The early Christian Church originated with people gathering in small groups. They were
meeting in people's homes, breaking bread together, offering hope and mutual support to each
other. That aspect of communal caring was essential in spreading their faith. In Acts the Bible
tells us we need to be in relationships for our personal and spiritual growth. As Paul and the early
Christians taught and received teaching "from house to house", we too must respond in our walk
with Christ in each other’s homes (Acts 5:42; 20:20).1 The Church is to be full of people that
spend time together, learn together, and do whatever it takes to ensure everyone has what they
need. Small groups are where this happens. One of the primary places where growth occurs
today for Christians is within small groups, where learners gather together to learn about and
practice the teachings of Jesus. As Rod Dempsey points out, “Healthy small groups are the best
place to develop Christ followers as evidenced by the fact that Jesus Himself used a small group
to develop the first group of world changers”.2 By discussing and applying Scripture together,
members can learn to understand not only the Bible, but also each other, so that each will know
better how to love the other. Small groups foster discipleship which, in turn, brings glory to God.
According to Dempsey, “For a Christian…the reason to develop as a disciple and the reason to
develop other disciples is ultimately to bring as much glory to God as possible with one’s life”.3
I believe that our life was intended to be lived in community with others. God wired us
for community. In my opinion, the purpose of small groups should be to make and develop
disciples of Jesus. A small group should be a place where people can learn how to love God with
passion and faith. We need people who are willing to get to know us personally so they can help
us walk with Christ more faithfully (Acts 18:24–26). I also think that when small group leaders
1 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Bible (La
Habra, CA: Lockman Foundation, 1995).
2 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey, Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Small Groups, (Lynchburg: Liberty
Press, 2015), 9.
3 Ibid., 17.
cultivate an environment of openness and trust, group members are encouraged to ask questions
they might not ask elsewhere. This aspect of small groups has been very beneficial for me in my
growth as a Christian. Most corporate worship services do not offer the opportunity to ask
questions, so I feel this is an important reason for small groups to exist. I think that the format
and structure for small groups do not ultimately matter as long as people are growing spiritually,
receiving support, and reaching out to others.
Word Count (434)
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
