Growing The Church Through Small Groups

Growing The Church Through Small Groups
Mountain View Presbyterian Church

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	Sidebars: One Example Of How Small Groups Help Care For People In The Church

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Issue #49 January/February 1989

5115-100th St. NE, Marysville, WA 98270, (206) 659-7777

Pastor: Randy Young

The Value of Small Groups In Our Church: "I believe God has created people to be very social creatures. We need relationships. Every person wants to know other people and also to be known . . . wants to love and be loved. I believe small group ministry is one of the best ways for the church to help meet this God-given need.

"Small groups benefit the church. They also benefit the pastor, because as people begin to assume responsibility for ministering one to another, it reduces pressure on the pastor to try to meet all the needs. They help develop what the New Testament describes as ‘one anotherness' . . .they help people feel more connected."

A Snapshot View:

• Sunday worship attendance: About 170

• Church growth: "People used to visit our church, but not stay. Since we began our small group ministry our visitors have begun to stay. And our worship attendance is up twenty percent over a year ago. We hadn't experienced that kind of growth, not even close to it, in the years before. I can't say for a fact that this growth has been due to our small groups. But I'm beginning to think so. We worship with the same patterns and style; the church leadership structure and organization is the same; the only thing that is really different is the addition of our koininia groups. I think because of them we are doing a better job of reaching out to new people . . .of showing warmth and caring."

• People involved in small groups: 35-50

• Names for small groups: Koininia groups

• Average number of people per group: Eight to ten.

• Frequency of group meetings: Weekly. "I think it is very important to meet weekly. If you only meet every other week and then miss one time, it means you haven't met for almost a month. That is not the best way to help build community or relationships, which is one of our most important goals."

• Study materials used: "We take the text of my Sunday sermon and use it as the context for our study guides. I give the text and the theme to a woman in our church who is very interested in small group ministry. She then develops the study guide. I'll preach on Sunday morning—that's the ‘first word'—then the koininia groups make it the ‘personal word.'"

• Small group evangelism: "We are witnesses by being faithful, using the image of Acts 2, in which the early Church worshiped in the Temple together, broke bread together, called attention to the apostles' teaching together, and prayed together. In the end, the Bible says God added to their numbers. We believe that in being faithful and exercising authentic koininia, God is going to add to our numbers."

Mistakes We've Made: "I wish we had prepared a manual for the leaders a bit earlier than we did. Looking back, I feel like I did not provide enough support for our leaders. They were left on their own too much. I would recommend that others do everything possible to equip and train their small group leaders early."

"Now we have a manual, a loose-leaf binder, which covers a variety of very helpful, practical things of value to our small group leaders. It outlines our philosophy, our goals, and our purpose. It talks about what it means to lead a koininia group; how to lead prayer; how to be sensitive to and discerning with people; and how to ask good questions in the group."