As the small groups in Wesley Methodist Church begins the Acts2 Campaign this week! Was reminded of a paper that I wrote last year which I was supposed to share with my small group mates and some friends who are interested in this topic. Feel free to share your thoughts on this paper as we partner one another and continue the discussion on how we can build such a vibrant kingdom minded cell group in our respective churches! :)
(My small group God's Clay which was originally formed together when the Wesley Youth Ministry began in 2003... and now 13 years later we have grown with so many new faces.)
(Did some minor revision from the original paper)
(Did some minor revision from the original paper)
IntroductionJohn Wesley, the founder of the modern concept of what we know as Small Groups today, began by introducing this system known as the “class societies” for believers to work out their faith together.[1]Today, the dynamic of small groups have evolved and remains to be the basic building block of the life of many local congregations in the world and in Singapore.
In this paper, I will be referring to the context of my own small group and other small groups in my church. I will also be using the term “small groups”or “cell groups” interchangeably since my church use the term “small group”. However,I will prefer to use the term “cell-groups” instead due to word association to both life and multiplication, which are key essentials to my thesis as I addresses the problems as stated below.
Thesis Statement
I believe a cell group should be Kingdom-mined, which embraces a vibrant discipleship culture where members in the group will live out being that witnessing community in and outside thechurch impacting the world for Christ. This can be done by going back to the biblical basis and relooking the vision, purpose, context, curriculum and mycurrent church model of “Gathering, Nurturing and Flowering” for cell groups before proposing some practical stepsforward.
Section 1- Relook Vision and Purpose of Cell Groups
The first step that we need to do is to address the root problem of cell groups who are losing the core of the gospel, and that is to go back to the core of God’s vision and mission for this world. I believe as we relook to God’s vision, it will realign the vision and purposes of why we even have cell groups in the first place. Karen Tye affirms this explaining how Jesus too had a clear vision and purpose for his ministry from God as described in Luke 4:18-19.[2]We need to be empowered by such a clearness of God’s vision and the “clarity of purpose” as that will empower and shape how Christian Education is done within the cell group.[3]
With that in mind, let us go back to the biblical basis on what is God’s Kingdom vision for us. As we can see from scriptures from the start to the end, God is constantly calling us into a redemptive relationship with the divine communityand to each other.[4] T.S.Eliot affirms this, “There is no life that is not in community. And no community not lived in praise of God.”[5]Elucidating this further, we need to see the broader picture beyond the four walls of the church that this kingdom vision is not just for the concerns of the “souls” of people, but how we are bodily present in creation.[6]Gareth Icenogle have rightly highlighted to us that God’s creation mandate encompasses humanity responsibility to be good stewards of his creation as well.[7]
Having established God’s vision and kingdom purposes for humanity, let us now learn from Jesus’ ministry, which shows us the purpose for the existence of such a group in the first place. It began with the calling of a group to experience that intimate relationship with Jesus, which is a model of “God’s dwelling place on earth.”[8] Such a discipleship group began within the context of their culture and society where they were disciples following and obeying his leading to be like-Christ.[9]This group was an enactment of the divine community where Jesus brought the realm of God into the lives of this people to one another.[10]
The purpose of such a group was also to prepare leaders, where Jesus modeled the art of influence, taking initiative to lead and to be a living example for them to follow.[11] Jesus led this group so that they could be an example to the church that would change the world for Christ.[12]After Jesus ascension, he sent his Holy Spirit to empower and prepare these disciples to lead the early church, where it began to grow and many were added to the church.[13] Since than the church have grown in numbers and multiplied throughout the world.
However,when a church grows bigger, Kirkpatrick observes,that there will be less space for everyone to experience such “openness,acceptance, earth, and personal growth” which can only be experienced in a smaller community.[14] This is where we go back to the concept of how a cell group should be like, it is likea mini church; which allows one to grow in spiritual maturity and fully experience what church life is intended to be. I say "church" here not as a building but as a united body of Christ coming together.[15]In a way it is like experiencing the vibrant life in the fellowship of believers in Acts 2, where members met together in homes, to break bread,worship God, study His Word, share their possession & give to the needy.[16] Maria Harris will agree with this as she shared how educational ministry of the church curriculum should first be based on Acts 2:42, 44-47, embracing the core of the educational ministryof the church: the call of the church to fashion the people of God.[17]
Having that Kingdom vision in mind and knowing the purpose of why we have cell groups in the first place, we now need to cast that vision to the members in our church. We need to paint a picture for them to see how essential being in a cell group is and to know why we gather in a group in the first place. John Stott emphasizes this importance by asserting in his book, "The Living Church",that “Small groups are indispensible for our growth into spiritual maturity."
Having that Kingdom vision in mind and knowing the purpose of why we have cell groups in the first place, we now need to cast that vision to the members in our church. We need to paint a picture for them to see how essential being in a cell group is and to know why we gather in a group in the first place. John Stott emphasizes this importance by asserting in his book, "The Living Church",that “Small groups are indispensible for our growth into spiritual maturity."
At the end of the day, as we relook the vision and purposes of cell groups in my church, I am in full agreement with Scott Boren, who has rightly reminded usof the actual reality, by going back to the Kingdom vision and primary purpose ofwhy a cell group exist in the first place. He profoundly states this,"Instead of doing groups for the sake of experience community, groups experience community for the sake of participating in God's redemption of creation."[18]
Section 2- Relook at the Context and the Content in the Curriculum of the Cell Group Having established the vision and purpose of a cell group, we now need to relook at the context and content in the curriculum that our cell group is at and uses.
I would like to first establish that a group will consists of people of varied walks of life, personalities, social status, different level of spiritual maturity and perhaps God would put some in our midst that will really "sharpen" and test our patience. We cannot have the mindset that we can always be this "holy huddle" who are just of the same spiritual maturity or social status that are comfortable with one another and would only focus inwardly at our own needs every time we meet. That is one of the biggest and likely danger a cell group can fall into, and I believe we need to have an education that brings us to see the wider context and content in our curriculum that will bring the cell group to focus beyond the four-walls of the church in the context of mission and service.[19]
Such an education would incorporate Diakonia as the central focus in its curriculum as that will bring forth the group to be Kingdom-minded.[20]With such a context being place, with the starting point of learning the“compassion” of Jesus, it will transform us to be incarnational who desires toserve and proactively welcome and reach out to the least, the last and the lost into the faith community of the group.[21]With such a “Kingdom-minded” focus, it will bring forth a new vibrant cell life that will inevitably grow and multiply. This is why I prefer the term "cell groups" as it is meant to have life and to multiply to impactothers in this world.
Tye shares of this Kingdom-based approach as follows:
Christian education as a political activity with pilgrims in time that deliberately and intentionally attends with them to the activity of God in our present, to the Story of the Christian faith community, and to the Vision of God’s kingdom.[22]
Such a content will bring about the knowledge of knowing God’s work right where weare, it helps us to recognize the entire Christian story of God’s kingdom vision for us, and how we can be part of God’s restoration of His creation mandate in both scripture and tradition as we embrace and experience this Kingdom reality in our lives.[23]Johnson shares a similar opinon, asserting how such education should bring “believers through the faith community, into God’s realm and to help them to understand and live their lives in the light of thatreality.”[24]
Having established the context and content, I like torefer to Tye’s “core qualities” as a framework to bring about this Kingdom story into the curriculum. She proposes the process of Christian education needsto be experiential, reflective, relational, inclusive and integrative.[25]
Firstly, the curriculum has to be experiential, as it requires the active engagement of members within the cell group. Much knowledge of what we learn can be best internalized when we actually participate and experience what we learn together. We need to experience such fellowship, which demonstrates the “Spirit of grace in action”within the group.[26]James Dunn affirms this shared experience as the “Koinonia of the Spirit”.[27]
Secondly, the curriculum must be reflective as it encourages the members to not only rationalize with their heads, but also use their hearts and emotions.[28]When we reflect on why we serve within the group, we realize we serve because Christ came not to be served, but to serve, and to set an example for us.[29]
Thirdly, the curriculum must be relational, where we acknowledge that every learning endeavor entails a communal learning from one another in our relations with one another.[30]When cell members mutually relate to one another it brings about this attitude to serve and encourage one another, this is where it also creates such mutual-discipleship to take place as well.
Fourthly, the curriculum must be inclusive where we need to conscious consider the involvement of everyone.[31]This aims for the cell group to model out what the church who reflects theworld of the all-inclusive nature of God's love as we reflect the truth of Jesus' prayer that we are indeed all one in God.[32]
Fifthly, the curriculum must be integrative where it has to be comprehended as one unified whole.[33]In reference to Icenogle’s concept of “One-Anothering in Christ”, we learnt how the house church modeled the life Jesus had with his disciples.[34] Here we can learn how he integrate this “one anothering character of mutual ministry” into all aspects of life,which creates an environment for a discipleship culture within the cell group.[35]
Section 3- Relook Model of a Cell Group life with Practical Steps forward
Next, I will be relooking at my church small group ministry model of the life cycle of “Gathering, Nurturing and Flowering” and instead of reinventing the wheel; I will substantiate this modelwith some practical steps forward with what we have discuss earlier. I believe by implementing such an integration, we will be able to form and shape the faith experiences of building a vibrant cell group life that is Kingdom-minded in our churches.[36]
Firstly, this current model of the different stages of environment from Gathering, Nurturing and Flowering is supposedly to be a depiction of a cell group life in my church. This model appears to work logically as a “road-map” of progression in a linear method, but agreeing with what Boren has highlighted, we need to be aware that such predetermined steps and method maybe more fluid than it is since cell groups starts at different places and dynamics differ from groups.[37]We need to be aware that this model is not as linear as it is appears, in fact I believe a healthy cell group should have the goal of having all three environments right at the beginning instead of just a natural progression ofpoint A to B.
Secondly, I need to stress the entire vision and mission of the model of “Growing, Nurturing and Flowering” needs to be embrace by the core team and not just the cell leader alone. The team needs to develop a shared vision of the cell group with the biblical vision and mission purpose as discussed in Section 1, which should be the outflow of the church vision.[38]However, this shared Kingdom vision should not just stay within the core group but translated and amplified to the entire cell group. There should always be a constant developing and equipping of leaders in the process who are “Faithful, Available, Teachable” and “Trustworthy, Submitted, Trained”.[39]
Thirdly, we hope to establish a “Critical mass conviction” of the vision, which comes from the heart of God.[40]Such crucial mass comes when there is enough people who begin to walk in the spirit of unity, and I believe this begins from going back to the biblical structure as learnt from the Upper Room in Acts 2.[41]We should have a practice like the early church, where they began by all joining together in ‘Prayer’, they walked in ‘Unity’, they had ‘Obedience’ in evangelism and lastly the leaders led with ‘Order’.[42]
Having established this I will be sharing some practical steps that we can take forward in this model of “Gathering, Nurturing and Flowering”.
Gathering
Beginning with the first step of the “Gathering” process. I believe when the group gathers together, the cell leaderand core team needs to create an environment in the group with an “open chair” concept, if possible right at the beginning of the first gathering of the cell group.[43]This “open-chair” vision is to invoke a clear picture to the group of the mission of the cell.[44]
The cell leader needs to bring this compelling vision of a “radically inclusive community” and bridge it to the reality of asensible practice to the entire cell group each time they gather.[45]As earlier discussed this vision has to be embrace by everyone in the group where there is a consensus to authentically engage and accommodate the seekers.[46]
Nurturing
The “Nurturing” environment establishes such a discipleship culture, where I believe a small group should start discovering, growing and learning to exercise the different Spiritual giftswithin the group. It should be an environment that has such a culture of honor for one another that allows one to serve one another mutually. An environment where we can experience the manifest presence of God and just allow the Holy Spirit to fill us & empower us to exercise our gifting’s for the common good.
Below are some practical steps a cell group can heed too in the process of relearning the gospel into the rhythms of cell life towards being a Kingdom-minded group:
1) Avoid judging and give space for people to speak and to listen to what God can be speaking through oneanother.
2) Be aware that leading through the preparation phrase may be programmatic but cease any opportunity to nurture the group to this Kingdom-vision.
3) Be realistic, start experiments by finding like minded members first to practice such “missional rythms”.
4) Prepare the entire group to beable to respond to conflicts.
5) Good to have a mentor or pastorto be accountable too.
6) Learn to be relational more than just activity based; start small by just befriending people around by just listening and sharing ones life.[47]
Flowering
The “Flowering” environment is where the small group can be that "Witnessing Community", that can live out the mission of "Missio Dei", God's heart for the people. We are to be intentional about being"missional". We are not only to feed ourselves as part of a Christian life as a community but to reach out to others as well. A group that is generally touched by God will naturally touch others too. Such a Kingdom-minded group needs to be aware of the usage of Christian jargons or inside language to be in their group conversations especially when there are seekers who do not know such language.[48]In fact the cell group should talk about the gospel that seekers can adapt to without learning a new vocabulary.[49]
As the cell group expands and experiences the fruit of their efforts, the group needs to be prepared for cell group multiplication for it to continually be effective in keeping such a vibrant Kingdom-minded group and for relationships to be maintained within the cell.[50]Such a culture of expansion can be targeting different ministry needs in the community, sometimes even starting new churches or focus groups for pre-believers.[51] When such a stage is reached, every member in the group will be discipled, people are coming to Christ, and every individual can live out to be that Kingdom-minded believer that are witnesses for Christ in and outside the church.[52]
Section 4- Cell Group in engagement of events
Having discussed the strategies and framework of a cell group in section 1 to 3, we can further integrate them by intentionally engaging the cell group with events in the church that further amplify such a Kingdom-minded group that has a Diakonia ethos. Charles Foster proposed four types of formative events, paradigmatic,seasonal, occasional and unexpected events that the cell group can engage inwhich form and shape faith experiences.[53]
Firstly, the cell group participating in the Paradigmatic events in the church can further amplify the vision. This is from the premise that the church itself has such a kingdom-minded and discipleship culture, which are emphasized as the identity of the community. An example of such an event is the cell group participation by gathering together for a church anniversary where there is a vision being amplified again of this culture to always look outwards. The cell group can engage such events to emphasize diakonia and develop a culture of servant-hood.[54]
Secondly, the cell groups can participate in Seasonal events, which are events that provide rhythm for the congregation through the liturgical calendar such as Easter or Christmas.[55]Such events may use drama to tell a story, or activities that allow cell groups to participate together and serve in organizing these events.
Thirdly, cell groups can engage in Occasional events for other areas ofministry or service, such as missions and evangelism. For example, cell groups can either be part of organizing trips to get members involved in the mission concerns or social outreaches of the church.[56]It is such mission trips that discipleship can take place more intentionally within the cell group. Especially, the extended period of time spent together, such as mission training prior to the trip, the daily briefing, debriefs, devotions and prayer time together. Such exposures can definitely create a kingdom-minded culture within the group especially when one is directly involved in them.
Lastly, unexpected events are circumstances which interrupt the pattern in the church calendar, this can be ‘teaching moments’ to challenge the cell group to have the heart of service by serving others always and to enable them toproactively serve when an unexpected event happen.[57]For example, in the process of the death of a family member of a cell member,the cell group can initiate to support the bereave family by helping with the necessary funeral arrangements or just being there to support and care for the bereaved family.
In summary, such engagement of events allows platforms for the cell group to participate in, so that they can be empowered, be prepared, and be equipped toserve as they constantly reflect critically of the reminder to be the called into this “transformational activity for God.”[58]
Section 5- Assessment and Evaluation of a CellGroup
At the end of theday, the group needs a “Plumb-line” to continually assess and evaluate the efforts of the group on a regular basis to keep them in check if they are ‘faithful to the gospel call’ of being such a Kingdom-minded cell group.[59]This allows the cell group to make adjustments, to celebrate ‘small-wins’ and also to see the limitations and possibilities.[60]
This process of assessmentand evaluation should involve multiple lenses from varied perspectives.[61]It can be within or outside the cell group; this can be done through the traditional survey method or engagement of conversation with cell members oroutside observers, both on an individual basis and as a group.[62]Tye suggests some questions, which we can consider asking to challenge the cellgroup to think and reflect critically[63]:
1) How well are we helping to nurture life-changing faith, an integrated faith involving both a life-changing faith, an integrated faith, involving both a life-changing relationship with God and a commitment to serving others?”
2) “In what ways and how well are we helping people to live their Christian faith in their daily experiences?”
3) “How adequately doesour education help people learn to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God?”
4) “How well have wehelped people to respond to and live this vision of discipleship?”[64]
At the end of the assessment and evaluation, the cell group should be aware of the findings andto keep them in perspective to the intention and purpose of this wholeassessment and evaluation.[65]These processes are needed to help aid one to be intentional and deliberate tobe faithful to God’s purposes for the group.[66]
Concluding Remarks
Imagine this picture of such a vibrant cell group, if every single member in the group is mutually, loving, discipling, caring, serving,giving, encouraging and ministering to one another. A group that will integrate the gospel in all aspect of their lives, a group that will look out for the least, the last and the lost who bless others along the way. I believe such a group will embrace and fulfill the church small group ministry vision of "Growing groups that bears lasting fruit".[67]This is my ideal picture of what a vibrant Kingdom-minded cell group look like,and I believe is a vision that we can all work towards to as we participate together in God’s kingdom plans for this world!
Imagine this picture of such a vibrant cell group, if every single member in the group is mutually, loving, discipling, caring, serving,giving, encouraging and ministering to one another. A group that will integrate the gospel in all aspect of their lives, a group that will look out for the least, the last and the lost who bless others along the way. I believe such a group will embrace and fulfill the church small group ministry vision of "Growing groups that bears lasting fruit".[67]This is my ideal picture of what a vibrant Kingdom-minded cell group look like,and I believe is a vision that we can all work towards to as we participate together in God’s kingdom plans for this world!
Footnotes
[1] Randy L.Maddox and Theodore Runyon. RethinkingWesley's theology for contemporary Methodism. (Nashville, Tenn.: KingswoodBooks, 1998),123.
[2] Karen B. Tye, Basics of Christian education (St. Louis, Mo.: Chalice Press,2000), 21.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical foundations for small group ministry:an integrative approach, (Downers Grove, Ill.:InterVarsity Press, 1994), 20.
[5] T.S. Eliot, “Chorus from ‘The Rock’,” Complete Poems and Plays (New York:Harcourt and Brace, 1952), 101.
[6] Ibid., 24.
[7] Ibid., 24.
[8] Ibid., 117.
[9] Ibid., 117-120.
[10] Ibid., 117-121.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid., 199.
[13] Acts 2:41(ESV) “So those who receivedhis word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousandsouls.”
[14] ThomasG,Kirkpatrick, Small Groups inthe Church: A Handbook for Creating Community (Bethesda, MD: Alban Institute,1995),17.
[15] Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical foundations for small groupministry: an integrative approach, 309.
[16] Acts 2:42-43 (ESV) “Andthey devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to thebreaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and manywonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”
[17] Maria Harris, Fashion me a people: curriculum in the church (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989), 16-17.
[18] Scott M.Boren, Missional smallgroups: becoming a community that makes a difference in the world (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2010), 23
[19] Karen B. Tye, Basics of Christian education (St. Louis, Mo.:Chalice Press, 2000), 43.
[20] Maria Harris, Fashion Me a People:Curriculum in the Church,146–147.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Karen B. Tye, Basics of Christian education, 54.
[23] Ibid. 53-59.
[24] Susanne Johnson, Christian SpiritualFormation in the Church and Classroom (Nashville: AbingdonPress, 1989), 43.
[25] Karen Tye, Basics of ChristianEducation, 93.
[26] Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical foundations for small groupministry: an integrative approach, 309.
[27] James Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975),259-60.
[28] Karen Tye, Basics of ChristianEducation, 95.
[29] DiakoniaGroup Paper, (Singapore: TTC, 2014), 2.
[30] Ibid.
[31] Karen Tye, Christian Education in theSmall Membership Church (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 141.
[32] DiakoniaGroup Paper, 3.
[33] Karen Tye, Christian Education in theSmall Membership Church,143.
[34] Gareth Weldon Icenogle, Biblical foundations for small group ministry:an integrative approach, 291-292.
[35] Ibid.
[36] Charles R. Foster, EducatingCongregations: The Future of Christian Education(Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press1994), 37-50.
[37] M. Scott, Boren, and DonTillman. Making Cell Groups Work:Navigating the Transformation to a Cell-Based Church, (Houston, Tex: CellGroup Resources, 2003), 98.
[38] M. Scott, Boren, and DonTillman. Making Cell Groups Work:Navigating the Transformation to a Cell-Based Church, 119-125.
[39] Ibid., 240.
[40] Ibid., 326.
[41] Ibid., 332-333.
[42] Ibid.
[43] Bill Donahue, The Seven Deadly Sins of Small GroupMinistry A Troubleshooting Guide for Church Leaders (Zondervan, 2005),129-139.
[44] Ibid., 143.
[45] Ibid.
[46] Ibid.
[47] Scott M.Boren, Missional small groups: becoming a communitythat makes a difference in the world, 53-55.
[48] Ibid., 169-170.
[49] Ibid.
[50] M. Scott, Boren, and DonTillman. Making Cell Groups Work:Navigating the Transformation to a Cell-Based Church, 378-380.
[51] Ibid.
[52] Ibid.
[53] Charles R. Foster, EducatingCongregations: The Future of Christian, 37-50.
[54] DiakoniaGroup Paper, 6.
[55] Charles R. Foster, EducatingCongregations: The Future of Christian Education, 42-47.
[56] DiakoniaGroup Paper, 6.
[57] Ibid.
[58] Charles R. Foster, EducatingCongregations: The Future of Christian Education, 49-50.
[59] Karen Tye, Basics of Christian Education, 106-115.
[60] Ibid.
[61] Ibid.
[62] Ibid.
[63] Ibid.
[64] Ibid.
[65] Ibid.
[66] Ibid.
[67] Wesley SGM. WesleySmall Group Ministry Handbook 2010, (Singapore: Wesley Methodist Church,2010).
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