The
Ministry of Groups
John and Sue Church enjoyed life with their two children, Matthew and
Crystal. One evening John read an article in the local newspaper explaining
the need for families to take in orphaned children. The Church family
decided to invite two siblings, David and Sheila, to live with them.
The first few days together were enjoyable apart from minor tensions.
At the table one evening Matthew said, "It's neat having David live
with us. It's great to have a brother."
Crystal added, "Sheila and I play dolls together, just like our next-door
neighbors."
It wasn't long, however, before the Church family tired of David and
Sheila. They were irresponsible and slow to catch on to the "Church
way" of doing things. And they started coming home late from school.
They dropped by the Barrs down the street, mixing with other children
who came there every afternoon. Eventually they didn't come back to
the Church house at all.
John didn't worry. He assumed someone else was taking care of the children.
He reassured Matthew and Crystal, "If David and Sheila want to be part
of our family, they know the way back."
One day Stan Gadded, David and Sheila's social worker, visited the
family. He was shocked to learn that the Church family hadn't seen Sheila
and David for 2 weeks and that they didn't really miss them. John told
Stan a larger family was a hassle and that the new children weren't
making the necessary adjustments.
Stan was incredulous. It hardly seemed possible they had so readily
rejected David and Sheila. But the Church family insisted that David
and Sheila had chosen to leave. They had not been rejected. The Church
family decided to release Sheila and David. They told Stan they were
content with their own family.
The Church story has many parallels to the way some churches treat
newcomers. It should remind us that the church must take responsibility
for accepting and integrating new people. The story also reminds us
that the church is to be a loving, caring family where people can be
nurtured and trained.
Throughout history developing disciples has been effectively done in
groups. John Wesley developed small group communities called "societies"
and "bands." New and mature believers were expected to participate.
These groups met weekly and helped people to develop the spiritual disciplines
of worship, prayer, confession of sin, Bible study, and accountability
for Christian living.
Groups are the foundational component of all effective disciple-making
churches. Regularly starting new groups and cultivating healthy group
dynamics is essential to strong, effective churches. Using these groups
to reach, assimilate, and develop people is fundamental to developing
Christian community in the church. Let's look at some of the benefits
of strengthening the groups in your church.
Groups reach new people.
Groups are an effective means of evangelism because they meet people's
needs and deal with issues important to them. They connect people to
Christ and His church. Some have discovered the effectiveness of Bible
study groups that enroll non-Christian friends, relatives, and associates
of class members. They've found that 2 out of 4 new enrollees are unsaved,
and that 1 out of 4 new enrollees will accept Jesus Christ within 12
months. In the same period only 1 out of approximately 400 people who
are not enrolled in a Bible study group will be saved.
Evangelism is most effective in a group context. It is 100 times more
effective than trying to reach people through worship services, crusades,
or outreach events alone.
Groups assimilate new people.
New people come to church to have their needs met, but they will only
stay if they've developed meaningful relationships. Getting them involved
in a group facilitates this process and helps them to grow.
New groups are more effective in assimilating new people than older
groups. In Twelve Keys to an Effective Church: Strategic Planning for
Mission Kennon L. Callahan writes, "New people in a church tend to search
out new groups in which they can establish relationships of sharing
and caring... It is easier for new people to establish deeply profound
relationships with one another when the network of relationships is
still comparatively new, flexible, and in process for development" (San
Francisco: Harper & Row, 1983, pp. 36-37)
Every church believes that it's friendly, but many newcomers don't
feel that friendliness. They may find the church initially friendly,
but in surveys they say, "It is a friendly church, but the smile stopped
at the door." I've been here a year, but I can't seem to get into their
groups. I don't fit or belong." People who feel they "fit in" or "belong"
to a small group remain in the church, but those who are not able to
develop 6 to 7 meaningful friendships within 6 to 9 months usually leave.
Groups nurture and develop people.
Acceptance, caring, and learning occurs best in small groups. Research
demonstrates that 1 out of 5 people led to Christ through personal soul
winning were baptized. Only 1 out of 10 led to Christ through crusades
and mass evangelism events were baptized. However, 9 out of 10 people
saved in small groups and Sunday school classes were baptized.
All of these methods have merit. It is evident, however, that when
people accept Christ in the context of relationships, 90 percent will
continue to develop as disciples and be baptized. This means that if
people respond to the pastor's altar call but don't have existing relationships
in a group or class, only 10 percent will continue to develop as disciples.
On which means of evangelism does your church focus? Far too often we
use the least effective means of reaching and discipling people.
Groups care for people.
The words that open the once popular sitcom Cheers reveal the hunger
in the world for caring relationships:
"Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name...and they're
always glad you came."
The Boston bar was a place where this socially diverse group of people
found acceptance through relationships. Bruce Larson and Keith Miller
talk about this kind of group dynamic..
"The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there is to
the fellowship Christ wants to give His Church. It's an imitation, dispensing
liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality, but it is a permissive,
accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic.
You can tell people secrets, and they usually don't tell others or even
want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics,
but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and
be known, to love and be loved" (The Edge of Adventure. Waco, Tex: Word,
1974, p. 156).
The church must provide the community and family that people are seeking.
What about your class or group? Do people attend out of obligation or
because they're developing meaningful relationships and growing?
Establishing ministry teams in a Sunday school class or a Bible study
group is one way to identify and care for people's needs. A caring team,
for example, would help class members to develop meaningful friendships
with others, include newcomers into the class, and care for one another.
A sharing team would equip the class to evangelize unenrolled prospects.
They would identify prospects, make contact with them, and seek to evangelize
those who need fellowship with Christ and other believers.
A teaching team, usually lead by the teacher of the class, would meet
the administrative needs of the class and provide opportunities for
other members to gain experience teaching and leading a group.
Encourage everyone in the class to get involved. The goal is to involve
them in ministry and train them to reach and develop people.
Groups teach.
A Christian's spiritual development is enhanced by being part of a
healthy group that teaches biblical values, Christian disciplines, and
the principles of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Its teachings bring
healing and hope to those involved. Characteristics of a healthy group
include:
- a close family atmosphere;
- life application of biblical principles;
- individual care;
- opportunities to share testimonies;
- instruction and edification;
- unlimited opportunities for meaningful service;
- relational evangelism;
- intensive care and discipling of new converts;
- spiritual growth;
- leadership development.
New believers need intensive care and nurture. More mature believers
need ongoing teaching, accountability, ministry, and fellowship. Groups
should teach and reinforce seven basic disciplines of Christian living:
Word. The personal study of Scripture on a regular
basis to hear God's voice and gain His perspective on life and ministry
is essential. Believers gain additional insights through the teaching
and preaching of the Word.
Prayer. Personal, intimate prayer with God on a regular basis
is necessary so believers can respond and draw close to Him. Intercessory
prayer for the needs of others and the church must also be learned.
Community. Believers must learn the value of commitment to
others and establish the habit of regularly meeting with them. This
is necessary for correction, edification, encouragement, worship,
and guidance.
Obedience. Learning how to be obedient to God's Word and Spirit
is important. Obedience leads to a life of holiness that pleases God.
Stewardship. Encourage members to regularly commit 10 percent
of personal income to the ministry of God's people and cultivate a
lifestyle of generosity.
Family. Believers must also spend regular times with their
spouses and children, give attention to spiritual, emotional and physical
matters, and attend to family finances and home maintenance.
Ministry. Praying for the lost, feeling concerned about them,
and sharing your relationship to Christ with them is essential. Believers
should share what they've learned about following Christ and be involved
in ministries that develop and use your gifts.
Groups should teach and regularly reinforce these disciplines. Since
a believer is an expression of his habits, the church must help believers
know and practice right habits. The church is only as strong as the
people it develops.
Transforming the church starts by taking advantage of its primary building
block, the group. You transform the church the same way you build a
house----one brick at a time. The house is only as strong as its bricks.
The church is only as strong as the groups it develops.
As you reinforce healthy group dynamics, your people will rise to new
levels of growth and commitment. Instead of being the John and Sue Church
family, your church will be transformed into the living body of Christ
where lives are changed and dreams are fulfilled.
