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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Analysis Paper 2
Submitted to Dr. Rod Dempsey
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 630 – B01
Small Group Ministries
by
Brian Mclaughlin
June 3rd, 2019
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Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….2
Small groups vs. Cliques……………………………………………………………………….3
G.R.O.U.P…………………………………………………………………………………….5-6
Four Questions Analysis……………………………………………………………………….7
Inward, Upward and Outward………………………………………………………………..7
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………8
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Introduction
Small group programs in today’s settings should be readily available to anyone who
comes to the church and congregation. There are many different groups that the church has that
minister to the people by Bible studies, women’s ministry or men’s ministry, etc. The main
emphasis of small groups is to have people relate to one another, and come together to share
strengths, weaknesses, and compatibility in unity. From the moment that humans are born into
this earth, there is a need to be in relation to someone. It is how God has created people to be.
Without the use of small groups, there would not be a way to make disciples either. Disciples of
Christ is of vital importance today. According to Arnold, “Since we learn best in relationship, we
most effectively learn to be disciples that way. But disciples produced through loving community
in modern churches are too rare.”1
Churches themselves must guard against forming their own popular groups. This is where
cliques are often made. Cliques as Arnold shows in his book are, “Groups that exclude others
because they are poor or doubters or divorced or sinners or of some different race or nationality
are not communities; they are cliques --- actually defensive bastions against community.”2
People need to feel connected in life by living in a surrounded community that shows them there
is hope. In the Bible, the church is referred to as one body in (1 Cor 12:12-13, ESV), “12 For just
as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are
one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or
Greeks, slaves[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”3 To be unified means that
1 Jeffrey Arnold. The Big Book on Small Groups. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2004. 25.
2 Ibid, 57.
3 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is taken from the English Standard Version
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men and women of God are in agreement with decisions, accomplishments, and the needed
direction to where they belong. Comiskey states, “The church is a place where the being and
nature of God should be demonstrated through loving relationships (Colossians 1:18-19;
Ephesians 1:22-23). As the church understands and grows in love with the triune God, it must
reflect that same unity in the family of God.”4 The differences of what small groups are and what
they are not, and there also will be a in-depth look at the small group questions posed in the book
that Arnold speaks of. This paper will also examine the inward, outward, and upward parts of
small group study.
Small groups vs. Cliques
Cliques are people who have a ‘us four and no more’ attitude. They are closed minded,
and never seek any window of an opportunity to give anyone a chance to ‘fit’ into their circle.
These are the people who separate themselves from the rest of the church. In a clique, people
often want to continue to stay in a traditional sense a hermit where there is no need to change
anything. There is both a familiarity and comfort that comes from living in the mundane ways of
having church service ‘their’ way. Cliques have and only want their way of having service done.
They fellowship well with others within their own group but, do not associate well with others.
Small groups by contrast, are people who look for ways to expand the small group that
they are in. In this type of setting, everyone can join. The main emphasis is to have a group
hopefully blossom into more small groups. The benefit of the small group is the one who
oversees it, is led by the Spirit of God. This is a great indicator that growth will occur when those
who participate and those who lead, are only seeking to whatever God’s will is for them. They
4 Joel Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church (Moreno Valley, CA: CSS Publishing, 2012), 46.
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desire to have people re-dedicate, evangelize, and have people saved from the sin in their lives to
have a true relationship with Jesus Christ. The perfect integration of small group ministry into
the church is a way to have added members, and growth occur.
G.R.O.U.P.
In the acrostic G.R.O.U.P., identified in Earley and Dempsey’s book5, will be examined
the different ways to show how each part of the acrostic is equally important from the others in
it. This in turn will give way to having this in memory to a greater extent. The rest of this section
will examine the acrostic in each of the ways it can and should be beneficial in the depth and
knowledge of having small groups.
G- Guided by a Leader: Leaders are not easy to come by. Some are great at being
managers while others are indeed called to lead. Dempsey states the value of needing a leader
correctly, “Simply put, if you don’t have a leader, it ain’t gonna happen.”6 Leaders are self-less
individuals who are more concerned about putting other people’s needs before themselves.
R- Regular Meeting Times: This is crucial to have the small group survive and thrive.
The more that people can meet up, the better it will be for the group overall and for the
individual when life throws curveballs at someone. In (Proverbs 27:17, ESV), “Iron sharpen iron,
and one man sharpens another”. There is strength in numbers, and with the strength comes the
responsibility of handling the Word at the right time, and for times when it is crucial.
O- Open God’s Word: In some churches, this can indeed become complicated. There are
so many books that are written by strong, godly men, and do have great content for the church to
take part in. However, these books are not the Holy Bible. There will never be any greater
5 Rod Dempsey and Dave Earley, Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Small Groups, (Lynchburg, VA: Liberty
Press, 2015), 32.
6 Ibid, 32.
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instruction that anyone who participates in a small group will find, better than God’s word.
Dempsey states, “Among the many things we do when we meet together as a small group, we
must take responsibility to break open the Word of Life.”7 This is such a true statement. God’s
word is alive and breathing. It gives life to the soul of the Christian man or woman. It should
never be the last option for someone to use in a small group, or in church.
U- United in Service: Small groups need to reveal who Jesus Christ is. Not by wearing t-
shirts or having bumper stickers on their car saying ‘I love Jesus’ but, having their fruit of the
Spirit come out naturally in conversation or in works. Dempsey puts it this way, “Spiritual gifts
are designed to strengthen the body and to serve the world. When we are using His gifts in our
small groups or in our community it is just as if Christ were still present in the world today.”8
People need to see that Jesus Christ is as real today as He was when He was alive on earth. The
gifts and talents that those who attend in small groups have will greatly reflect this and draw men
to Him.
P- Prayer for One Another: When in a small group setting, it is important to have prayer.
It shows to the group who the most important aspect of the whole small group is. God must be in
the center of all of it. The other factor is when prayer requests are given, praying for that person
needs to happen right then and there. There are too many times people hear someone say they
will keep that request in their prayers. Yet, when it comes time to pray for that need, it is often
forgotten or never made. Dempsey states, “Something amazing happens every time you ask
someone the question, “How can I pray for you?” It is equally amazing what happens when two
or three people begin to agree on something and begin to petition our Heavenly Father.”9 It offers
up to those who go to the small groups there is trust, peace and confidentiality. It shows there is
7 Ibid, 32.
8 Ibid, 33.
9 Ibid, 34.
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hope and God is the one who can bring about real needed change, love or direction in someone’s
life.
Four Questions Analysis
Arnold offers up four questions in his book in dealing with small group settings. “Are we
introducing Christian disciplines into our small groupings? Are our small groupings building the
kingdom or hindering the kingdom? Are we training leaders who bring Christian disciplines into
small groupings? Is our entire congregation working to develop a disciplined small group
mentality?”10
For question one, I would say that we are introducing Christian disciplines into small
group. Within the meetings that take place are ways to remain fit in financial means, physical and
spiritual health, and challenges to be discussed the following week.
Question two is another example of how my church is pioneering the growth of God’s
kingdom through use of social media and internet platforms. We give those who cannot make it
to the small group, still a way to remain connected when he or she cannot make it to the group.
Our church stays plugged into what the community is doing by finding ways to permeate
campuses and be a presence in the surrounding homes where our groups meet.
Question three is a definite yes to this. Not only are the ones who lead the group equipped
and providing the disciplines needed to keep the group accountable and connected but, the other
side of that coin is there are people who are disciples of the teacher who are ready to lead when
called upon. Kind of like next man or woman up type of mentality.
Question four is a work in progress. There are three churches that our pastor runs so
having the entire congregation beating to the same drum is an ever-constant struggle. Not in the
10 Jeffrey Arnold. The Big Book on Small Groups. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2004. 23.
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sense that it cannot be done but, that there are so many people who come and go. Our church is
not in the clique type of setting at all.
Inward, Upward and Outward
Found in Arnold’s book the “Inward, Upward and Outward”11 examples of small groups
and the way there are some groups who do things one way, while another group does something
different. Sometimes groups do all three ways of being effective for Jesus Christ. For inward
groups, these are the ones who care about the entire group. They encourage and develop the
spiritual giftings that people do to enhance the group, by allowing God to use them in their
giftings. Our church allows people to step up and be used in a variety of ways. People who desire
to be a vessel do need to meet up with our senior pastor though prior to doing so. He wants to
know always who is doing what.
Another way is through upward care. This is shown by deep care and worship to God
through applying what is learned and taught in the Bible. We believe strongly in adhering to what
the word of God commands, instructs and admonishes of us to do. What is said behind the pulpit
is exemplified in our small group settings and felt.
Outward care is a huge importance in our church. We have several missions done
throughout the year overseas and in our community to evangelize and reach the lost. One app
that our pastor uses a lot is periscope. This shows comments where we talk directly to our pastor
and can ask questions about our faith. We look to connect in as many ways as possible. Our
small groups do the same process. When we have new people join the church, we treat them like
family, and help them remain connected.
Conclusion
11 Ibid, 33.
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Our church has a lot of special programs and small groups in place that keep people
connected. One of the specialties that comes down from the pastor to our leadership team is that
even though our church is big, we make sure to let everyone know in the church that you matter.
When there is a family type of setting involved, it really does make a difference. Another great
factor is that we adhere closely to the word of God. People who really need to have help in any
arena of life need to see that we are here for them to provide the help that he or she needs. I
believe whole-heartedly that without the use of small groups in our church and in our
involvement in the community that we would not be as large as we are today. God will continue
to grow and use us for His glory as long as we put Him first and do not deviate from His word.
Bibliography
Arnold, Jeffrey. The Big Book on Small Groups. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2004.
Comiskey, Joel. Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church. Moreno Valley, CA: CCS
Publishing, 2012.
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Dempsey, Rod. Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Small Groups. Lynchburg: Liberty
University Press, 2015. MBS Direct.
