Small groups

In their book, "making small groups work," Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend write:

"[Small groups] are not just culturally relevant for the post-modern world of reality and experienced truth. They are not just a way to be like the 'cool' churches. They are not just for the 'hurting' people. And they are not just an add-on program. They are a valid expression of what the Body of Christ is supposed to be doing on the earth. They are a structured expression of the doctrines of the Church. They are a big part of what the New Testament dictates as preaching and teaching."

For those who are looking for a blueprint of "how to do" small groups, I would suggest to you that one truth is constantly emerging from those churches who "do" small groups well.

There is no one right way to do small groups. To put it even more succinctly, "the only rule in small groups is that there are no rules."

We have oriented and programmed our churches to the extent that when something "new" comes along, we want to sit in rows and learn 10 ways of "how to do small groups."

With such thinking comes a loss of creativity, a failure to accept failure as an option and a stagnation of the life growth process in the body of Christ.

Small groups are not "just" another way of doing ministry, they are the ministry. Relationships, sharing, vulnerability are all words that you can't program.

"Well, tonight we are going to all be vulnerable." Nope, that doesn't work.

Small groups are living organism as in life. As in your family unit.

So many questions.

Yet it's like swimming. The best way to swim (or do anything for that matter) is to jump in. Learn as you go. Be willing to try.

I find that people hide in ministry to avoid relationships, true relationships in the body of Christ.

They hide in ministries, staying so busy "doing" the ministry that they don't have time for friendships.

We must stop hiding in the body of Christ and open ourselves up to ministry and being ministered to.