What is a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group?
A Thirteen Thirty-Five Group is a Small Group. At Campus Lutheran Church, we’ve named our Small Group Ministry “Thirteen Thirty-Five.”
Why is it called Thirteen Thirty-Five?
The name is a reference to John 13:35, in which Jesus says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This is the foundation on which our small groups at Campus Lutheran Church are built.
How do I become part of a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group?
Most of the time, you join a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group because you’ve been invited to participate in that group by someone with whom you have a relationship, or by someone who would like to foster a relationship with you. They might be inviting you to an existing Thirteen Thirty-Five Group, or they could be inviting you to form a new Thirteen Thirty-Five Group. It’s a “natural next step” of establishing relationships with others in the Campus Lutheran Community.
Why should I participate in a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group?
The Thirteen Thirty-Five Group is the nucleus of people within Campus Lutheran Church that will, in most cases, know you better than anyone else. In a Thirteen Thirty-Five group, you will grow in relationships with:
- God, through prayer and study
- Each other, through fellowship, doing life together, and sharing food and meals
- People you serve in a hurting world
Will I be assigned to a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group?
It is neither our intention nor our practice to assign people to Thirteen Thirty-Five Groups. If you’d like some suggestions, our ministry staff can assist with finding options for you to consider. Of course, the choice of people with whom you form relationships is yours.
What does a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group do?
The primary purpose of a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group is to grow relationships with God, one another, and the people you serve. A Thirteen Thirty-Five Group would likely grow relationships with God through regular study and prayer. It could grow relationships with one another through other fellowship activities, meals together, or day trips. It could also be just listening and supporting each other, by encouraging, serving, rejoicing, weeping, correcting, instructing, building up, accepting, and loving one another. It might grow relationships with the people you serve when you do things like work at the food bank, serve at loaves and fishes, adopt a highway, or volunteer for community service.
At Campus Lutheran Church, we believe that our Thirteen Thirty-Five Groups should have a foundation built on two things: the Study of God’s Word and Prayer.
At Campus Lutheran Church, we believe that our Thirteen Thirty-Five Groups should have a foundation built on two things: the Study of God’s Word and Prayer.
I’m already in a group. Will it become a part of Thirteen Thirty-Five?
That depends. If you’re meeting regularly and spending time in prayer and in the Word of God, chances are your group already looks very much like a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group. Examples of groups that might be considered Thirteen Thirty-Five groups are the Thursday Morning Men's Bible Study Group, or the SONshine Ladies' Group.
In some cases, when a group has a primary purpose other than prayer and study of God's Word, it may not make sense for the group to be a part of the Thirteen Thirty-Five program. Examples of such groups are the Choir, or the American English for Internationals group. While Campus Lutheran fully supports these groups and their important contributions to our ministry, these groups don't have a primary purpose of prayer and study of God's Word, so they wouldn't fall under the Thirteen Thirty-Five program.
In some cases, when a group has a primary purpose other than prayer and study of God's Word, it may not make sense for the group to be a part of the Thirteen Thirty-Five program. Examples of such groups are the Choir, or the American English for Internationals group. While Campus Lutheran fully supports these groups and their important contributions to our ministry, these groups don't have a primary purpose of prayer and study of God's Word, so they wouldn't fall under the Thirteen Thirty-Five program.
Why must I agree to a Covenant to participate in Thirteen Thirty-Five?
We want to make sure everyone has a consistent view of what the Thirteen Thirty-Five group offers them and the others in their group. It’s intended to be liberating, not restricting. The covenant simply states:
- Group members will make the Thirteen Thirty-Five Group a priority in their schedules and try to plan other things around the group and will make their best efforts to attend every gathering of their group.
- There is an expectation of privacy inside the group. Nothing of a personal nature that is shared in the group will be shared with anyone outside the group.
- Active Participation makes the group authentic. Everyone will be real and honest in sharing with each other. We’ll avoid pretending to be something we’re not. We won’t force anyone to share anything they’d rather keep private. We’ll love, support, and encourage each other unconditionally no matter what is shared, just as God has done the same for us.
What should I do if I can’t find a Thirteen Thirty-Five Group I fit into?
There are a couple of things you can do if you’re unable to find a group. First, talk with our ministry staff. They know about all the Thirteen Thirty-Five Groups and they might have a suggestion of a group or two you might want to try.
Another option is to start your own group! A Thirteen Thirty-Five Group only requires a few people to begin. You can invite your friends from inside and outside the church. Our ministry staff can help you start a new Thirteen Thirty-Five Group.
Another option is to start your own group! A Thirteen Thirty-Five Group only requires a few people to begin. You can invite your friends from inside and outside the church. Our ministry staff can help you start a new Thirteen Thirty-Five Group.