PANDEMIC GAME CHANGER: THE POWER OF THE SMALL
Throughout the Bible we see two main regular meetings that the church was built on to help believers grow: the larger service for the word and worship and the small group for relationship and discipleship. The recent pandemic made the latter the center as restrictions on larger in person gatherings took hold. Believers met in smaller settings and were forced to emulate believers in the first century church who met in homes as their primary strategy.
Similar to how an aircraft needs both wings to take flight, I believe the Lord wanted to make emphatically clear that each disciple needs the wing of the weekday small group and not only the wing of the weekend service to maintain an attitude and altitude of faith.
In late 1994, Pearlside Church, the congregation I founded started first with small groups. Under God’s clear leading, we wanted to establish small groups and disciple-making as our uncompromising foundation. We resolved to be a church of small groups and not just a church with small groups. Relational discipleship would be at the center and not relegated to the perimeter.
During the pandemic, our small group participation not only held, but grew as over 60 new groups were added. The foundation set from the start paid off. One of our key pastors reminded our leaders that in the beginning we envisioned building a church that would continue to function even if meeting in larger gatherings would become impossible. By God’s grace, it now appears we not only survived, but we have thrived. While larger services in all of our five locations are back meeting in person and growing, we have determined more than ever that the big will never supplant the small.
That said, here are nine essential reasons why for us, small groups are a must. I hope this can be of help in your personal life and perhaps in the life of your church.
1. Small groups are the way our church is pastored. Each small group leader is covered by a staff pastor and each small group becomes a spiritual family and our most immediate spiritual lifeline. Middle managers called “Coaches” - most of them volunteer lay persons - help with the ongoing training and leadership span of care.
2. Small groups are where we process biblical truth for practical life application. What we don't process we tend not to live out. Studies show that we retain only 10% of what is heard over the pulpit, but 70% of what we discuss in a group. We only activate what we internalize.
3. Small groups are where we learn from one another. The synergy of relational exchange brings enlargement, illumination and a broadening of our understanding in a way like no other.
4. Small groups are where we share love, care, and support while developing encouraging relationships. The Bible teaches that we always grow together, but we never grow alone. Transformation occurs over time because of healthy relational connection. Professional counseling settings have been overwhelmed due to a plethora of people struggling with anxiety, depression and abuse induced or enhanced by pandemic stress. Clinical experts have told me that many of these can actually be healed through church based small group environments that function as circles of trust.
5. Small groups are where we experience regular prayer support for increased spiritual breakthrough and stronger spiritual protection. There is an intimate impartation of God’s presence and power. This involves a genuine transfer of the Holy Spirit’s unique and timely touch. This is vital given the context of ongoing spiritual battle.
6. Small groups are a safer, warmer setting to invite unchurched and formerly churched people to as an entry or re-entry point to faith. People tend to open up as they feel more relaxed. Stressors are defused, and defenses diminish. Over time, seekers become believers, believers become disciples, and disciples become influencers and leaders.
7. Small groups can become a family with whom you can serve both the larger church body and broader community. This is important because we are all wired to make a difference in the lives of others. This happens more easily as we do this with others. The pandemic created a platform for the church to be the church. Groups became ready engines for hosting and driving food banks, blood banks, school device distributions, school supply drop offs, meal provisions to shut ins, mask making, educational tutoring and an expression of appreciation to first responders. There was more, and there will be more in the days to come.
8. Jesus modeled life and ministry through his own small group of 12 and scripture encourages us in principle to do the same. 75% of gospel accounts highlight Jesus changing the world in smaller relational settings whether it was ministering to just one person or a handful. When we realize that there were 72 disciples beyond the 12, perhaps we can surmise that 11 of his original 12 except the traitor Judas affected six to seven others to bring the number to 72. Take that thought further and perhaps those initial 72 discipled Jesus’ other 500 followers. This would make for a ready leadership cadre of 572 leaders who would cover the huge harvest of 3,000 who got saved on the day of Pentecost. A loose indulgent speculation would imply the possibility of 572 small groups covering five people each. Remember, there were no church structures yet large enough to house everyone together for what the western world is used to calling “church.”
9. The early church met in the home and temple: smaller and larger settings. While it was both/and not either/or, churches gathered first and foremost in homes. Temple alcoves allowed for larger settings in the neighborhood of 300 for more corporate gatherings, but even that speaks to today’s focus of planting multiple smaller congregations, a conversation intensified by the pandemic as people lean towards environments conducive to increased relational connection.
From Acts 2:42-47 we see the outcome. The needy were served, miracles broke out, joy and generosity abounded, and the church grew daily. God bestowed divine favor in the face of an oppressive Roman regime. May he do the same today as more than ever we endeavor to do church and be the church his way. If your church is interested in a further conversation or would want help in your journey our Pearlside Church team would love to serve.
