On Church Groups: Community Groups
At our church, we have two primary group gatherings: Small Groups and Community Groups. These groups go by a variety of names in different churches . . . from flocks, discipleship groups, life groups, home groups, fellowship groups, home Bible studies, etc.
In our church, the larger of the two groups are Community Groups (CG hereafter). Now, as we consider the topic of these types of groups in the local church, at least two key questions arise. Why do churches have such groups? And what are these groups seeking to accomplish?
Let’s address the reason question first.
Why do churches have groups at all?
Why have churches created groups that meet outside of Sunday mornings? Churches have done this because they’ve realized that fellowship and the growth that happens through it cannot be accomplished in one morning. It takes time. Additional group gatherings provide more opportunities to encourage each other in the faith and stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24).
All thirty-plus “one another” commands in the New Testament require meaningful life-on-life interaction. That can’t be accomplished on Sundays alone. We can love each other in one-on-one contexts (e.g., coffee or lunch meetings), but we can also do so in group settings. We need both to effectively live out the reality of our membership in the body of Christ.
For example, the call for older women to model biblical principles to younger women requires a fairly intimate level of fellowship (Titus 2:3-5). But most of the other commands can readily happen in larger settings (e.g., “love one another” – Rom 13:8; “build up one another” – 1 Thess 5:11)
Now, how or where fellowship takes place is not legislated in Scripture. We just know that it must happen. So, churches have long recognized that having formalized groups fosters consistent attendance. Think of it like gym membership. Because you’ve paid for it and the gym is there, you’re more likely to go. Not a perfect analogy, but if a church has formal groups, it’s much easier to attend one and participate in them. You don’t have to engineer all the fellowship or Bible study. The official nature of established groups helps people attend and engage in them.
What do we do in the larger groups?
Depending on the type of group, you’ll focus on different activities. Larger groups tend to be focused on Bible studies or Christian books. They may do sermon review. This is because the sheer number of people makes it difficult for everyone to share sufficiently. And unless you have gender-specific large groups, it can be potentially awkward or inhibiting for people to share openly across the genders.
So, in a larger group, churches have tended to do Bible studies, with fellowship and prayer. Some groups may also have some singing before the study. So, it can become a kind of mini-service or equipping class.
The Bible study may be more one-directional teaching, like a class or sermon, or more interactive like an inductive walk-through of a biblical passage as the teacher asks questions based directly on the text. Either method of study works well. You can even have a combination of the two. And if you’re able to, you can even sing together, which is one of the ways we can teach and admonish one another (Eph 5:19).
Then there’s prayer. A large group setting is perfect for corporate prayer. We grow in our faith in Christ and our love for one another as we exercise our dependence on God together in real-time.
Lastly, there’s fellowship. Some will share a meal before the start of the group. Conversations before and after are great opportunities to encourage each other. And additional outside meetups prompted by seeing each other at CG is another benefit of this gathering. These are some of the many wonderful ways to engage with one another in a CG.
It’s vital to remember that your ministry of presence is priceless. Just being there week after week is not only a sign of faithfulness, but also of your care for the church and your admission that you need the church.
Keys to a good large group experience
There many things we could say under this heading. Here are a few thoughts to help you approach CG well:
It’s a good idea to come ready for the study. Read the material ahead of time. Look over the notes and questions. If you don’t have time for the notes, at least read the text that’s going to be covered. You don’t have to do a deep dive. But don’t be afraid from doing that either! Be ready to listen well, ask questions, and participate as you can.
Participation helps the teacher and momentum of discussion. It’s perfectly fine not to answer every question. Some silence is okay. That way, we give others the opportunity to step up and ask questions and share their insights.
Prime your heart’s pump for prayer before the meeting by praying beforehand. The best corporate prayers are extensions of our private prayers. What we do in public flows out more easily when we’re doing the same in private.
And finally, attend with a heart of love. We should aim to share the love of Christ every time. This will also help visitors sense the reality of Christ through us as well (Jn 13:34).
Conclusion
I hope this gives you further insight into large groups in general and into our community groups in particular. And I pray that this encourages you to be a blessing at your respective group to the glory of God and the good of others.