The Value of a Triad
Finding three Christians to start a Q Place together can be challenging, but it is well worth the effort! A few years ago, Emily Capo Sauerman wrote about her experience with two friends who started a Q Place with her in Chicago. Her story speaks for itself in showing the value of starting with a triad:
As for me, I am so thankful for my fellow initiators. Every time we meet I feel refreshed just talking with them. I can see in them a strong desire to share their faith, not because they are supposed to, but because they see their love for Jesus as something worth sharing. Their passion drives them, and they are willing to pray and listen to the Spirit for guidance.
One night when we met to talk through some questions about our group, one initiator asked, “Can we please pray now that we are completely overwhelmed?” She read my mind; I felt the same way. When we had finished praying and I opened my eyes, it was like I was looking at different people. We went into the prayer with furrowed brows and difficult questions, but we all emerged with smiles and a peaceful sense that God would take care of our present difficulties. Not only did I feel a strong awareness of this in my own prayer, but how wonderful it is to have this conviction confirmed in multiple people! Matthew 18:20 records Jesus’ promise: For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. We have experienced the reality!
I feel so much relief knowing my triad is there, chiming in when I can’t figure out what to say, or asking probing questions when I was about to give a premature answer, or trying to draw out opinions from the quiet members of the group. One of them is exceptionally good at telling stories, and sets everyone at ease when he does. The other brightens every room she enters, and everyone knows it, and feels a little better when she is there. What’s even more fun about these gifts is that I don’t think they realize they have them! I just get to marvel at their mastery and learn through their example.
Here at Q Place, it is our prayer that you, too, will persist in creating, having, and experiencing the value of a triad.
Fran Goodrich
SW Regional Catalyst