Proclaimer Blog
Rethinking small groups
I'm a great small groups fan. I think they are a necessary part of church if church is to do all we hope and expect of it (see, for example Hebrews 10.19-25). I think there are certain elements of that kind of Hebrews fellowship that are very, very difficult to make work in a congregation only setting. But here's the thing. I wonder if some of us are wedded to a small group model for the sake of it. It's not because we've thought through what's best to satisfy biblical mandates, but because that's the model we've inherited and is expected of our kind of church. Fresh from attending a small group in India last Friday, here are a few thoughts:
- is an interactive Bible study the best way to learn? For some groups it will be. But I am sure that this method works best in a middle class educated background. We have groups at our home church in East London for whom this is decidedly not the best way to learn, and others for whom it is. I don't think there's one size fits all.
- I'm preaching on Matthew 21 this weekend and the quote Jesus uses from Psalm 8 to refute the chief priests who object to the children's singing has got me thinking. If the logic of Psalm 8 is pursued, there is an element of singing that is spiritual warfare (Ps 8.2). That needs some teasing out, of course, but is there a reason why you don't sing in your small groups?
- One thing in my Indian experience struck me very sharply: the willingness to be open about struggles and sin and pray for one another along those lines. (Ironically, afterwards, one member said to me that it was shame that they were not more open!). Does your small group make this kind of work possible? I know it's difficult for us repressed Brits, but if there is not building up and gracious challenge, the group idea seems to fall at the first hurdle. How can you encourage that?
- Is your group big enough? Is it small enough? It's hard planning a small group. There will always be weeks when people are away (though we want to encourage people to prioritise this mid week meeting). Too small and it is less likely to be representative of the church. Too large and there is limited opportunity for close fellowship. Do you have an optimum number in mind that you work towards?
- Do you pray enough? Small groups are not just Bible study groups. They are surely for prayer too, perhaps (arguably) more so. How do you structure your time to make this work? How do you keep prayer time from being about people's felt needs all the time (though there is a place for this?). I'm not sure we've got this right. Time for a rethink.
When, as church leaders, we tend to rethink church small groups, we tend to do so on the basis of size, location, membership, leadership – all important, of course. But perhaps we need to stand back and ask, what are small groups for and how does that answer shape our approach?