Big or Little It really doesn't matter

Eight weeks ago I started going to a much bigger church. I had come from a church that probably had about 200 give or take people going to church each week(I am only estimating) now I am going to a church that has more like 1200 give or take. They have 3 services. I prefer the first service that starts at 9am. It is much easier to find a parking spot and much easier to find a place to sit. Sabbath School starts at about 10:15am area.

During our Sabbath School today we were discussing our last chapter of the "13 weeks to peace" book. In the last chapter the author suggests going to a church that has about 150 members or so. Because it is easier to get to know everyone that you go to church with. And we were discussing what we could do to get to know people at this large church. The fact that our church has many different Sabbath Schools was a great way to get to know people. Also being involved in small groups were suggested. This church is starting at least 5- 6 smaller groups in the next month or so. Many great things will be studied: Mount of Blessings, Uninvited(a women study- there is a book - you can look it up), Pressure Points(another book study - this one is one done on the book of James- I really like the book of James), Bible By Design are just a few of the groups that will be starting. I am very interested in all of these.

During this class and very interestingly I also heard what I am about to share with you on a sermon that I was listening to while I was getting ready for church. It was said that most people can only be close friends with about 5 people and then friends with about 150 - it seems they said. Anyway I share this because I would like more friends and part of me is very worried that maybe if people can only handle a certain amount of friends- they maybe there is a chance that with going to a large church many of these people already have there quota in friends. It is challenging for me to make friends - partly because I am an introvert but I am thinking partly because I just don't have all the proper social skills. I don't know. I am really working hard at changing this as much as possible. I just am thinking all of this through and I think that I am under attack. I have felt so positive about these changes in my life and they are moving in a good direction but I am really feeling under attack. I would sure appreciate prayers.

Going to the smaller church for many years helped me know a lot of the people there - but many of them I just knew who they were - I really did not know them. There were not a lot of opportunities for me to get to know people. Lately we had had many people leaving that church and then people coming in - the church has a church school so many of the families coming in were there because of the school - which means - me with grown children don't have much in common with these younger families. So all of this to say - just because you go to a small church does not mean that the people have their hearts open to new relationships. And just because you go to church at a large church does not mean that you will not have a chance to get to know people- you just have to be open to where ever God leads and trust Him with the outcome. It may mean that you have to move outside of your comfort zone but if God leads you - He with give you the strength and courage. Can you tell I am also talking to myself here. I am nervous - I have signed up for 4 of the small groups and I am praying that it was the right thing to do. I want to grow closer to God and I want to develop more friend, who also are wanting to grow closer to God. What better way to do that than go to small groups who are studying about God!