Rant: Skipping Small Group
I’m seeing this increasingly flippant attitude toward small group in the lower classes. I think people don’t understand what small group is all about. As this is a rant, I’ll be going off. It’s not directed towards any one person even though I’ve had a few conversations with people about this. So moving forward, small group is not some activity you can cut out because you’re too busy or you don’t feel like going. It’s an obligation you signed up for in the beginning of the year that doesn’t end until the school year ends. It’s an obligation that people take too lightly. You’re commiting 2 hrs one night to studying the bible with people. You don’t join a sports team then not goto practices because you’re tired or something like that. You’ll get cut and/or kicked out. Same with small group though they don’t kick you out. It’s a committment you make that takes precedence over almost everything else. Now I’ll describe as to why the most commonly used excuses do not hold water.
1) I have too much work to do. This is the most common excuse and is often the most abused one. The most common reason why people have too much work to do is cuz they are not good stewards of their time. They’re playing when they should be studying and then are forced to study when they should be at small group. God has given us more than enough time to study and go to small group. It’s now your responsibility to make that happen. So many times people put off work or slack off and then let small group suffer to do this. Why not let your personal fun time suffer instead? Because your selfish, plain and simple. If you were a good steward of your time, you’d be able to get all your studying in AND goto to small group and I speak from experience. Another thing that pisses me off is when I see people use this excuse and I see them wasting time and even NOT studying during the time they skipped small group to study. That’s just blatant lying.
2) I don’t like my small group so I don’t want to go. Another bad excuse. God calls us to love everyone, including our enemies and small group. He doesn’t command us to like everyone. People don’t give others enough time. They do not make an effort to get to know people but rule them out saying, “I don’t like so and so”. If you would give them a chance, maybe that would change. And just because you don’t like someone in your small group, it should not stop you from attending. Another weak excuse.
Some semi-legit excuses:
Conflicting meeting times – Sometimes you can’t help when other things meet. Such as interviews or exams. It is beyond your control but action must be taken so that you can attend both if at all possible.
Other club/activities meetings – You must carefully weigh your time before jumping in on things. Do not overburden yourself otherwise conflicts will arise. Small group should take precedence ATLEAST over all other church activities. This includes serving and other special bible studies. You’re first calling is to small group, then to these other activities. Concerning other activities not church related: You have to see where you stand. Is knowing God better more important to you than participating in other clubs? If yes, maybe you should consider lightening your load or dropping something. If no, who/what are you living for? If it’s not God, then what?
Why you should go to small group:
Firstly, because you want to know God more.
This should be the reason you join a small group. You should be hungry to know God more so you’d WANT to go to small group. But what happens if either you’re not getting anything out of small group? There could be two reasons why. Firstly, you’re in a desert period. To this, I say, KEEP GOING TO SMALL GROUP. Eventually you’ll be led out of the desert, then you’ll grow like mad. You must continue to be faithful while in the desert. Secondly, it could because of your heart. You have a hard heart, much like the rocky soil. The Word of God keep bouncing off. You need to repent and ask God to soften your heart.
Secondly, because God will honor your time.
There is a time for everything. If you honor God with the time you’ve decided to honor him with (small group time), he will most likely honor the time you spend at what you gave up. This isn’t fact, but something I’ve seen in my life. God has never let me down when I had to give up studying time for small group. He will bless your time if you ask with sincere motives. God works for the good of those who love him, don’t limit your God.
Now you may be thinking I’m being legalistic saying you have to goto small group. To this I reply, you don’t have to but it is better. Life isn’t about what is acceptable or permissible, it’s about what is better. I’m not gonna kill you for missing small group. I’ll pray for your soul but I won’t kill you. 
jp. All I’m saying is that it is better for you to goto small group during the allotted small group time than do anything else. /me takes a breath.