by Pastor Patrick Cho
One of my fondest memories from attending Bible study in college was being a part of small groups. We were a group of about five young men coming together each week to pray for one another and grow in our understanding of God’s Word. I can hardly think of a better way to spend time with other believers. This is true in the church as well where small groups are one of its most helpful ministries. Whenever we have membership classes, I encourage our incoming members to take advantage of our small groups whenever possible.
Perhaps small groups have become such a familiar part of the church’s ministry that we take them for granted without really thinking through the great benefits they provide. Here are some reasons small groups might not be as helpful as they should:
- You treat them more like a right than a privilege. Perhaps your attitude with small groups is to treat it too casually – attending whenever you want, participating whenever you want, but without really making much of a commitment to it. It would be good to remember that each person in your small group is also setting time aside for you, including your small group leader who presumably prepared well for your time together.
- You don’t really know how to utilize that time. Perhaps you signed up for small groups without really knowing what to expect. It is helpful to know what small groups are for and why the church provides them. Once you know the purpose behind small groups, you can attend in a more informed way. Don’t just sign up for small groups because your friends do. Know what you are getting involved in.
- You depend on them too much for your spiritual health. Small groups are a way to help provide spiritual support, but they are not a substitute for the cultivation of your own relationship and walk with the Lord by spending quality time in His Word and in prayer. Small groups are most effective when you come to them spiritually strong, ready to contribute and give rather than only take.
- Your pride is getting in the way. This can manifest itself in a number of ways. Perhaps a fear of man is preventing you from opening up to others or asking for help. Maybe because of a spirit of elitism you don’t feel like others can really contribute to your spiritual growth. The truth is that we all need help. What might be helpful is to take a long, hard look at your own shortcomings and faults and to confess those things to the Lord. Yes, the people in your small group have issues, but so do you.
If you have a good understanding of what small groups are and what they are for, then being part of them can really be a rewarding experience. What are some of the benefits of participating in a small group?
- Small groups provide a close setting in which to develop relationships with other people in the church. Especially as the church grows larger, it is going to become increasingly difficult (even impossible) to develop close relationships with everyone. It may become more difficult to get plugged in and find ways to begin relationships and fellowship with others. Small groups provide a good environment to enjoy these benefits. People in the church have testified frequently that some of their closest relationships were borne out of small groups.
- Small groups allow for concentrated times of fellowship that are centered on spiritual truth. Oftentimes we spend time with other believers but in ways that are not essentially spiritual. We play games, watch movies, or enjoy the outdoors. But the purpose of small groups is to spend time together in a deliberately spiritual way – to pray with one another or study the Bible together. As such, small groups can be used by God to help you grow considerably in the faith.
- Small groups offer members a specific environment to practice the “one anothers” of Scripture. Most of the “one another” commands in Scripture are given in the context of the church, and while they are generally applicable in any context, they certainly should be applied in the church. By being a part of a small group, you are placed in a context conducive to loving one another, serving one another, praying for one another, etc.
- Small groups are a great place to cultivate and identify future leaders of the church. While this is not its primary purpose, because of its emphasis on accountability and spiritual growth, small group is a great place to see if there are any men and women in the church that exhibit spiritual maturity and consistency.
All of these principles are wonderful, but they still do not guarantee that your small group time will be a good one. Much of that depends on the effort you put into small groups. What you put in is likely to be directly proportionate to what you get out of it. How can you make the most of your small group time, and when your small group meets, how can you best make use of that time together? That will be the focus of the next article.