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If we fervently believe in the power of the means of grace-that God works his grace through the official proclamation of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments-we should desire that the “uninformed” and “unbelievers” be present in corporate worship so that they too will worship God as they sense his presence (1 Cor. If parishioners feel that their elders do not know them well enough to help them through the tears and trials of life, small groups can help close the shepherding gap.
#One and all church community groups how to#
Model-elder Paul “lived among” the believers at Asia (Acts 20:18) so that he knew how to proclaim what was helpful from house to house (v. If small groups can help believers assist each other, they can also help elders shepherd their flocks with greater familiarity and empathy. But how can we exhort others to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 1:3) if we rarely witness them practice the faith outside of corporate worship? 5. Every member should encourage and gently urge their brothers and sisters to better follow the Lord (Matt. But elders should first equip God’s people to work out their problems together. When we think about church accountability, we are right to think about elders (Titus 1:5–9). “I heard the pastor use the word ‘justification’ before. When small group leaders cultivate an environment of openness and trust, group members are encouraged to ask questions they might not ask elsewhere. But by discussing and applying Scripture together, members can learn to understand not only the Bible, but also each other, so that each will know better how to love the other. The combination of a capable Bible teacher and eager learners, all exchanging ideas together, can be powerful. Of course, there are pitfalls to group Bible study which the elders should work to prevent by providing good materials and capable, accountable group leaders. Some Christian groups meet to discuss and apply Scripture. We need people who are willing to get to know us so they can help us walk with Christ more faithfully (Acts 18:24–26). But we also need friends to help us wrestle through that question face to face. 16:15) is critical to hear from the pulpit. Small groups provide opportunities for believers to learn from each other as they apply the gospel within the intimacy of relationships (Titus 2:1–8).
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There are many reasons why small group fellowship meetings have been an important part of Christian experience throughout the ages. Christ’s followers break bread together as a united family in the Eucharist and as smaller groups around tables where common life happens (Acts 2:46–47). Again, Saer is helpful: “Small groups can be a very helpful means of achieving ends which certainly are demanded by the Bible of Christian churches.” The Bible does not demand “house churches.” But there is an undeniable beauty in church members meeting publicly as well as in homes (Acts 20:20 Rom. Orlando Saer puts it well: “The basic ‘unit’ of the church is the church itself, not some subdivision of it.” Small groups are not the essence of the church.īut without something like a small group ministry, it can be difficult for Christians to reflect the biblical pattern of communal life. 11:17–34), and corporate worship practiced by a distinct congregation (Heb. Indeed, the case for small groups is often overstated, as in, “small groups are really where church happens.” To equate small groups with church is to miss Scripture’s emphasis on elder-led (1 Tim. If you’ve never been part of a church small group, or have been part of a group that was unhelpful, it might be difficult to appreciate their draw.