It is the new shoots that you have to look after. -- Malcolm Muggeridge

The NET Groups program is an educational process that Nurtures Experience Theologically. It offers people a way to "think through" their life experiences, making worthwhile connections between matters of faith and life. In short, it is an integration of experiences where divine and human meet, training participants to ask the question, "How is God working here?" It is, I believe, a "new shoot" of spiritual vitality.

The NET Groups program has four goals:

1. To empower participants to be more effective ministers regardless of profession.
   
   This is not a new goal for Christians, but has been at the heart of our belief system since the apostolic church. How to empower the laity has been the difficulty, moving from a statement of belief to practical action. Too often "lay ministry" has meant "church work," whether teaching in the Sunday School program or serving as an usher.
   
   The NET Groups program, however, challenges participants to see ministry as something practiced in everyday life. There are ministries of teaching, law, business, refuse collection, auto mechanics, and many others. The important point is to sensitize people to ask, "How is God working here?" as a matter of course, every day, all day—and "How am I being called to minister to my fellow human beings (or fellow creatures) as a result?"



2. To increase the biblical and theological literacy of participants.
   
   If we believe that knowledge of the Bible is essential to the ongoing spiritual development of believers, and that the knowledge of God is helpful in asking such questions as "Why am I here?," then this goal is important. How do we begin to turn the tide?
   
   There are many different ways of learning, and the "teachable moments" will occur in people's lives at different junctures. For most adults, these moments will come out of experience in everyday life. Experience is first, and then we can ask, "What does the Bible say about this?" NET Groups move people to make connections with Scripture out of the dailiness of their existence.



3. To deepen the ability of adults to reflect upon the twin poles of life and faith.
   
   It is so easy to compartmentalize our lives, relegating our "religious life" to something we do on Sunday and before meals. The NET Groups program begins the process of integration, breaking down the artificial walls that we have erected between our day-to-day lives and our religious beliefs.
   
   In a world of fast-moving images, reflective thinking is a process that takes discipline. To sit down in a small group with fellow Christian strugglers, and reflect upon the important issues of faith and life, is an essential step toward discovering—experientially—the answer to the "Why am I here?" question. And if it does not lead to an answer, it will, at least, lead to deeper and more profound questions about the importance of our lives on this earth.



4. To revitalize congregations and edify community.
   
   Congregations that are filled with people yawning and slouching in the presence of God can be transformed. Such renewal and edification will not come primarily through the worship experience—although it will find some expression there. And it will not come primarily out of the business meetings—although, once again, the renewed vitality will be manifest there. The renewal occurs when Christians meet in small groups to share their pilgrimage and relate this journey to the life of the ongoing congregation.

Building upon these four NET Group goals and asking the question, "What's in it for me?" professional congregational leaders can expect to discover:

• Renewed life in your congregation;
• A method to foster spiritual vitality;
• A process that develops theologically mature adult Christian members;
• A way to make the ministry of every Christian a reality; and
• A way to foster small groups.

And, for the lay leader who becomes a NET group participant:

• A way to develop leadership skills;
• A way to deepen your own spiritual life;
• A path to self-awareness in learning about the gifts and talents God has given you;
• A way to broaden your biblical and theological understanding; and
• A way to be of service to others.