Relationships With Members Outside Of "small Group Time.", What does it look like? Options

[Brinx]

I am in a small group and I think I expect more out of it than what I should. We meet and are "friends" and have great discussions and have great bond during small group time. When time to go we hug and say things like "love you brother" and stuff like that. We then see each other on Sunday mornings and hug and chit chat and say "Love you brother" and stuff like that. We have these once a week "non-meaningful" 3 minute conversations and then once every other week during small group time conversations. We supposedly have great relationships and depend on each other and rely on each other and lean on each other.

Here's where my difficulty comes in......Outside of the above, I don't see from or hear from these 5 other guys any other time other than when the discussion topic and questions are e-mailed to everyone for the upcoming small group time. I feel like there should be more from these men? I feel like these guys should be the guys that I "hang out" with. I feel like these guys are the families that my family should have BBQs with on the weekends. I feel like these guys are the guys I go to a football game with. I feel like these guys are the guys I should go up to the hospital with when a church member has fallen ill or has a new born baby. I feel like these guys are the guys I should do some community service work with.

I feel like I'm the only one of us 6 guys that desires to have a relationship with these men outside of the 1 hour every 2 weeks we get together. Am I out of line for thinking that we should have more real "true" friendship/relationships outside of the small group? Or am I expecting to much and should be more in line with the rest of the guys?

Thank you,

Brinx

[Glorey]

Hi there -
In answering your question, I need to ask a few....

My questions would be

1) What is the sharing time like in the small group?
2) Do you have a facilitator?
3) What resources are you using?
4) Do you feel that everyone shares equally and is the facilitator skilled in
bringing out participation in all the members? (Is there usually one or two members who
talk a lot?)
5) Do the members regularly ask for prayer/support outside of the group?
6) How big is the group and how long have they been meeting?

Answers to these would be a start in seeing what stage the group is in regarding the level of relationship....