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> Pitfalls Of Christian Small Groups
Glen
post Dec 15 2006, 04:59 PM
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Many churches build a small group ministry as an extension of the main church worship and religious practices, just because other churches have successful small groups. This is a mistake because small groups have completely different dynamics from the larger Christian fellowship. When the small group ministry is organized top-down, it loses the flexibility that makes small groups attractive and Spiritually successful. The simple need for organization in a large group church requires rigid schedules and lessons that minimize the value of individual people. We'll cover how this large group thinking can generate small group pitfalls, and how to avoid them.

Curriculi-Curricula: One of the worst demands a large group imposes on a small group is "approved curricula." The chief values in smalls groups are flexibility and appreciation of the individual. To rigidly adhere to...

Read complete article!


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Love & Hugs,
Glen


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robk
post Aug 7 2007, 11:35 AM
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I think this article is right on.
I've been in a small group now for about two years and the only
rules we have is what is said in the group stays in the group.
Well one about time. We could spend all day discussing How God is moving
and changing the group. laugh.gif
We as a group have decided that is is ok for the administration to use the group for projects
like say Creating other small groups.
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semi
post Aug 9 2007, 01:39 PM
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I have not been affiliated with a church since about 1986.

We had a study group for 3 years taking turns hosting it in our homes. There was no time limit other than what day of the week and what hour of the day. It could last a little over an hour or 3 hours depending on the mood everyone was in that night.

There were only 3 families involved, no children. Sometimes a wife would not come. For a while we also had a pastor whose church closed its doors. Since it was a small group of friends, it was very flexible. We would start about suppertime and fix something special for the group to eat, then we would discuss Bible issues.

We also intermixed non-Biblical discussions such as how one's week was going, etc. No regimentation whatso-ever. It was educational, fun, and rewarding.

I and many others hate structured get-togethers because we have more than enough of that in day-today life with our jobs and just about everything else done out in the community.

As to church affiliated groups the problem is still the formality of it. A church with 3000 members looks upon a "group" as having more than a hundred participants. I've attended church's whose membership were smaller than such "groups". Why huge churches? I don't know - I think it is the secular mentality - following the pattern set by giant corporations.

It is my observation that the sense of "community" begins dropping off once there are iver 300 people involved. Thus large churches are impersonal and "cold" - business-like. I see more people in the choirs of churches in TV than were in our whole congregation.

Groups affiliated with such large numbers cannot help but be un-inspiring and dismal.

Shalom.
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chowchessie10
post Mar 13 2008, 01:03 PM
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Bible Study works well at our church--

I belong to a small church, about 120 members at most. Some of the members formed a Bible study, and we took several weeks hammering out how it would work. Finally we decided to meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month, and the studies usually went from 7:30p to 9:30. We meet in the homes of participating members. This has really become a blessing, for even though the church is made up of people from all different regional and financial backgrounds, we get to know one another and we can share problems and prayer needs. At first, we had problems deciding what to do for study material. Then I personally began writing the Study lessons (I have a long, in-depth Bible study history) and, before you know it, other members began volunteering to lead and write up the Bible lessons. Right now we are studying I Corinthians, and everyone takes turn leading the lesson. It has been a great blessing for everyone involved. We are all becoming closer, and since more people are in the loop of church news, we know who is ill and who needs help, and those who can provide the help. Not to mention, we are learning a lot about our God!!!! All of us find out things that have never really been obvious before, no matter how often we had heard them. Seeing and learning from another Christian's perspective is great, too, as well as learning about other members' experience in life, spiritually as well as otherwise.

A word of caution--since Bible Studies such as this involve human beings, someone is bound to get upset, sooner or later, which happens when people become closer. But that is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as every member is treated with respect, and every person is treated as worthy. The dust-ups between my pastor and the senior elder of this church has been a running gag for years in the church, and everyone who knows about it is quite amused. The important thing is this: When there is a conflict, acknowledge and validate the rights of each person involved. Most of the trouble begins when the attitude "this person counts; this person doesn't" crops up in the situation. Believe it or not, all the people in the world count to God. That's why He sent His Son to die on the cross. To emphasize this point, read James 2:1-13. That set of scriptures pretty much sums it up!

Bible Studies can be an excellent tool on many levels; just plan them wisely!
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Glen
post Mar 13 2008, 03:08 PM
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Thank you, Chowchessie! Good advice! You're welcome to use any of our Bible study questions as well. On the menu bar above, hover over "Bible Studies," Then click on the one you want to look at.


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Glen


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