Beyond small groups

I like people who reinforce my biases.

Yesterday I met with a student minister in one of our parishes who is preparing to plant a church after finishing Moore College. He has gathered 8 people into a core group over the past year or so. They meet just like any other small group in the sending church, praying and studying the Word to strengthen each other in the faith. But because they have a mission project to bring the gospel to a particular community, they are hungry. My bias-reinforcing friend has noticed they are not like many other small groups. There is a renewed zeal for the Word and prayer as they plan together how to reach the lost. They are learning and growing more than others in small groups.

What if we ditched small groups and started disciple-making teams? Stop all our home groups, men’s groups, women’s groups and build teams that are working at making disciples together. Or even better, gradually reinvent our small groups as ministry teams.

Many of our small groups are stuck. Everywhere I go ministers agree. We have good numbers in small groups but they are often not dynamic in growing the Christian or the gospel. Especially for adults in their thirties and older, small groups become routine and ground-hog-day-like. As young adults, youth groups and groups for young Christians were life-changing. There was a real sense that we were changing the world together through the gospel. Now we resist changing small groups after 10 plus years in the same group. We’re stuck in a safe small group rut.

I’m in contact with a small group of converts from another faith in another country. They meet regularly for prayer, praise and teaching to strengthen each other. Various members have been physically attacked and verbally abused and are now receiving credible death threats by telephone and over the Internet. Some have to move house regularly and are seeking a safe house for security. In the midst of this they are boldly telling their community the good news of Jesus through tract distribution and personal conversations and inviting others to their group. It reminds me of the Thessalonians who received the gospel with joy, in spite of severe suffering and from whom the gospel rang out like a bell (I Thess 1:4-8).

My friends are treated like the scum of the earth (1 Cor 4:9-13). They would be horrified by many of our small groups as we politely discuss our Bibles and theological nuances, share our personal prayer requests and enjoy coke and chips. Okay, that’s a bit harsh, but you get the point. Sadly, our small groups teach new Christians to pull their heads in and be safe. We achieve the functional goal of having lots of people in small groups but are they really growing in Christ? They can be in a group and going nowhere. Read more