There is something God-placed, deep in the heart of every person: the longing to know and be known. You were made to “know” others and for others to “know” you.

Of course that means more than knowing your name, your family, and your career. It means to know the “real” you, the parts of your lives you tell few people: what you struggle with, what longings are unmet, what you aspire to be but fall short, how you want to be closer to your spouse or kids but can’t seem to “make it happen.” It’s the kind of stuff you can’t talk about in the school parking lot or during a worship service.

You’ll find it is not enough to attend worship, no matter how good the music or message (wink, wink!!!). It’s not even enough to attend a small group, as important as that is. You can be “lonely in a crowd.” (No one knows you).

What everyone needs is a “place” to “tell your story” and to hear the stories of a few others. You were made to “know” others and “be known” by others.

All of us have a “present story” we are living out now. We also have a “past” story.

If you’re in a mixed small group, you should occasionally split up the men and women, so that the men can talk with men, and women with women. It’s the time when we can more intentionally open up and tell more parts of our story.

John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

“Eternal life” here means “full, complete, to the max” life. Jesus is talking about the deepest needs in our life that can’t be met in what this world has to offer.

John 10:14 “I know my sheep and my sheep know me…”

Matt. 22:39 “…and the second command, you should love your neighbor as yourself.”

This kind of story-telling is at the core of experiencing “community.” It is “shared life.” It is more than being in the same church or our kids in the same school.

Who “knows” you? Who do you “know?”

It’s time to share your story, and it’s time to listen to the stories of a few others.