Every church
traditionally has some type of small group experience--Sunday School classes,
study groups, mission groups, and others.
Today, small group experiences may be more important than ever. In a recent article, Thom Rainer identified
eight major changes in churches over the last decade. One of these was the vital
importance of groups in the church.
According to Rainer’s
research, ten years ago churches had groups but they were of marginal
importance. Leaders “did not see how groups could enhance the
health of the church in discipleship, evangelism, prayer, ministry, and
fellowship.”
On the other hand, he observes, “Healthy
churches today make groups (community groups, home groups, Sunday school, life
groups, etc.) a high priority.”
We can identify several reasons why this is
true.
First, most people have a desire to
connect. Although we have become a society
immersed in social media, most of us have few deep connections with others
outside our families. We have a hunger for connectedness that Facebook,
Twitter, and other online services cannot fill.
Second, we have come to understand that real
Christian growth only happens where there is accountability and groups provide
this for us. Women in small groups have
known this for years, but men are starting to realize this need.
Third, we can accomplish more in concert with
others than we can alone. If we want to
make a difference in our society, we must join with like-minded individuals to
act. This is messy, but working with others
has a greater impact than working alone.
How are you using small groups in your church
or organization? How can you use them
more effectively?
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