(S3:E5) Balancing relationships and Bible study in a small group

OCF Crosspoint Podcast

Show Notes:

After commissioning through the ROTC program at the University of Missouri, Lt Col JB Kump, USAF (Ret.), spent just over 20 years serving wherever the Air Force sent him. Along the way, he and his wife quickly connected with various OCF and church small groups. The “home-away-from-home” fellowship he and his young family found during an early assignment in Germany provided the prayer and support they needed while stationed overseas, and JB has been an avid advocate for small groups ever since.

In this episode of OCF Crosspoint, JB shares what made those small groups so impactful in his own life, practical tips for those currently interested in leading small groups, how his passion for those local fellowships led to his current post-military career, and more.

JB now serves as Minister of Small Groups, Retreats, & Visitation at Great Outdoors Community Church in Titusville, Fla. He additionally holds roles on the boards of directors for both the American Evangelical Christian Churches and Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association.

JB answered the call for podcast guests by completing the form on our “Be a Guest” webpage, and we invite you to do the same if you would like to share your own story. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to [e-mail].

As you listen to this conversation with JB, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor:

1. What factors have made a small group impactful in your own life?
2. Do you view small groups primarily as a chance to study the Word or to build relationships with other believers? How do you find the balance in your own group?
3. How can we as members of the military community effectively invest in relationships despite the frequent turnover that comes with the military lifestyle?
4. Have you felt the Lord calling you to lead and/or participate in a small group? What next steps might you take to follow the Lord’s calling?
5. In what ways has the Lord grown you through an experience in which you were reluctant to participate?
6. What Scripture comes to mind when you think about what a biblical small group ought to look like?
7. How does Ecclesiastes 4:12 apply to small groups?