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SMALL GROUPS
Why do small groups exist?
Small Groups exist to bond together people in loving relationships, relationships between each other, others and Christ. To grow together in Christ likeness for the purpose of developing spiritually mature people who will live to glorify God forever!
This all sounds great but how do we do this?
Let us break it down to better understand it…
1. The Aim: To become more like Christ.
The church does not only exist to get all Christians to meet
together, God also calls us to become more like Him in word
and in deed.
2. The Plan: Small Groups
Small Groups provide a safe and nurturing environment where
Life change can happen. It also makes it easier to build more
personal relationships with people. This is a place where the
love of Christ can be felt and experienced.
3. The Example: The person leading the small group
The one who leads the small group needs to be at a place
where they are spending time with God and growing in their
relationship with Him. They will be the one’s who help the
people in their groups to grow in their relationships with God
and others. They will need to be willing to give of their time
and energy. They are to be Christ to the others.
4. The Goal: To Grow
The point of these small groups is to grow. They will always
be open to anyone and everyone who wishes to join and better
their relationship with Jesus Christ and to become more like
Him. It is a good tool for evangelism!
5. The Tool: Worship
When I say worship I am not just speaking about music, I am
speaking about all things that can be used to Glorify God.
Thus God must be the centre of all things, without Him all
things will be useless. There must be some kind of activity
that takes place when the group meets where they focus on
God and what He has called them to share. This needs to be
shared in a fun and exciting way.
Ultimately we are trying to create Disciples of Jesus Christ just as He did while He was on earth!
Jesus chose 12 Disciples to follow Him, to become more like Him and to carry on sharing the good news of the gospel even once He has gone.
We are trying to get people to have the same relationship with Jesus as his disciples did, thus the leader needs to be spending time with Him and themselves becoming more like Him, then he or she needs to be training the people in his/her group to become disciples too!
Who can be a Small Group leader?
No one is perfect and no matter how hard we try we never will be, but the point is that we keep on trying! A small group leader needs to be someone who loves Jesus with all their heart and who has a desire to see others come to know Jesus and to Grow closer to Him and become more like Him.
A small group leader needs to have given their life to God, repented of all their sins and trying to live their life in His will.
They need to be spending time with God through prayer and reading His word and any way in which they are filled by Him.
They need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading and be filled by Him. They need to know their spiritual gifts and be using them or discovering them. They need to love unconditionally and be able to persevere when times get really tough!
The small group leader will need to bear fruit in their own lives. They will need to be an example at all times not only at their small group. They will need to watch over and care for their flock.
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