Speaking of Groups...

My first experience with small group dynamics was in seminary (yeah, a long time ago) when as part of the psychology curriculum, the class was expected to participate in an "encounter group." There were about 15 of us involved. As I think back the intent of this exercise, which took part over the better part of a weekend, was to break down the barriers that existed between participants, encourage us to open up to each other, and allow us to get to the real heart of who we were.

It was, from my standpoint, pretty much a disaster. Sleep wasn't part of the agenda, and tired people are likely to say just about anything. As the process wore on the group members became increasingly insistent that each person reveal his or her private self. The more exhausted we became the more freely we shared personal sins, weaknesses, misgivings, and animosities, and many of the latter were directed at other members of the group. While there may have been an attempt to debrief the experience at its close, I have no memory of it. I only know that I promised myself I would never go through anything like that again.

But the best intentions pave the way to, well, you know. In my first church call I thought it would be a great idea to form a small, intimate group of young adults. We would study the Bible, read a book or two together, keep confidentiality, and speak from the heart. The group was a great success - initially. We had much in common: young children, the tension of being in a church made up largely of older people, parental interference. We became, as you would say, tight. Then in the early part of the third year of the group's existence my wife and I went on vacation and two of the other couples in the group went camping. They found it expedient to switch partners, resulting in two divorces, one remarriage, and the suspicion on the part of some church leaders that I had engineered the whole thing.

Not a bad conclusion, actually, considering that one of the divorcees was the daughter of the church moderator.

I share this experience because group identity is important. Who we perceive ourselves to be, as congregations, Together in Ministry Groups, Communities of Practice, or Pool Players Anonymous, impacts not just the group members themselves but also the wider Christian Community. As I said earlier, defining group identity is a critical matter. And it isn't that easy.