Written by: Jorge Pontarelli
LifeGroups, according to their mission statement, are an opportunity for students to belong to a small group community where they can intimately behold God and become empowered by Jesus Christ. This school year, LifeGroups are not exclusively for students but have been expanded to faculty and staff as well.
In an interview with Joseph Khabbaz, vice president for spiritual life, he explained how faculty and staff LifeGroups got started.
“The role of the vice president for spiritual life, which was previously the chaplain, now has been expanded to include employees’ spiritual support, not just students,” said Khabbaz. “We have a greater vision which is essentially having a higher purpose that leads to shaping an environment that can be transformative to the lives of our students, faculty and staff.”
“One of those ways that transformation is possible is by forming essentially these LifeGroups to support each other’s spiritual and relational well-being, which are some of the high values we have here at Southern,” Khabbaz said. “We recognize that what’s important is that Southern isn’t just a place that values what employees and staff are doing, but, more primarily, it is who the employees and staff are becoming in Christ.”
Mary King, better known as Nurse Mary, started her own LifeGroup for faculty and staff called “Following Jesus” alongside her husband Greg King, dean of the School of Religion. The Kings started their LifeGroup as soon as the opportunity presented itself since it seemed inconsistent to encourage these groups and not lead out in one themselves.
“Faculty and staff sometimes tend to work in their own buildings, and so there is not as much connectedness that maybe they would like to see among faculty and staff. And so, since it’s a blessing for the students to be connected, then why not give the faculty and staff an opportunity to form these types of small groups, which can make for building a spiritual community?” asked Greg King.
These LifeGroups are not only fulfilling and beneficial to their members but also for their leaders.
“It has deepened my love for Jesus,” Mary King said. “Because as we discuss topics, I find myself going to the Bible and praying over these issues and just being reminded of what a wonderful Savior we have and how in this wounded world [there is] a real God for real people with real problems. It has also widened my circle of friends, and it is nice to know that you are not alone with some of these issues, that there are other people who are thinking about them too.”
Tisha Looby, an associate dean in Thatcher Hall, shared her experience of being a part of these small communities.
“It was interesting because it’s always good to be able to get together with different people on campus. Because I work [in Thatcher], I don’t meet anybody other than students, so it was nice being able to spend time with other co-workers,” said Looby. “I think that these faculty and staff LifeGroups are a great idea because, in the long run, it will still be beneficial for the university on a spiritual level, but also on a team level because we all work together in some shape or form because we are all here for the students.”
Looby encourages others to join a LifeGroup and enjoy communion with their friends.
The Kings also highly encourage others to start their own LifeGroups, even if they are not sure where or how to start.
“Just do it; find something good to read or listen to and invite others that share that same interest in that topic,” Greg King said. “Just get started and ask God to bless what takes place.”
“Dig deep in your heart,” Mary King added. “What is that issue? What is that burden that you have? And you’ll be happily surprised to find that it is in other people’s hearts as well.”