LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Biblical Foundations Assignment
Submitted to Dr. H. Anthony,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 630– B02
Small Group Ministries
by
April D. Brown
May 30, 2021
Content
Introduction……………………………………………………………………..
Primary Passages……………………………………………………………….
Principles………………………………………………………………………
Church Structure………………………………………………………………
Small Group Structure………………………………………………………….
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………..
iv
Introduction
In his book Biblical Foundations for the Cell Based Church, Joel Comiskey, in chapters
2-4, begins by examining the nature of God. He explains the nature of God as the Trinity and His
plan for people to live in community. Comiskey says this, “God helps us see his presence in
others and to love them like he does. We begin to see how he is molding people and transforming
them into his image. Community, in fact, is the very nature of God.”1 He then goes on in chapters
three and four to discuss how community is the basis for ministry and that the fundamental unit
of community is the family household. Moreover, he delves into the ministry of Jesus and how it
was built on households, “The kingdom Christ inaugurated didn’t depend on ornate buildings or
government structures. It was a spiritual kingdom that entered into the hearts and minds of
families in the house setting.”2
In Rod Dempsey and Dave Early’s book Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying, Small
Groups, in chapters 5-6, the authors explain why small groups are so important in the church and
how Jesus implemented them into His ministry. In chapter five the authors examine the need that
humans have for community with one another, stating, “Christian community is essential to us
because we were created to work together.”3 Moreover, Dempsey and Early explain that by
leading a small group “You are cooperating with the Holy Spirit in God’s divine restoration
plan.”4 In chapter six the authors examine how Jesus used small groups in His ministry. The
authors state, “Involvement in small group life and leadership was a primary spiritual discipline
1 Joel Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church: New Testament Insights for the 21st Century
Church (Moreno, CA: CCS Publishing, 2016), 49.
2 Ibid., 83.
3 Rod Dempsey and Dave Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups (Lynchburg, VA: Liberty
University Press, 2016), 23.
4 Ibid., 24.
1
in the life of Jesus Christ.”5 As Christians it is our duty as commanded by Jesus Himself to “go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” The authors expound on the importance and
impact of leading a small group as well as how critical it is to the lives of Christians in obeying
the commands of Christ in the Great Commission to make disciples of all the nations.
Primary Passages that form a Small Group Ministry
Comiskey begins by saying, “I’ve often taught that the early disciples after Pentecost
naturally developed house groups because of Jethro’s advice to Moses to establish groups of ten
(Exodus 18).”6 On Comiskey’s website, he addresses several passages that are pertinent to small
groups ministries. Comiskey tells us that 1 Timothy 2:3-5, and II Peter 3:9 “manifest God´s will
for an unsaved world.”7 And that in 1 Corinthians 3:9 “Paul tells us that we are God´s fellow
workers; we are God´s building.”8 Moreover, in Dempsey and Early’s book the authors say this,
“He emphasized that no single part could survive on its own. Every part relies on the others. In 1
Corinthians 12:21 he wrote, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head
cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’” We are the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23), and as
such every part of the body is important to the proper functioning of the whole body.”9
Principles that are Derived from the Passages
5 Ibid., 26.
6 Joel Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church: New Testament Insights for the 21st Century
Church (Moreno, CA: CCS Publishing, 2016), 83.
7 “CELL GROUP DESIGN AND EVANGELISM/CHURCH GROWTH,” Joel Comiskey Group, accessed May 30, 2021,
https://joelcomiskeygroup.com/en/resources/phd_tutorials/en_churchgrowthcellministry/.
8 Ibid.,
9 Dempsey and Early, 23.
2
These passages tell us that God did not ever intend for us to do life alone but moreover, He
intended for the church to derive from small groups that grow into more small groups that will
reach All of His people to the ends of the earth. It is imperative that we live in community with
one another “Iron sharpens iron, as one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17).10 Small groups
bring us together in Christian community and allow us to “24…… stir up one another to love and
good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). When we meet
together in small groups, we not only build one another up but we advance the Kingdom of God
through a Christian community. Comiskey explains the Homogenous Unit Principle as defined
by the Lausanne Committee, “A people is a sufficiently large sociological grouping of
individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity for one another.”11 The common
affinity we share as followers of Christ is the Great Commission. We all have a common
purpose, which is to share the Good News of Christ Jesus.
Church Structure
According to the week two lecture notes, my church is considered an “Is” small groups:
organic structure. We are a large church however we celebrate having smaller churches within
our larger church body. There is a great focus and emphasis placed on small groups within our
church, it is how we do life together. Pastor consistently preaches on being the church outside of
the church walls. He has a true heart for evangelism and to see the lost saved. Our church is
involved in many outreach missions, including a VIP ministry which picks up our homeless
community every Sunday morning, bringing them to the church where they are able to take a
10 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced employ the English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway, 2008).
11 “CELL GROUP DESIGN AND EVANGELISM/CHURCH GROWTH,” Joel Comiskey Group, accessed May 30, 2021,
https://joelcomiskeygroup.com/en/resources/phd_tutorials/en_churchgrowthcellministry/.
3
shower, get clean clothes, a hot meal, a lunch to take with them, and a message from the Lord.
Additionally, we have Adopt-a-Block where we go into impoverished community’s every week
with our food truck. We spend time with them sharing the Good News of Jesus with them, give
them groceries and just pour into them by showing them love and letting the light of Jesus shine
through us. We also have our Shine a Light ministry, which is to help those who are involved in
human trafficking situations, break free from those situations, we help them with safe shelter and
coordinate relocation as well as other resources for them. These out reaches are just to name a
few, our church is very community driven and operates on an “inside out” structure, which
“focuses on quality and plans on quantity.”12
Small Group Structure
At Calvary Christian Center, “we are groups”13 Our Sr. Pastor is involved in small groups
and encourages growth. Anyone who goes through a small group is encouraged to go through
small group leader training so they may lead a small group for themselves and build disciples
who will go on to lead their own small groups, building more disciples. Through this “we are
small groups” environment many other campuses have been planted but also new leaders
continue to emerge, going on to build their own ministries, ultimately advancing the Kingdom of
God. Dempsey and Early quote Bill Hull, saying, ““The small group is the most strategic training
environment used by Christ to make the kind of disciples that glorify God.”14
Conclusion
12 Week 2 Lecture Notes, DSMN 630 Liberty University, accessed May 30, 2021, Lecture Notes WithOfIs
Chart.docx: DSMN630: Small Group Ministries (B02) (liberty.edu).
13 Ibid.,
14 Dempsey and Early, 27.
4
The afore mentioned authors explain the importance of small groups in churches.
Comiskey outlines the different “with”, “of”, and “is” small group and church structures, while
Dempsey and Early explain how small groups were an important part of Jesus’ ministry as he
built house churches. There are several passages that were named by Comiskey that pertain to
small groups and the principles that derive from those passages such as the Homogenous Unit
Principle.
Moreover, this writer considered the small groups and church structures listed in the
week two lecture notes, concluding that her church, Calvary Christian Center operates as an “Is”
small groups: organic structure. Calvary is a community and missions driven church who focuses
on reaching the lost. Small groups are an integral part of Calvary’s DNA. Calvary cultivates an
environment for disciple making through small groups were each ad every one of us can dive in
to being, leading and training disciples.
5
Bibliography
Comiskey, Joel., Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church: New Testament Insights for
the 21st Century Church (Moreno, CA: CCS Publishing, 2016).
“CELL GROUP DESIGN AND EVANGELISM/CHURCH GROWTH,” Joel Comiskey Group,
accessed May 30, 2021,
https://joelcomiskeygroup.com/en/resources/phd_tutorials/en_churchgrowthcellministry/.
Dempsey, Rod., and Dave Earley, Leading Healthy Growing Multiplying Small Groups
(Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University Press, 2016.
Week 2 Lecture Notes, DSMN 630 Liberty University, accessed May 30, 2021, Lecture Notes
WithOfIs Chart.docx: DSMN630: Small Group Ministries (B02) (liberty.edu).
6
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
