In my discussions with others about organic church, I will sometimes be asked, “Why don’t you guys just have small groups?” It’s a great question. It’s an important question.
For many large churches, small groups are the answer. Church leaders have been honing the small group method for several decades now, and currently there is a section in just about every Christian book store on how to lead small groups, small group curriculum, small group retreats, cooking for small groups, small groups and Bing Crosby: the Christmas album; a veritable small group smorgasbord.
This is awesome. Many people have for many years realized that the “big Sunday event” just won’t do it when it comes to moving people along a path towards deep spiritual maturity. We simply can’t expect one-hour of jam-packed, highly intentional preaching/teaching/worship will stimulate the spiritual growth for the masses for all the other hours of the week. John Wesley was doing small groups back in the 18th century, and prompted the powerful and vibrant early years of the Methodist Church. Yes, we’ve known the power of small groups for a long time.
But what is it about the small group that makes it so alluring and satisfying for the Christian? I’m guessing it is the family that is born through the shared meals, prayers, laughter and tears. The very architecture of our pew-style church buildings (which is rooted in Roman government buildings, many of which were given to the Christians when they became a legal religion) promotes an attitude of “audience” or “spectator”, leaving the original family style “small groups” seen in Acts behind for the pizzaz of a impressive performance. Is it any wonder that our on looking world sees church-going Christians as “spectators” and not practicioners? Is it any wonder that for many people Christians are just “putting on a show” with their faith?
So the small group was born. In the hopes of many mega-church pastors, the small group was going to bring the best of both worlds – impressive, fine-tuned worship on Sunday mornings, and intimate heart-felt fellowship in the evenings. Who could ask for more? Apparently, no one.
Even the best churches find that their small groups still includes only the most committed, and usually the most over-worked Christians at the church. For the vast majority of mega-churches, the small group has become simply another “program” tacked on to an already overextended core church membership. No one would ask for more because for many, just making it to Sunday morning was all they could squeeze into their schedules, and only the very spiritual would dare show up at a small group gathering! While there is meaningful worship times in the morning, and intentional family focused care in the evenings, small groups seemed like the dessert menu only the overeaters wanted to peruse.
So what makes simple churches different than small groups? In a word, its all about life. I realize that there are many churches out there working hard to see their small groups remain vibrant and healthy, and cheers to them! I only question the necessity to work to find that life through a program, when people find life naturally in the midst of life! Small groups still see themselves as secondary to what is actually the REAL church – the activities done the building. This is true! Have you ever been a part of a small group and not a part of the membership of the church? I would guess that you felt pressured to join the “church proper”. Healthy, vibrant, simple churches are not reliant on the “big brother” to sustain them; they are learning to feed themselves spiritually, and more importantly, they are learning to let the Lord feed them!
In other words, the reins are taken off the “small group” when there is no “big group” controlling them. Allow Christians to flourish on their own, and suddenly a surprisingly organic explosion begins to take place! Soon these “small groups” are realizing their giftings from the Spirit. Not long after that they are serving and loving each other, and building each other up to full maturity in Christ. Before you know it, they are raising up leaders, and sending others out to begin a new “small group”. Essentially, simple churches are just what they say they are – they are simply the called-out people of God, without all the exhausting additives and preservatives found in programmatic churches that sustain their life artificially through their “small group ministry”.
I am not ragging on the existence of small groups, because I know how important they are to the lives of the many Christians that are a part of one. But please: don’t fool yourself or others that a “small group ministry” is something Jesus intended when he sat around the table in the upper room of a home to dine with 12 of his best friends who had been on a daily journey with him for the past 3 years.
In my opinion, small groups are the crutches for many Christians who are beginning to believe in themselves. They are slowly getting up off the cot, and wobbling around in community with others and with their Lord. They are piping up in spiritual dialogues, contributing what the Lord has given them to say. These are exciting times, and to be honest, I still have a lot to learn from my brothers off the cot and on the run towards God.
