(NB- small groups is just the term I'm using as its probably the term the most people are familiar with- as its what we call them in CU- however the information can be applied to any bible study based groups, small groups/cell groups/life groups/harvest groups/home groups e.c.t, (sorry if I forgot some I'm not perfect) though all small groups are different they still have that kind of core of getting together for fellowship and to study God's word)
I've pretty much been involved with small groups in one sense or another since I've become a Christian. Upon returning to secondary school after being saved over the summer, my new group of friends invited me to join their cell group, 6 months later, I was asked to join the leadership team which I was involved with for around a year and a half before stepping down as a leader (though I still attended) to concentrate on my A-levels to my 'youth' life group in my church before coming to univisity, and one of the first things that got me excited about CU was the fact there was small groups!! The entire idea of a group of friend getting together to hang out, study the bible, eat some food and have a time of fun and fellowship, just sums up what I love about being a Christian, and is something that I feel (and I hope other agree and I'm not just deluded) I'm both Gifted and Passionate about.
Small groups are a huge part of my life, and I owe so much to the people I've been involved with them in, to The cell group in hadfield (a part of Glossop) to giving me the first chance to lead, to Hannah and Gabriel who were the storhs small group leaders when I was there, and were an encouragement, inspirational and taught me so much (if i could be half the small group leaders that were I'd be happy) , to Heather and Katie, who have been 2 of the greatest people I've had the honor of leading along side, and I couldn't (or couldn't of been) the small group leader I've become with out them! and some of the funnest/most vivid memories have been small group related (weather it was bex W shouting "BIBLE, DAN" out of a room after I some how mannaged to forget my huge TNIV study bible, to the pub after my first committee anouncement when I relised I was just a fresher and I had the role to lead some of the people I looked up to, respected, and in some ways 'feared' in my entire time at CU, introducing my self as heather, the very first town small group I lead, to me snoozing for an entire hour and missing the 2nd slobs after I took over to Andrea running around silently screaming after there was a spider down her top in the middle of a slobs prayer session, to my 'meant to live ring tone going off during prayer (which has Bex W in stitches to this day supposedly) to me calling Heather "my ex" and many other things which take to long to mension but I've enjoyed and have all been part of the small group experance- but anyway less on the introduction (yes all that was just the intro) and on with the blog
first point- small group leaders are probibly not biblical experts, and the members don't have to be!
Well I hope not at least, cos if thats the case I need to step down, cos I'm certainly not. This isn't to say that you could be a small group leader and not know the basics, but you don't need to be able to name all the old testerment kings, there wives and how each of the 12 disciples died and the ability to explain predestination in 20 seconds. In fact in the 5 small groups I've been involved in, one 1 set leaders (to my knollage) had been to bible collage or anything similar (considering he was also the associate minister in my church back home). so definatly thats not needed. but thats one of the things I love about small groups, no matter if your a new Christian or someone who knows the bible back to front and can recite all the books in it backwards and forwards, everyone has a view on what the bible is saying (hopefully) which leads nicely on to my next point
The more you put in to small groups- the more you get out!
Well thats my experienced at least, the more you input the better, yes I'm sure there are times when you can just come in and listen to what people have to say, but the best bit of small groups in my opinion is the fact that everyone can get involved. no other part of Christian life really gives you as much chance to say what you think, what your struggling with, what you think of that bit of passage, what you need prayer for. no other part of Christian life in my opinion allows, or in someways demands so much involvement (the people who tend to coast in small groups tend to be people who don't get as much out of them) as the group is so small its a great way especially for new or nervous Christians to get involved, hopefully with out the fear of being rebuked and hopefully can be an encouraging and benifical to the people involved.
Small groups can be a stepping stone to bigger things
With out small groups I couldn't of done half the stuff I'd done in CU which in turn I'm stepping up hopefully to Church level. With out the worship we did as part of the small group when I was a new Christian I don't think I'd of developed the confidence to worship as loudly and as passionately as I do, without small groups and the disciplining I've revised thought that, I don't think I could be a disciple, a encourage and a mentor to others, without the chance to pray out in a small group I don't think I could of ever been able to pray out at CU meetings. small groups have given me a chance to lead and has allowed me to 'learn on the job' and to lead while still having that person over me to go to when things don't go to plan and has allowed me to be involved with people and enabling them.
small groups are a great time to try out gifts and skills, that develop as part of Christian life, and the more comfortable you are in using the gifts you have the stronger they become and the more confidant in using them you are.
Small groups work best when working as a team
As I said above I couldn't of lead with any of the small groups I've lead with out the people I lead with, weather it was part of a team of 4 at the cell group in hadfield, weather it was turning to heather when I needed a someone to help a discussion along when it either had come to a halt, or had got side tracked, or weather it was just helping Katie encourage the Ashenhurst bunch and channel there enthusiasm (and plus KG is awesome at organizing stuff something I fail at!) which allows me to bring my own strengths to the small group, my experience, my biblical knollage (though I'm learning just as much as everyone else!) and my pastoral skills, and my passion and enthusiasm, and ability to get 'stuck in and do the job needing doing' (but enough of me 'being big headed').
If small groups don't work together, then they just don't work, I'm not saying you have to agree on everything, but if your not going the same direction then they don't work, and I've heard stories in my time as a leader of bad stuff happening in a cell group (and in my group at home almost saw the group split over something tiny and insignificant). with small groups being (for lack of a better word) so small, every person is needed to bring the gifts they have, especialy on evangelistic nights, and when everyone doesn't pitch in and get involved they tend to be the ones that don't work.
so I hope this is usefull to people, gives an insite in to what small groups mean to me and hopefully inspire you to get more involved with small groups- at the end of the day every person in the small group is needed, and I'm no more imporant than any other member of the small group- a good small group leader just makes sure a discussion stays on track and gives the other members the chance to have their say, and encourages them to do that, so get involved- and if you have any questions or comments or pointers please do say
so on that bomb show keep on rocking
God bless
Dan Brown
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