The Small Group

Small group ministry has been an integral part of Methodism since the days of John Wesley.  One of the ministry opportunties I came to embrace in the second half of my ministry was Disciple Bible Study.  It was a systemmatic study of the whole Bible that stretched out over nine months.  Weekly the twelve members of the group met with the basis for the gathering being the Scripture read at home during the week.  Of all the programs in which I was involved in the years of ministry, this small group ministry was the most life changing.    

It was a gathering that brought to mind the small groups Wesley called bands and societies. Small groups would meet for Bible study and prayer and in many cases those who met also made themselves accountable to the other members of the group as they gave permission to each other to ask personal questions about their spiritual lives.  At its core it was a group focused on spiritual nurture.  The Disciple Bible Study was one of the means at my disposal to provide such a moment for a small group of people each year.    

The church needs such groups.  While worship is important, there is a need for those who gather in the pews to gather in smaller group settings for the spiritual nurture that cannot be provided just by being present on Sunday morning.  A church that does worship well may be an attractive option for the people who live in the community, but it is also possible for a church to become so large on Sunday morning that no one really knows anyone else and the dimension of spiritual nurture is more like a side order on a menu than the main entree.  John Wesley had it right when he encouraged those who heard his preaching to join a small group and the church folk of our day regardless of their denomination are in a stornger spiritual place through involvement in a small group focused on Bible study, prayer, and personal accountability.