"When you begin a small group ministry, you first must achieve unanimity on community, with clarity — that is, agreement on why your church does groups." Bill Donahue
The following will sharpen that commitment and clarity:
- Genesis 1: 24 – 28
- Genesis 2: 18 – 25
- Genesis 6 – 9
- Genesis 15 – 17
- Exodus 18
- Psalm 133
- Proverbs 15: 22; 18: 24
- Ecclesiastes 4: 9 – 12
- Ezekiel 34
- Mark 3: 14
- John 17
- Acts 2: 41 – 47; 4: 32 – 37; 6: 1 – 7
- Romans 12
- 1 Corinthians 12
- Ephesians 2, 4
- 1 Peter 5: 1 – 4
A small group ministry done right is never merely a program. While life-changing groups may have some programmatic elements, an increased focus on community tends to shift your church away from traditional programs. A groups-based strategy is a fundamental sea change from program-centric to people-centric ministry.
... Tired programs with little strategic return are far less desirable than a group-based strategy, especially when viewed in light of Scripture, where community is primary, covenant is essential, companionship with God and others is nonnegotiable, leadership must be shared, relationship yields wisdom, Jesus models group life and prays for oneness, care is shared and mutual, the body is functional, and shepherding is rewarding.
If you compromise often enough, you may end up with a few more small groups, but you will never build a life-changing small group ministry. Doing that requires an uncompromising vision and set of values out of which you foster the change that glorifies God and blesses others.
... You are fighting for people’s souls, and the enemy won’t take that lying down. Small groups alter people’s destinies, rebuild their families, and reap a harvest for the ensuing generations. The spiritual stakes are high and relentless, and there is no room for a lackadaisical effort, even for a day. Satan himself fights this change tooth and nail, which is why being sharpened by the Scriptures is so critical. They pump fresh oxygen into your spiritual lungs as you strive to reach the community summit. They provide a road map when you find yourself at the intersection of success and failure, guiding your every turn.
... When people embrace change because Scripture, under the Spirit’s power, has reshaped and renewed their minds, you don’t win an argument — you convey a vision. As each person grasps the vision and call on the church to build a more biblical expression of communal life, you empower an army of evangelists for the movement of community in your church.
Regarding vision-casting and leadership, Donahue rightly notes "Leaders are good at selling vision. Before a vision makes sense, people have to be sold on the problem the vision solves."
And now leaders, the decision must be made - will you be a church with small groups, of small groups, or is the church small groups? My perspective, the church with small groups will always miss the mark. To me, a church of small groups is the minimum and the church that is small groups can work but is not necessary. Sadly, the highest percentage of churches are those with small groups and they spend their life-cycle searching out programs to compensate for the built-in failure of their small groups.
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