A vision for small groups

I want you to right down on a piece of paper what you think a small group is for.

1. What do you do, or think you do in a small group?

2. When you think of small groups do you see it as a side ministry of the church or the very structure of the church (what the body is built on.)

3. A small group can be_______ What are the possibilities?

In a Gallup survey they found that most people in America have these 6 needs:

1. To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose (Col 3:17)

2. To have a sense of community and deeper relationships (Heb 10:24,25)

3. To be appreciated and respected (Eph 4:32)

4. To be listened to and heard (Phil 2:3)

5. To grow in faith (Rom 10:17)

To receive practical help in developing a mature faith (Eph 4:16)

The sad part is that 70% of those surveyed said the church was not meeting those needs.

Yet these are needed to make disciples!

These are all met in small groups.

Time for sharing

What have small groups been and done for you?

8 boxes that will mess up growthBox 1 small thinkingNo start thinking biggerBox 2 Sunday Only7 day a week churchBox 3 One worship timeBreak out of amoeba thinkingBox 4 The church is a buildingNo the church is a bodyBox 5 Elder-controlled Ministries

Give people real ministry responsibility

Box 6 Boards are bad Let leaders leadBox 6 Super stars

No there are no superstars we partner together

Box 7 Little faith

No we use our gifts and think big

Box 8 The 7 last words of a church

We’ve ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ _____

We’ve never done it that way before

John 13:14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. NKJV

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. NKJV

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; NKJV

Gal 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. NKJV

Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. NKJV

Eph 4:2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, NKJV

Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. NKJV

Gal 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. NKJV

Gal 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! NKJV

1Thess 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; NKJV

1Thess 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. NKJV

1Pet 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. NKJV

1Pet 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. NKJV

1John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. NKJV

Questions/comments