Post on 11-May-2015
description
Middle East Union Pastors Council Arua, South Sudan Field
March 4-8
Small Group Ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
1.Jesus’ model for ministry
Why small groups?
Andressa
Why small groups?
In the beginning…
“God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves.”
Genesis 1:26
Good!
“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
‘ezer’ = rescuer (Exodus 18:4; Ps 33:20)
Not good
“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion (‘ezer’) who will help him.” Genesis 2:18
Glory of creation
God’s supreme achievement was not the creation of mankind, but the creation of human
community
The sin problem
God
• Restored communion with God
=koinonia • He has “made us
one” by removing the obstacles to community
Why Jesus came
“…God gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” II Corinthians 5:18
God The devil
Oneness
Diaballo = throw
apart
Heart of the matter
Moses
GodGod
The Multitude
Human leadership
Moses
GOD
Leaders of 1000
Leaders of 100
Leaders of 50
Leaders of 10
The Multitude: groups of 10
Inspired leadership
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one… May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23
What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one… May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23
What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan
• close community• divine/human
community• convincing
community• achievable
community
““May they be May they be one”one”
What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan
And He saith unto them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
The model
Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples,
and I will show you how to fish for people.”
The model
A Disciple is…
An apprentice One who models his/her life on the life of
someone else One with a personal teacher/student
relationship with Jesus
The model
“He climbed a mountain and invited those He wanted with Him…He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with Him, and He would send them out to proclaim the Word…” Mark 3:12,13
Empowering leadership
Leaders of growing churches concentrate on empowering other Christians for ministry. They do not use lay workers as helpers in attaining their own goals and fulfilling their own visions. Rather…the leader assists Christians to attain the spiritual potential God has for them. These ministers equip, support, motivate and mentor individuals, enabling them to become all that God wants them to be. (Ephesians 4:12)
New Testament church
“Greet also the church that meets at their house.” Romans 16:5
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42
Our prophetic mandate
“The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort is a plan that has been presented to me by One who cannot err.” White, Evangelism
115
“For contemporary Christians, to meet regularly in small groups is not an option or a luxury. It is a Biblical mandate that they must obey if…their churches are to become Biblically functioning communities.”
Gilbert Bilezikian
No other way
The Effective Cell or Small Group is…
A small number of people (3-12) who meet together for Bible study to:
• grow in their relationship with God• grow in their relationship with each other• reach out to share what they have with
others
= a holistic small group
Adventist Model
“Let the members be formed into small
companies, to work not only for the church members, but for
unbelievers…As they work and pray in
Christ’s name, their numbers will increase.”
Evangelism 115
Adventist Model
“We meet together to edify one another by
an interchange of thoughts and feelings, and to gather strength, and light, and courage
by becoming acquainted with one another’s hopes and
aspirations…” 2 Testimonies 578
Small Group Ministry is not simply one of many church programs
Small Group Ministry affects and defines the life of the whole church
…the small group is to the church
What the Cell is to the Body...
Small Groups provide... …a setting for
every-member in ministry
• No preaching• Not a gathering
of teacher and students
• Everyone contributes to the growth of the whole group
• Makes small groups essential, not optional
• Enables people to live in community according to the divine plan
• Multiplies leaders• Provides for 100%
church involvement in ministry
In summary: In summary: Jesus’ model for Jesus’ model for
ministry…ministry…