) treatment for addiction as part of their housing program.

This often results in boosting people's financial health AND spiritual health which is a huge, God-honoring win for Greenville.

Because we follow Jesus, we care about affordable housing and recognize it as a need. As a church, our contribution to the issue is to continually pray for and, when we can, support our fellow Christians who have dedicated their ministries to housing our neighbors Jesus’ way and in Jesus' name. They are true heroes who are doing what has to be one of the most challenging ministry tasks there is.

A look Back at 2024

Here's some of the moments we celebrated this year by God's grace and for Jesus' fame on the West Side. 

In 2024 we…

• Hosted college students for a discussion on neighborhood ministry 

• Helped raise money for and send out Jaaz & Kaitlyn Cofer to Mongolia 

• Canvased for the Poe Mill tree planting project & planted the trees requested

• Held a leader and volunteer retreat for over 30 of our people

• Threw 2 Spring block parties and provided serving opportunities for the students at MRCA 

• Hosted a neighborhood carwash and provided serving opportunities for the students at BJA 

• Baptized 4 people 

• Dedicated 2 babies 

• Added 6 members 

• Hosted 3 serve days for students of Fellowship Greenville, setting up work projects for them in Poe Mill 

• Provided significant benevolence for at least 6 neighborhood residents 

• Established the position of elder and installed 2 new elders 

• Supported two of our members as they went on short-term mission trips 

• Held 8 church-wide Wednesday night dinners in the summertime, especially blessing the homeless community 

• Rented out a waterpark for a Poe Mill water night and over 50 neighborhood residents came 

• Ran 3 weeks of kids’ summer camp providing mission trip opportunities for students of Grace Church 

• Ran Fall Family Fun Night for the neighborhood alongside Park Place Church of God 

• Created a community newspaper, Saltbox Quarterly, and distributed over 350 copies. 

• Took two van loads of our neighborhood kids & youth to CiCi's Pizza….twice 

• Held a fall men’s event and a fall women’s event 

• Took approximately 30 Poe Mill kids to Walmart to get Christmas presents for their families 

• Ran the Poe Mill Christmas Parade alongside Park Place Church of God 

• Served dozens of neighborhood families after Hurricane Helene 

• Studied 17 books of the bible line by line through groups and sermon series 

And these are just some of the tangible moments we can point to. 

This list doesn’t point out the hundreds of unseen things Jesus did through daily, simple means. It would be truly amazing to see a list of encouraging words we shared with one another, or helpful insights we gave each other during Griggs Groups, or the new friendships that have formed.  We know that so many of our people serve in quiet, hidden, unofficial ways. And though that service is harder to list, it makes Griggs Church what it is.

For the lists we can and cannot make - All Glory be to Christ. 

A look Back at the Christmas Parade

Giving Thanks Like a Skater

Photo Credit: Isaac Cropsey

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As we approach this time of year, it feels like our city—from the East Side to the West—naturally leans into what God has called us to embrace all year long: Gratitude. Scripture tells us, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 

Gratitude is “the will of God.” That means it’s what’s best for us.

This ancient wisdom is affirmed by modern science. For the past two decades, psychologists like Robert A. Emmons, along with researchers at Stanford and other universities, have studied the effects of gratitude on the body. Their findings show that people who regularly practice gratitude have lower blood pressure, healthier heart rates, better sleep, and reduced stress. 

If gratitude is what’s best, then why aren’t we more grateful all year round? Because we forget. 

We forget how blessed we are. We forget how short life is. So we naturally resort to focusing on accumulation. We make getting more and more for ourselves the goal, which makes us grumpy, not grateful. 

But during the holiday season, we know that we’re getting a few special days that only come around once a year and that will soon be gone. The short time we have for the holidays highlight what is truly important and enable us to live more gratefully and thus live more fully. 

I’ve seen this idea in action for the last couple of years in what some would assume is a very unlikely place. 

One of the most grateful places I’ve ever seen is the DIY skatepark at Poe Mill. Some of the most grateful people I’ve encountered are the skaters who use it, skating every day like it might be their last—because, any day now, it could be.

The skatepark was built by volunteers out of the rubble of the fire that burnt down the mill in the early 2,000s. For years, skaters have enjoyed the park, but in 2020, developers bought the land and announced plans to build luxury apartments over it. Now, four years later, it appears that construction is set to begin.

These skaters know that the skatepark was a gift that rose from the ashes. They also know their time there is short and getting shorter. The result of these circumstances? Gratitude. They skate with an incredible, admirable thankfulness, enjoying every last trick.

This gratitude was on display recently at Woodbine Studio, where dozens of portraits of the skaters, taken by photographer Zach Scuggs, hung on the walls as a tribute to the good times they’ve had. It was also evident during their last official skate contest this summer on “Go Skate Day.” 

When our life is about accumulating more and more, we usually end up sitting and sulking alone. Gratitude, on the other hand, leads us to joyfully engage and build up our community.

This is another hallmark of the skatepark. Through Shelter Skate Church, a ministry led by Josue Rodriguez, which you can follow on Instagram (@shelterskatechurch), the good news, and good cheer, has powerfully overflowed into the skatepark and out to the neighborhood every Monday night for years. 

The lesson of the Poe Mill skatepark is when we humbly acknowledge that everything we have, and every day we have with it, is a gift of grace - we can truly appreciate everything we receive to the fullest.

On the other hand, entitlement, a constant longing for more, a life of accumulation leads to angst and disappointment because, on this side of heaven, nothing lasts forever. 

Let’s pray for these skaters as they’re facing this change. Let’s learn from these skaters as we face our own changes, leaning on the Spirit to give us a consistent sense of blessedness. 

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! This season, let’s not just lean into gratitude—let's embrace it as a daily practice that shapes our hearts and minds. It’s what’s best for us. 

Once A Victim, Forever A Voice

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Ms. Toni has called Poe Mill home for 12 years. Her first impression of the neighborhood was that it was “kind of quiet and pretty friendly.” A place where neighbors greeted each other warmly and went about their day. She knew the area needed work, but the community spirit gave her hope. 

It’s true that Poe Mill is a neighborly place, overall. But because of some of the addiction issues we face on the West Side, we do see some crime on occasion. “Crime comes into the neighborhood and then leaves right back out,” Toni said, reflecting on how what she’s learned about the area’s struggles since moving in over a decade ago. 

On December 10th, 2019, everything changed for Ms. Toni. That day is forever etched into her memory. The night before, Toni was visiting with her daughter who lived on 3rd Ave. in Poe Mill. Toni lives on 4th, a little over a block away. When Toni got into her car to drive home that night, she realized that the engine had died. So she just walked home instead.

The next morning was misty and rainy, the kind of day that makes you want to stay in bed. But bills needed to be paid, and errands needed to be run, so Toni knew she needed to get up, walk back to her daughter’s house and jump-start the car. 

As Toni reached her daughter’s house, she noticed a Jeep passing by holding several young men. She now knows that one of them had a parent living in Poe Mill and that’s why they were in the neighborhood, but at the time all she knew was that she didn’t recognize the vehicle or its passengers. Something seemed off. However, there didn't seem to be a concrete reason to rush inside her daughter's home. 

But moments later, as she lifted the hood of her car, two of those young men had gotten out of the jeep, jumped over a nearby fence, and approached her from two different directions.

“They came and interrupted my whole life. My life hasn’t been the same since.”  

Ms. Toni standing in the spot where her life was forever changed. 3rd Ave. in Poe Mill. 

“They shot me in the stomach four times,” she said, recounting the attack that left her seriously injured. It appears the young men were after her purse, which they had seen her carrying as she walked down the street. 

Despite the shock and pain, Ms. Toni was somehow able to remain focused. Having a concealed weapons permit, Miss Toni was prepared to defend herself. After one of her assailants tried to wrestle her from behind and more shots were fired at her, she pulled out her gun and fired back in self-defense, causing her attackers to flee. Miracle of miracles, she remained standing the entire time. “I never hit the ground,” she recalls. The first of many miracles that surround the incident. 

“I was able to walk up the steps into my daughter’s house and across the living room,” she recalled. Once seated on the couch she instructed her daughter’s roommate to grab a towel. The roommate froze in panic, but a neighbor, a teenage boy named Immanuel, rushed over from across the street, into the house to help, getting towels and stopping the bleeding. Ms. Toni doesn’t think Immanual was there by accident. Rather, for Toni, he was another miracle, there to act as a testament to his name which means, “God with us.” 

The scene was chaotic. Everyone was trying to process what had happened. Yet, strangely, Ms. Toni remained aware, sitting up, and able to talk. 

Neighbors who heard the shots had called 911. When the emergency vehicles showed up, she walked herself to the ambulance, and stayed alert for the entire ride. When she saw that they had made it to the hospital she finally let herself rest, spending the next few days in her hospital bed. “I don’t remember much from those days, except waking up and seeing my daughter and my son,” she said. 

Her son reminded her that “she has always been a fighter,” and she was doing a good job fighting now, while she laid in the hospital. Then, a final miracle came to light, the bullets had not hit any vital organs and she was released to go home after only being hospitalized for one week. 

Through it all, Ms. Toni felt the presence of God guiding her. “At the end of the day, it was all God,” she reflected. “He intervened, he strengthened me, and he had me prepared.”

The ordeal ended up being much more than just a moment of survival for Ms. Toni—it was a revelation. It brought her closer to God, strengthening her faith and commitment to His plan. “I got closer to Him after that happened. He’s always been a part of my life. I used to go to church with my grandmother, and  now I’m on the right path, doing what He wants me to do,” she said.

Ms. Toni now views her life through the lens of divine purpose. “God revealed that I have a purpose: to do His will, to do what He asks of me,” she said. Her experiences with gun violence have transformed her into an advocate, speaking out against the dangers that plague communities like Poe Mill. She is involved in several non-profits and is starting her own which she plans to call “Applying Love.” Her story reminds us all that the tragedies we face don’t keep us from our purpose, they often clarify it. 

She spends most of her time these days serving and speaking, especially sharing her story, which has given her a platform to testify of God’s power and protection. She has come by and shared her testimony with us at Griggs during a Sunday morning service. 

“We may look like nobodies to some people because of where we live, but I’m here, and I’m an activist,”

Ms. Toni said, firmly making her case for Poe Mill’s hopeful future. 

When I asked her what she believed Poe Mill needed she said, “We need more police presence. The kind of police presence where they’re interacting with the kids and showing kindness to the homeless.” she said, calling for authorities to be engaged in the area proactively. 

She believes the neighborhood needs a community center, a place for people to gather, support one another, and have some fun - something she says Poe Mill is good at. 

We agree. Our hope at Griggs is to continue to be that community center,  especially while the neighborhood is without a more traditional one. 

Though she believes in and advocates for certain changes and reforms, Ms. Toni knows that the change Poe Mill needs starts from within. “We need to learn to take care of things at home. Once we take care of things at our own home, then we can take care of others,” she said. 

Her vision for Poe Mill is one of community togetherness and gospel-centered love. The kind of love Jesus taught us to share. 

With that kind of love coming down from above, planted, and growing in our hearts, she believes that the neighborhood can rebuild and become just as vibrant and prosperous as any other, despite the hardships its residents face.

“God is still here. He has never left us,” she says confidently, rejecting the notion that any hardships we face are because God is finished with us. She still has the hope she moved into the neighborhood with. 

“If he had left us, we wouldn’t be here,” she adds. I’ve heard many people say that, or something like it before. But there’s nothing quite as powerful as hearing Ms. Toni say it. 

Thank you for reading! Check out more by subscribing to our quartlerly newspaper here.

The Poe Mill Christmas Parade

On Sunday, December 1st we’re having our annual Poe Mill Christmas Parade from 3-5 p.m. We do this in partnership with Park Place Church of God. 

Poe Mill Residents

If you live in Poe Mill all you have to do is come out on your porch between 3 & 4 p.m. and wave as we drive by. We'll stop and pass out gifts and candy to everyone we can!

And anyone living in or out of Poe Mill can join us in the gym at Park Place at 4 p.m. for some carols, cocoa, and Christmas fun.

Volunteers

Here's the schedule for the parade: 

• 2 p.m. - We decorate the floats in the Griggs parking lot together 

• 3 p.m. - We line up at Park Place and then drive around the neighborhood passing out candy and gifts. 

• 4 p.m. - We meet up in the gym at Park Place Church of God for carols, hot cocoa, and a tree decorating contest. 

There are a few ways to jump in. Griggs is providing two tractor-trailers and our two vans and we need volunteers to help decorate and ride on those. Additionally, you can bring and deck out your own vehicle to drive in the parade! Finally, whether you’re able to make the parade or not, you can join us at 4 in the gym at Park Place for the carols, cocoa, and Christmas fun. 

However you decide to get involved, let us know! Email julia@griggschurch.com to tell us you’re coming or get your questions answered. 

What is a Saltbox?

This summer we printed our first issue of Saltbox Quarterly, a community newspaper by Griggs Church. You can sign up to receive them each quarter, for free, via mail. Here’s the article we placed in that paper answering the question, “What is a Saltbox?”

Thank you for picking up our first issue. , you made history — at least Griggs history.

Griggs, a church in Poe Mill, is dedicated to delivering the good news. But we also love sharing other kinds of good news, especially as we celebrate and document the vibrant lives of those in the mill villages of West Greenville, SC.

What started as a quarterly update for our supporters seemed to be morphing into a community newspaper so we decided to embrace it, print it, and put it out there. We’re not journalists or even writers, but we enjoy giving things a shot and just seeing what happens. We hope you enjoy it too, but if you don’t, just remember - you get what you pay for. This newspaper is free.

The name of our paper draws inspiration from the saltbox houses that define our community’s architectural landscape. These homes, with their distinctively long, angled roofs, resemble the wooden salt boxes found in early American kitchens.

Saltbox homes were a staple in New England mill villages in the 17th century. When textile entrepreneurs made their way south in the 19th century, they brought this design with them because these homes were cost-effective and relatively easy to construct.

Pioneers like F.W. Poe knew these homes were built to endure. The original purpose of the sloped roof was to prevent snow from piling up and caving in on living rooms up north. Saltbox houses are designed with sturdiness and longevity in mind and as an added perk, they provide a bit of extra space compared to other working-class homes.

The people who live in these historic saltbox houses seem to embody the same sturdiness and longevity. Their resilience, perseverance, and ability to adapt reflect the qualities of their dwellings.

In every beam - and every inhabitant - of these saltbox houses, we see the spirit of a community that thrives through challenges, standing strong and unwavering.

In each issue, you can look forward to good news. We’ll share stories about the people, events, and traditions that have shaped our side of town. We’ll explore our history and share the gems we find along the way.

While we honor our past, we also look to the future. Just as saltbox houses have inspired modern architectural designs we hope our newspaper will inspire fresh ideas and foster a sense of innovation within West Greenville. We’ll tell you all we can about the current residents and organizations who are making good things happen.

We see a bright future and a new era on the horizon, from Sans Souci to Welcome. Stepping into that future involves recognizing those who are hidden, celebrating and collaborating with our wonderful non-profits and ministries, and equipping our neighbors to meet the immediate needs around them.

One hope we have is that we can, at times, unify the city and the county, the Eastside and the Westside. Both have strengths and perspectives to bring to the table that, when realized, will make the Upstate an even better place to live.

Fall Family Photos

If you have a Photo from Fall Family Fun Night 2024 email it to mitch@griggschurch.com and we’ll add it into the post (may use it on social media too)!

Fall Family Fun Night

Welcome! We’re very excited about FFFN 2024, one of our favorite annual events. Here is everything you need to know!

For those who are attending

Fall Family Fun Night is THIS Sunday, October 27, 2024 from 4-6 p.m. at Park Place Church of God (221 Orders Street) right in the middle of the neighborhood. You can let us know you’re coming at this facebook event!

FFFN is a huge Trunk or Treat event in Poe Mill. Come on out and bring everyone you can. You can easily find parking in the lot out front of (or beside) Park Place’s main building.

Feel free to wear costumes or not, whatever you’d like. We will have a bounce house, a huge inflatable slide, giant jenga, giant checkers, giant connect 4, inflatable basketball game, inflatable baseball game, facepaint, and more...

Restrooms are in the gym building. There are sensory friendly halloween baskets, candy, and toys available for the kids who need them. The event always goes extremely well and we've never had any issue, but since we always have large crowds (We expect 250-300 people) we have a security team in place so all our guests can feel looked after and super safe. 

Come and stay for however long you’d like any time between 4 and 6 p.m. this Sunday afternoon.

For those who are volunteering

If you haven’t yet, touch base with Julia Henderson (Julia@griggschurch.com) and she will let you know who your main contact/leader is for whatever you are doing. We need every volunteer there no later than 3:30 p.m. (though some volunteers are required to come at an earlier time, you will know who you are). Every volunteer gets a lanyard with a name tag in it, pick it up from the Welcome tent when you arrive.

At roughly 3:45/3:50 we will have a short time of prayer with Park Place Church of God volunteers at the sound tent. During the event, you can feel free to get some food, just make sure your activity is covered while you do. If you have any issues during the event ask your team leader, or Mitch, Carter, or Julia. Trunks can start packing up and heading out right at 6 p.m. The more people who stick around to help us clean up and tear down the better, but we do have a tear down team already in place. Pray for and lean on the spirit for divine appointments during the event.

You can find a complete volunteer guide at this google doc.

A look Back At Girls Night

Last Wednesday night was fantastic. Thank you to all those who volunteered to make it happen. We had a great group of ladies come out for food, s’mores, hot chocolate, and fellowship around the fire.

David St. John’s Story

David St. John came to Poe Mill via a mission trip with his home church, Grace Church. He fell in love with the place and decided to keep on serving with us at Neighborhood Network every Sunday night at 4 p.m. throughout his whole senior year. Click the image below to view a video about the experience.

Here’s just a piece of what you’ll hear: "One of the things I realized when I started serving, was that I actually had the capacity to do a lot more than I thought. The more I've worked on pushing through an uncomfortable situation, the more I feel like God has made me comfortable doing that. God has given me a privilege and let me into an area where he is working."

How We Helped After Helene

Hurricane Helene hit Poe Mill hard. Branches littered the streets, trees toppled onto homes, and a few residential roads were completely blocked. Poe Mill was amongst the last to receive power and Poinsett Hwy was pretty late in the game in getting the stoplights working again. 

Interestingly, our church got its power back late Saturday night, just 36 hours after the storm. By Sunday, we opened our doors to members who needed to charge phones or cook meals. A little over 10 people came.

Dozens of our people served throughout the week in organic ways, having each other over and swapping essential items. Those are some of my favorite ways in which you all served. I’ve heard so many stories of generosity and I’m sure I haven’t even heard them all. 

A team of Griggs members also served in these ways throughout last week: 

• We gave out $5 gift cards to Spinx 

• We gave out  bags of ice 

• We gave out snacks, bottled water, and flashlights 

• We provided some childcare 

• We held a Neighborhood Network event on Friday for all our kids/youth of Poe Mill

• We cleaned up a yard and fence that were majorly affected by a fallen tree 

One thing I noticed was the gratitude. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much gratitude in our church and neighborhood. Everyone wanted to help, even those we were helping! 

One man we gave ice to, despite needing it himself, handed us a ten-dollar bill and asked us to give it to someone else in need! Some of our unhoused neighbors helped clean up our church parking lot and grass where branches had fallen.  

The pain of the hurricane isn’t over, especially for those in Western North Carolina. There’s much suffering still being endured and much to do. I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who, through your generosity, gratitude, and giving, followed Jesus through the storm last week. 

Very proud of you all,

Pastor Mitch

Grace Members Podcast

Pastor Mitch was asked to discuss Poe Mill, Griggs Church, and our partnership with Grace Church on the Grace Church Members Podcast. The episode dropped last week so give it a listen! You can listen to it here or search “Grace Church Members Podcast” wherever you get your podcasts. 

Griggs Guy’s Night

All photos by Isaac Cropsey

Griggs Groups: Productivity

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

We are so proud of all those engaging our Griggs Groups. Griggs Groups takes more commitment than almost anything else we do as a church. Not only do you have to show up on a weeknight, but you also typically have to participate. Unlike Sunday mornings where you mostly get to listen, at Griggs Groups you inevitably do the hard work of getting involved in the lives of others. And that participation is the main point of groups. That participation is productive.

Think about this for a moment—what is the church called to do?

Off the top of your head you may list things like this…

• Pray for people

• Care for the sick

• Meet needs

• Lift people up

• Share the gospel

These are certainly some of the roles of the church in the world. And in the earliest days of the church, it was clear that these tasks were the work of the entire body.

However, in the West today, there's been a shift. Because we have the resources, we often look to pastors or church staff to take on these responsibilities. While it's biblical for pastors to lead in these areas, it's not biblical for the church to expect that only the pastor should be doing these things.

In 1 Timothy 2, Paul talks about God's desire for the whole church to be involved in the work of the ministry so that all of the people outside the church might be saved by the gospel…

First, we see Paul saying that he has a specific role as a full-time church leader…

"For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle…” - 1 Timothy 2:7

But, he then says…

"I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands…" - 1 Timothy 2:8 -

"[I desire] that women adorn themselves…with good works…” - 1 Timothy 2:9-10

So we see that we have some who are taking on ministry as a more vocational role, but all the men and women are to be involved in the mission. There are several reasons for this, but one is that a single man doing everything is counter productive. Everyone doing something is super productive. This is, in part, why we do groups.

Consider this

• What's more productive? One person praying for all those in authority (as it tells us to do in 1 Timothy 2:1), or the entire church praying together?

• One person visiting all the sick, or each Griggs Group taking care of their own sick?

• One person managing every need in the church, or each group supporting their own group members?

• Which brings about more blessing, as Ecclesiastes speaks of? Waiting for one person to notice when you’ve fallen, or having a community where everyone lifts each other up?

• If God’s desire is for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4) what would be the better approach? One person somehow sharing the gospel with the whole world or everyone sharing the gospel with the lost in their little world?

In this letter to Timothy, and other places like Ephesians 4:11-12, we see a pattern: church leaders guide and help, like Paul is guiding Timothy, and Timothy is guiding the church at Ephesus.

But "being the church" means everyone committing to the work simply because they’re Christians, not because of a position. This greatly increases our capacity to do all the church is called to do in the world.

Biblical community is productive. It’s the body meeting the needs of the body, and the body of Christ reaching out to the world. We are stronger, more effective, and more faithful to our calling when we work together.

Griggs Groups take a lot of individual investment and participation. But it is so, so worth it.

Griggs groups: protection

One of the core reasons we gather in small groups is for our protection—specifically, protection from false teachings, whether they come from outside sources or from within our own hearts. When we hear teachings that don’t quite sound right, our group can help us discern the truth. Similarly, if we have theological ideas but aren't sure if they're accurate, sharing them in a group setting allows others to provide guidance and ensure we stay on the right track.

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” - Proverbs 11:14

This verse captures the essence of why we meet in groups: safety in numbers, wisdom in community.

We actually see this in the books we’re studying through in groups this semester. As we study the pastoral epistles, we see Paul writing to his protégé, Timothy, guiding him on how to lead and protect a group of believers. Paul instructs Timothy to act as a shepherd, helping them navigate the dangers of false teachings and misguided ideas, whether these come from others or their own hearts.

Right from the start of 1 Timothy, Paul addresses the issue of false teachings. He emphasizes the need for correction, highlighting how essential it is to provide that correction:

“As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies.” These false teachings promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates through faith. - 1 Timothy 1:3-4

We need to guard against our tendency to pay attention to “myths and endless genealogies.” Think of this as a warning against getting caught up in those misleading theological TikToks about the Nephilim, or demons, or the timing of the Lord’s return. They’re interesting, but we must not give them too much of our study time as, ultimately, they do not instruct or compel us to be more like Jesus. Sometimes we don’t even know we’re getting sucked into an unhelpful rabbit trail or too focused on a 2nd or 3rd tier issue. This is why we must engage with our community often. It helps us stay the course.

I know, sometimes our weekly meetings might seem uneventful. You might wonder, “What are we doing this for again?” The answer is simple: protection. Protection from what? Protection from bad theology. When we’re alone, it’s much easier to develop incorrect beliefs because there’s no one to check our blind spots or help us think through things we might overlook. This is a big deal.

You might think theology isn’t something that impacts your daily life as much as time management, money management, or work. But in reality, bad theology can lead to a misguided sense of identity. And a misguided sense of identity can cause you to stray from what God has called you to do, leading you to lose sight of the “why” behind your time, your money, your work, and everything else in your life.

This is why, in the rest of 1 Timothy (especially chapter 1), Paul repeatedly talks about his own identity in Christ (Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief“). He wants to remind Timothy of his (Timothy’s) identity and, in turn, remind us of our own. Paul concludes this chapter by urging Timothy to remember his identity and use it as the fuel needed to complete his task.

“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare…” - 1 Timothy 1:18

Our groups are here to protect us from forgetting our task.

So, as we gather every Wednesday night, let's remember that our meetings are not arbitrary. There is a purpose behind why the Scriptures ask us to come together like this. In community, we find safety, wisdom, and protection. Let’s hold on to that truth and continue to grow together.

Bonhoeffer on griggs Groups

Ok. So Bonhoeffer didn’t talk about Griggs Groups directly. But he did write a classic book on Christian Community called Life Together. If you want a robust, practical, theologically rich take on the importance and purpose of fellowship, give it a read.

One of the quotes I appreciate the most is, “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”

It speaks to our fleshly desire to curate a Christian community. To include who we wish and ignore who we aren’t naturally drawn to. We mistakenly believe that powerful community happens when we’re with people who are really like us or who we really like.

The scriptures point us to the truth — that community happens not because of the people around us but the God above us who is working within us. Our job is not to be gatekeepers, only diving deep with people we’re impartial to. Our job is to love the body of Christ, and God will provide powerful community for us and through us.

Let’s love and appreciate all the different participants in our groups, trusting that God has something for us through them and that God has something for them through us.

Psalm 19: Learning to Listen

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19

Psalm 19 is one of the most beloved psalms, second only perhaps to Psalm 23. It has been said that Psalm 19 is like Psalm 119 in miniature—CliffsNotes on the largest psalm. Aside from its beautiful poetry and clear structure, what draws most of us to this psalm is the assurance that God is speaking.

Almost every believer will have an experience where God seems to be silent, not speaking at all. We then tend to get frustrated and become convinced that God needs to work on His communication skills. Psalm 19 insists that, in reality, we’re the ones who must work on a skill—our listening skills. And as hard as that can be to hear, it’s good news that all is not as we thought and that God does indeed share His words with us.

Creation as Evidence

For some, the most shocking part of Psalm 19 is the beginning (verses 1-6), which tells us that God speaks to us through creation. What can be hardest to learn, then, is that we must learn to listen to God through His creation.

The theological term for this is “general revelation.” God “reveals” truth to us through what He has made, even in its broken state. For example, “the heavens” are set up in such a way as to declare there IS a glorious God.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Psalm 19:1

Think about it, God didn’t have to put anything above us. We could be on a blank canvas with nothing above us. But God has established us under outer space, and in doing so, He has generally revealed Himself. Though it’s a general revelation, it is a solid revelation. It’s communication. He’s saying, “Hey, I’m here!”

In fact, the created order is such clear communication that Romans 1 says we will be condemned if we do not respond to it; if we do not humble ourselves and listen to what the Lord says through His earth.

One year in college, I studied through a particularly long and brutal winter. I was taking 19 credits, participating in extracurricular activities, and barely ever left campus.

In April, around Spring Break season, my friends took me to the beach. I grew up in Indiana, so I hadn’t been to the beach very many times before, particularly after childhood.

I remember walking out onto the shore after months of battling Seasonal Affective Disorder, feeling the sun and the sand, seeing the vast ocean, and breathing in the clean air.

Within minutes, I was in the middle of a full-on healing experience like I’ve never had before—a revival of sorts.

I felt like the scenery was a great choir, and the ocean was like a great altar I could kneel on after hearing God’s great sermon, which was coming through each wave.

I was humbled before my Creator just at the sight of His creation. Have you ever had that experience? Most everyone has.

And just that experience alone is enough to reveal God to you, even if you haven’t read the Bible. If you receive that revelation and seek Him, you will find Him. If you walk away from that moment in pride and lack of interest, you can’t say, “God never spoke to me.” He did speak. With every sunrise, He reminds the world that He is present, dependable, and involved. Are you listening?

Creation as Instruction

Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.

Psalm 19:2

Creation does more than just testify that God exists; it shows us what God is like. Creation even shows us what God is like in relation to us!

Most of us modern thinkers, even modern Christians, think of nature as irrelevant, don’t we? When we think of learning, we think of textbooks and computers. Nature is for vacation but not for wisdom. I’ve been in some churches where if someone were to say they learned something from nature, they would be accused of New Ageism.

But that’s not what Scripture says, and just FYI, that’s not what Jesus said. He believed in Psalm 19.

Think about Jesus’ teaching on anxiety. What does He base His teaching on? Nature!

The external world He created guides us as we deal with our internal world, which can be so unsure about who God is and what He’s like. How will God relate to me?

In Matthew 6, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says this:

 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matthew 6:25-30

How do we deal with anxiety over whether or not God is good and will provide? Jesus says to look at the birds, the grass, and the lilies. His underlying assumption is that you should be able to know something about the Father by looking at the creation of the Father, because the Father speaks through His creation.

Do you want God to speak to you in the middle of your anxiety? Take a sabbath from screen time and just go observe what God created and ask Him to use it to reveal something to you about Himself. Mark a day, put it on your calendar, and go somewhere beautiful. Who knows what you’ll hear?

If you don’t feel like you hear anything, then go back out there. If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again. Learn to listen to God through observing creation.

Of course, this isn’t the only way in which God communicates, and thus it’s not the only way in which we listen. There is also special revelation, which is God’s Word, as expounded on in Psalm 19:7-11. There we find God’s perfect communication. The Scriptures contain the specifics we need to know about God and life. We must read the Word, meditating on it day and night.

However, the main point remains the same. Whenever we’re tempted to believe that God needs to improve His communication, we must calm our hearts, trust Him, and accept that we’re the ones who must work on listening.