06.04.10
Getting Back to the Early Church, Small Groups as They Were Meant to Be
Dr. Thom Rainer and Ed Stetzer's new book, Transformational Church includes a chapter on groups. They make some telling statements. Check it out:
The first church was truly organic. No seminars, no coaches, no consultants, but there seemed to be an intentional embrace of life after conversion both in corporate gatherings and smaller groups. They lived a vibrancy of community.
Smaller groups were the lifeblood of the early church. Because life is an everyday occurrence, church should be as well. But in the North American church, we have shifted from the New Testament, relationship-driven community to a stage-driven community. The larger group, although vehemently defended by us in the previous chapter, does not function well as a stand-alone application of Christianity. How do we get back to the point where small communities matter?
I have a few ideas and would love for you to share yours.
- Need the support of other believers. The early church was made up of persecuted people who needed the encouragement and connection with other suffering saints. When we speak the name of Christ and follow His directives in all matters persecution (although it well be more psychological than physical) will occur. We'll need the support of other radical Jesus followers.
- Make small community gatherings as important as the weekend gathering. Senior pastors can greatly enhance small groups by strategically stating that small group gatherings are the practices through which most of the disciples journey is lived out and how maturity in Christ is experienced. Lifting high small groups does not diminish the importance of the pulpit but it will enhance the power of the pulpit as small group members growing in Christ will yearn for more and more knowledge of His Word.
- Empower small group leaders to be shepherds of the group they lead, not just Bible study leaders. In the early church there was no distinction between clergy and laity. Everyone was simply a follower of Christ journeying together. Some were gifted by God to shepherd others and they did so without being paid and without degrees from higher schools of learning. If you want to see small groups regain Acts experiences and expressions, empower your small group leaders to be pastors/shepherds to their own small congregation of about 12 people.
post a comment