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The Importance of Small Group Ministry
Key to a Healthy, Functioning NT Church:
| Small groups are not the local church; they are the church at work. Small groups are not the central focus of the church; however, they are the outworking and facilitating of a prominent biblical focus on "one another" ministries. Small groups are not a means of getting a few more people "into ministry"; they are the means of allowing and encouraging "every member" into ministry. God has gifted the local church -- by giving every believer within the Body of Christ -- "grace gifts". God expects every believer to exercise their giftedness, wisdom, and uniqueness in a mutually beneficial ministry -- in unity with all the other members of the local church. While the typical church program allows a minority to exercise certain gifts -- particularly in leadership and teaching roles -- most believers do not truly exercise their spiritual gifts fully or regularly. Biblical fellowship is clearly more than what most believers settle for as they extend perfunctory greetings in the foyer and then "fellowship" with back of someone's head in the row in front of them. Small groups release and facilitate the entire body to more fully participate in ministering to its many needs. They build bonds of openness, trust, and accountability -- giving reality to professions of love, unity and care. They allow persons of all ages to more easily and comfortably contribute. By design and purpose they exist for the edification of one another and the strengthening of the local church -- contributing greatly to its spiritual vitality and service. It should be noted that we do not view our small groups as primarily "Bible studies", rather they are opportunities to reinforce Biblical principles of the Sunday sermon through practical discussion of the implications and applications of those principles. Small groups foster a sense of intimacy with one another and with God -- singing choruses, sharing in God's blessings of the past week and in answered prayer -- and the freshness of praying specifically, spontaneously and informally with believers of all ages, is simply wonderful. We affirm the centrality of the local church life-cycle is the preaching of the Word, yet we also affirm the need to live out the ministry and fellowship exhortations of the Word -- the putting of the Word into practice. This we seek to do through the use of small groups. Heb 10:24-25 . . . and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. If their ever was a verse whose application is found in small group ministry, this is it. As small groups grow spiritually and numerically, they serve as a fertile environment for developing and mentoring leadership. The intent is that one or two couples would be being groomed and trained to assume the leadership of another small group when the numbers warrant a "healthy church split". They are a place of practical leadership development and the perfect environment to evaluate those who may feel called to vocational ministry. And last, while the small group ministry is obviously oriented to ministering to believers, churches have begun to recognize its outreach potential. They have found that it is an effective "side door" ministry to expose unbelievers and the unchurched to the reality of biblical, loving Christianity. By this [i.e., love and selfless service] all shall know that you are my disciples. We believe that small group ministry is vital to a healthy, New Testament church which desires to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ to the glory of God. |
| Click Here to View a Sample Handout |
