Here
at MRBC we don’t only just meet as a large congregation, but we
also have small groups meeting during the week. Two groups meet during
the day, whilst the others meet in the
evening. We
meet together in homes, at Church or where convenient, as small
groups to enjoy fellowship and to earn from God's word together. In the
past small groups were called bible study or home groups, but the role
of the small group is not limited to the home or simply bible study.
In
a move that echos the life in the early church, we aim to grow
the small group into the first place in the Church were people get
discipled and get pastoral care. Changes in the organisation of the
small groups and the training of the leaders is aimed to help this
growth take place. However, we recognise the need of those who do not
want or can't be a small group member. If you are not already part of a
small group we would encourage you to join a group and would love to
hear from you.
Most
groups have about 8-10 members and meet most weeks for about 2
hours. An important part of the
small group is refreshments, catching up on the weeks news and the art
of good fellowship. Some evenings or on a special occasion it may
simply be a meal in someone's house, a barbecue in the garden or meal
at the local pub.
What
is a small group and why are they so important?
Jesus
had his own small group - the 12 disciples. He cared for them
and treated them as family. In a society where there are so
many broken
homes and where people do not feel a sense of community -
small groups
offer an excellent place for people to get together to eat, drink,
share, encourage, learn, and have fun.
A
small group, cell group or home group, it doesn't matter what you
call it, is the most fundamental unit within the church community. It
provides a secure, intimate place where you can explore your
gifts and
walk of faith. In these small groups people are free
to voice their
personal needs and find the help and support that they
need. Another
key element of belonging to a group is to simply spend time with each
other, having fun and especially eating together - this all builds
relationships and a sense of belonging.
This article hopefully will
give you some ideas to extend the scope of your group. If you’re
not already part of a group, why not give it a try? It’s an
opportunity for fellowship, study and prayer during the week and an
opportunity to get to know others in a friendly setting. Most
people find it a blessing to share God’s word and their Christian
experiences together. We grow most as believers when we grow
together with others and a smaller group is one way of doing that . We
read in Acts 2 how people met in each other’s homes and broke
bread together. Their shared lives were all part of their spiritual
growth.
Some
of you in our small groups have seen the table which is based on Acts
2:44-47 which I just referred to. The early church is a model of
the characteristics of what being church is about and is worth
looking at as it was at a time of rapid growth. These
characteristics can be summed up under four “W” headings –
Welcome, Worship, Word and Witness. As a church congregation we
do all these things as part of our ministry.
However, there is of necessity
of there being a certain level of formality in
our main church activities. This serves us well, but most people
also benefit from a much more informal and smaller version of church
and we have for some years promoted our small groups because they can
“reach the parts” that other church meetings and activities
can’t. The table gives us some contrasts between being church in a
larger congregation to a smaller group.
Church
Congregation
Small
Group
Welcome
Open, hospitable to all
Wide cross-section of society
Trust and confidentiality
Deeper relationships and mutual support
Groups vary in type of people and function
Worship
Public place, open to all
Public proclamation of God’s Word and prayer
Worship together in a formal manner
including Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Home, by invitation but all welcome
Reflection on particular context
Prayer for individual members
Worship is informal and arises from shared lives
Word
Trained preachers who have given time for preparation
Carefully prepared words in songs and prayers
High standards in music and presentation
The insights of a whole group coming to Scripture
Unprepared wisdom, insight and testimony
Using and valuing each person’s gift
Witness
Extending the horizon
Church acting as an institution in society
Partnership with other agencies
Large, long term projects
Relates to denominations and other churches
Enabling mission by every member in the whole of life: work,
family, wider society
Small, short-term projects
Adapted
from Steven Croft, Transforming
Communities, DLT,
2002
The
small group then doesn’t replace church but helps us to enrich our
experience of God and of fellowship with one another in ways that may
otherwise not happen. If you are in a small group, you may want to
reflect on what your group adds to your experience of church and your
Christian walk – the table is there to help you do this. Perhaps
you can study and discuss this in your small groups to see how you
can enrich your times together as a small group.
One
unusual entry is Witness. Most Christians don’t associate
witness with small groups – we see it as something the church does
and see small groups as just fellowship outlets. However, studies
show that people who are searching for their faith often find small
groups a much more welcoming introduction to the faith and even
church. Some of the fastest growing churches in Britain are cell
churches where the main activity of the church is as small groups.
How
can small groups be evangelistic? I know some of you have tried one
or two of these before with varying levels of success,but you may
find that your small group will open a door to encouraging your
friends, neighbours and the family to follow Jesus.
Ideas
for witnessing as a small group
Open
sessions which may be social – parties, BBQs, teas, meals, outings
Seeker
friendly Bible studies – there are quite a variety of materials
around – see me for details
Inviting
people who are searching to come along. It isn’t “forbidden” - it's
encouraged and you may find yourselves learning new
things as the “not yet” Christians ask you things you need to
find the answer to! Go on, have a go. Pray about possibilities and
seize the opportunities God gives you.