A Church of Small Groups

Small group ministry is rooted in the Bible and in church history and has always been a part of church life. Small groups allow a level of intimacy that enables evangelism, spiritual growth and one-another ministry; a level of intimacy that can bring about genuine life change.

Small groups are biblical. Jesus called out twelve to be His disciples. He spent a lot of time with them, taking every opportunity to teach them the principles of kingdom living. They were, then, to go out and make other disciples (Matthew 28:19-20.)
 
The earliest expression of the church is seen in Acts 2:46-47: "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

The believers met together in intimate groups in their home and publicly celebrated in larger groups. Is it a coincidence that Acts 20:20 talks about preaching in public places and from house to house or is this a message for the year of the Coronavirus?

There are historical precedents as well. When the Roman authorities repealed the laws that outlawed Christianity, church life became more organized and centered around a building and professional clergy. But throughout history people would continue to meet in small groups for prayer, Bible study and spiritual growth. Their emphasis was on “heart religion” and the church as a community. As these groups grew in number, spiritual maturity, and influence, they would often renew their churches and lead wide spread revivals.

Small groups became part of the institutional church through Sunday school. Sunday school provided an intimate climate for Bible study and assimilation into the church life. It was used by most denominations by 1930 and involved 75% of churchgoers by 1956. The Sunday school program is credited for the phenomenal growth of Baptist churches in the 20th Century.  It was where Christians were discipled and new leaders were discovered and developed.

Soon small group evangelism and discipleship spilled out of the church and into military bases and college campuses through groups like Navigators and Campus Crusade. With a different purpose, Alcoholics Anonymous began as a Christian group that brought people together for prayer, reliance on God and mutual accountability and support. Other similar programs soon followed. The success of both support groups and discipleship groups  is rooted in peer leadership and taking ministry to the people.

Expanding Bible study beyond Sunday morning and outside the church building removes many unnecessary obstacles. On the other hand, there are advantages to the traditional Sunday school model. You can go to worship and Bible study on the same day and there are programs for children and teens. It is, also, easier to administrate. The best path for most churches is to continue Sunday school and expand it beyond the walls.

Small groups can be formed in homes, at your work place, or in a public setting (like Starbucks, McDonalds or the Library.) These groups usually involve Bible study but service, support and fellowship also play an important part. They are centered on God and intentional about spiritual growth.

Baptist Temple is going to make strong effort in the post-pandemic era to build a church of multiplying small groups scattered in the community and gathered on Sunday. This is not a new strategy for us but, rather, a renewed focus.

Here are two great books on the subject for further study:

• Making Small Groups Work

• Home Cell Group Explosion: How Your Small Group Can Grow and Multiply

Frontline caregivers

In Exodus 18 we learn that Moses dealt with his endless counseling needs by enlisting the help of qualified people. He set up one leader for every ten and set up a chain of support for groups of 50, 100 and 1000. Moses would handle the tough cases.

The same principle can help a growing church to meet the needs of its members better than a frantic pastor trying to chase after every pain and problem. The New Testament (written before we had paid, professional clergy) encouraged believers to minister to one another.

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up… 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Sunday school teachers, small group leaders and deacons ought to be trained as the frontline caregivers. The tools of the Christian caregiver are the Bible, prayer and listening.

More about Basic Caring Skills

The Small Group Structure

Whether they meet in homes, dorm rooms or in church on Sunday morning, small groups are essential to building a Christian community. A simple, easily expandable structure will facilitate numerical growth and leadership development.

The structure described here can be used in Sunday school or off campus meetings: The Small Group Structure

Why I came back to Sunday school

I strayed from Sunday school for many years. I was told that the Sunday school era was over. It confined people to a certain hour on a certain day; growth would be limited by the size of building, etc.

Small groups were the thing. The unlimited space and scheduling options promised the potential for megachurch results. There were rumors of super churches in Korea and other far away places. Furthermore, this model was used successfully by AA, Campus Crusade and other parachurch groups.

As a church planter (usually lacking buildings) this was good news. I read all the books I could find, I went to a few training events and I diligently started small groups that multiplied. I even used home-based small groups when I had church buildings.

I had as much success as anyone in my corner of the world but I was growing weary of stagnant groups, absenteeism (work, school, sick, etc.), and childcare issues. I noticed that our local megachurch was doing things a little different. Their groups met on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the church. This not only provided a consistent and familiar location but also childcare. AND they were showing remarkable growth.

I took this to be a revelation and moved our small groups to Sunday morning. People were already there for worship and there was childcare available. The results were immediate: reduced stress, increased attendance and new members.

I believe that small groups are essential to a healthy, growing church and can be done just as easily (perhaps, easier) on Sunday morning as they are on any other day and time. On Sunday you have the advantage of mutual supporting activities. This doesn’t rule out other small groups but Sunday school is far from dead.

Read more about Basic Christian Community.