Pajama Night

They are teachers and professionals and engineers and medical school students. They have also become family to us. We now have more kids. And we love it.

As I have mentioned before, our church has stopped Sunday night church and has gone to small groups meeting in homes throughout the city. We meet with a group of eight young married couples every week and we are having a blast.


They are getting fairly comfortable too. Last night was pajama night. All the girls came in their PJ’s and we ate breakfast before we gathered in the den. This photo shows Kathy with six of the eight girls who are part of this group all decked out in their pajamas on our sofa.

The beauty of a group like this is these kids have the opportunity to build relationships with each other. And believe me, the relationships these young adults are building with each other are the kind that will last forever.

I’m sure there are some people who think our church leadership has gone nuts. And they are appalled that the church members are not meeting in our huge church building on Sunday nights. The thought is we are supposed to meet in the church building on Sunday nights because that is the way we have always done it. Three songs and a sermon. Shake hands with a few people as you walk out the door.

Did my duty. Get me home.

I can tell you what our church is doing is working. It certainly works with our group. All eight couples come every Sunday night and if something comes up and a couple cannot come they will call. They cut short family weekend visits to get back to their small group. It is important to each of them.

We laugh together. We discuss everything under the sun as we discuss the assigned lesson. We apply Biblical principles to everyday life. They share their concerns with each other and they pray for each other. They pray for whatever they may be facing during the coming week.

It is something to watch. And it is an honor to be a part of it.

And there is a lot of lingering after we are done. I see a lot of girls hugging each other as they start to leave and the guys do the same. I also hear a lot of planning as to what they will be doing later on in the week and in some cases later on that night.

A few of the guys were heading to one of their homes to play video games last night. Saturday night they got together for a Christmas party at one of their homes.

The interesting thing is that most of these people did not even know each other a few months ago. The more I’m involved with this small group concept, the more I see the power of it. I can tell you it is not three songs and a sermon and let me get home as soon as I can.

But it is really the church – a fellowship where people are sharing burdens and sharing victories and doing life together.

And we are having a blast.