Philosophy of Small Groups
Small groups in a church and ministry function solely to not only help bring people closer but also to work together towards a single, purposeful cause or goal. The philosophy behind these groups is based mostly on the need for the propagation of God’s message and his word. There are various steps which one must take in order to truly comprehend the message of God while working together with other people. It is also important to understand what qualifies as a group in order to further understand their dynamics.
A group is overseen by a leader in order to help the followers understand the message with clarity. They meet regularly and jointly work on their understanding of the message and also to catch up with each other’s progress. This also helps those who are struggling in their understanding, a chance to connect with better guidance. These meetings are utilized to study God’s word and his message through a proper and approved curriculum. Small groups bring people closer spiritually and intellectually and makes them united towards a single goal. They need to understand the importance of serving others in a way similar to the way Jesus did. The most important part of these groups however is when these people take out the time to pray for each other’s wellbeing. Prayer is of key importance when people are involved as their hearts warm to each and they are able to reach out to one another. Prayer is not limited to a certain group and those who are not part of it are still welcome to join and jointly pray.
S.M.A.L.L Groups and their functionality:
S.M.A.L.L groups have follow this acronym based on the elements of understanding of the purpose behind them.
Whenever one is embarking on the journey to find God, they need to be open to him and his calling and hence must try their best to seek his message. This is the first step that one must take in order to find and understand the message God has sent for all mankind. Be it through ministry groups or through personal understanding, the first step is to take the initiative to seek God’s vision.
Make Sure of the Senior Pastor’s Lead Position:
The senior pastor is a figure who can validate the authenticity of the way the word of God is being propagated. Hence, it is imperative that he be involved as the lead figure guiding the group. He is the one who understand the intricacies and dynamics of people working together and hence can lead purposefully. The simple fact of the matter is that the Senior Pastor has influence which is why people tend to be affected by him and trust him. Having him lead a group automatically maximizes the outreach of the message.
Adopt a Model that Fits Who and Where You Are:
This means that the group should be taken forward in a way that keeps in mind the history, context, and teachings of the ministry or the church. In case there is a need to make smaller groups within the group, it should be done in order to cultivate the word of God more effectively.
Leader Recruiting and TrainingLeadership is the most powerful element which holds small groups together. It is imperative that senior ministers and pastors seek out resourceful people from within the group, train them and utilize them to propagate God’s message. It is important to build leadership qualities within these people so they can further educate others and help others. These individual need not only have leadership qualities in order to be leaders. They can be helpful, merciful or use any other resource that they have to bring their group closer.
Launch the new ministry
This means that when equipped with the right arsenal of knowledge and the right people, the new group which is synonymous to a vessel should be launched out in the world so that other people can benefit from it. The workings of a group can only be understood clearly when the group starts reaching out to people.
Group making is imperative for resourceful and healthy disciple making. The sole reason for this is that people find a common platform where they can help each other overcome their doubts and bind them closer to one another. With the leadership of either the senior pastor or fellow peers, people flourish spiritually and hence help each other understand the message of God more effectively. Being a disciple is not only about the following the message of God, it includes propagating it and serving others around you. As explained above, small groups enable members to explore God’s vision and help others with it which makes this approach much more effective for disciple making. Apart from this, the element of prayer not only helps to bring people closer; it serves the purpose of cultivation of intellectual and compassionate thought. For any disciple it is important to be equipped with these two tools if he wishes to serve God and his message for the rest of his life. Those who struggle initially and have doubts find a platform where they can share their thoughts and doubts and have them removed.
Just as a community functions on the basic ground rules of human behavior, groups also function similarly and focus on seeking out human conditions and using them to their aid. Disciples who have special talents and skills find a platform where they can use them and improve their standard of spiritual as well as worldly life. Groups enable disciples to not only see God’s vision but also understand it in an embracing way that can benefit their lives. Hence, it is clear that groups are one of the best means to cultivate the minds of disciples and help them on their quest to the understanding of God’s vision.
The foremost purpose of missional groups is to help move the body of Christ into the community. They do this by using all the steps mentioned in the S.M.A.L.L acronym. Missional groups understand the need of people to have a guiding light they can look to while trying to understand the message of God. Once one group works together and helps each other understand the source of guidance, they move forward and include those who did not have previous guidance and start the chain of compassion and servitude of mankind. Christ’s messages of love and peace and humanity are given a physical shape and meaning through these missional groups which help not one or two individuals but the whole community.
There are various concerns assigned with missional groups and their approach towards similar and other beliefs. Missional groups do not limit themselves to only one group and welcome other believers as well. This way, people of various diversities can get together and share their beliefs with one another. However, there are some minor differences between the two approaches.
While working within the same community, outreach is much easier as similar beliefs are easier to propagate. Understanding becomes much easier and easier to comprehend for all members this way. While working groups with other beliefs, there are some hindrances in the way of understanding, yet are not difficult to solve. The plus point of this is that inter-diversity understanding helps in eliminating the differences between various communities which have different beliefs. Even though understanding has hindrances there is still a positive side to this kind of outreach because allows all the members to affirm their beliefs while bringing others closer to the message of Christ.
Hence it is safe to say that small church groups are able to eliminate differences, spread the message and vision of God, and most importantly bring people closer. These groups give people the opportunity to utilize their talents and leadership skills in the quest and search for the way of God. The true message of Christ which involves the love for God as well as mankind can be truly achieved through these groups and missions. These groups are the best way to help people understand the true essence of God’s vision and his message.
Works Cited
Cho, David Yonggi. Successful Home Cell Groups. Alachua: Bridge-Logos, 1981.
Henderson, Michael D. A Model for Making Disciples: John Wesley’s Class Meeting. Anderson: Francis Asbury Press, 1997.
Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1975.
Lenski, R.C.H. The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.
Towns, Elmer, John N. Vaughn, and David J. Seirfert. The Complete Book of Church Growth. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1981.
