Why Small Groups May Be the Wave of the Future: Introduction

Pastor Pete Beck III • June 30, 2020

The church began on Pentecost around 2000 years ago in an upper room where disciples had gathered for prayer as they waited for what Jesus called the promise of the Father. The Holy Spirit was poured out on that group of people, initiating a world-wide discipleship movement that is still going. They had no formal training, structure, or facilities of their own; yet, they were incredibly effective.

Could it be that God is restoring the church to his original model?

Genesis relates the account of the tower of Babel, which was constructed by a group of people who wished to make a name for themselves and avoid being scattered over the face of the earth. (Genesis 11:4) Human beings habitually seek what makes them feel good about themselves, often in contradiction to God’s clear commands. Jesus commissioned the church to go and make disciples, not to settle for congregating in the same place indefinitely and build grand facilities.

The church has been lured by the Babel principle away from the the main thing, which is the pursuit of the Great Commission. Could it be that God is introducing corrective measures to prepare his church to be effective during the pressures and persecutions of the last days?

Despite our Lord’s clear command, the church in Jerusalem stayed put, growing ever larger, UNTIL persecution arrived. Then the disciples were scattered all over the place, taking the gospel with them, which was an indirect route to arrive at obedience to the Great Commission. It took persecution to propel the church out of its comfort zone into the world. Nothing much has changed. I believe persecution is headed our way. Can you hear the wolves howling in the distance?

Due to restrictive measures taken due to fears of the coronavirus, many individuals have been reexamining the effectiveness of how we do church. Many are hungering for the fellowship, person-to-person ministry, and reality that comes via the small group. By God’s grace, our leadership thought through how structure must conform to mission years ago, which means we are already in a mode that can survive and thrive during lock downs and persecution, should we be forced to go underground.

In the next few articles, I plan to share some of the things we have learned along the way, in the hope that it can help others who may find themselves choosing to adopt a similar model. May the Lord help us all to fully follow him as the Last Days unfold before our eyes.

Kingdom Teamwork

By Pete Beck III • February 10, 2025
Following Christ is not a spectator sport. Each of us has a role to play and a job to do.

How to Escape from the Prison of Bitterness

By Pete Beck III • December 18, 2024
Bitterness imprisons its victims and subjects them to demonic harassment, a version of self-inflicted torture.

What do we do when we are unsure of our next move?

By Pete Beck III • December 17, 2024
One of the most difficult and challenging times is when we are not sure of what to do next.

How Do We Align Ourselves with God's Purposes?

By Pete Beck III • December 13, 2024
When the gospel accomplishes its purpose in us, it brings glory to our Lord and a sense of peace and contentment to us, while it furthers the advance of God’s kingdom.

How Do I Know If I Am Called By God?

By Pete Beck III • December 12, 2024
Our heavenly Father has great interest in our lives and shows his children what he wants us to do.

How Can I Transition from Spectating at Church to Being a Player?

By Pete Beck III • December 3, 2024
Christianity is not a spectator sport. The Reformation renewed some very important truths of the faith that had been lost over time, one of which is the priesthood of the believer . This doctrine means that in the New Covenant there is no clergy-laity distinction. Everyone is called to ministry. All followers of Christ are called, equipped, and expected to partner with the Holy Spirit in the adventure of using their spiritual gifts, time, energy, finances – everything – to fish for people and encourage them to become followers of Christ and fishers of men in their own right. Every football and basketball season an interesting phenomenon takes place. People personally identify with their favorite teams. When their team is doing well, they feel good about themselves and become enthusiastic, vocal, and visible fans. What is so intriguing is that many of us think that we somehow acquire greater worth and prestige, if our team excels and does better than the other teams. It is almost as if we were the ones who are competing. All big sporting events are filled with such fans who get satisfaction out of watching others play the game. So it is with many people who attend churches. We all know that playing and spectating are vastly different. When we spectate, we can imagine ourselves making better decisions and better plays than the players on the court or the field, but the reality is that we are not playing. Jesus has invited his followers actually to participate in the greatest adventure of being his Spirit-filled and empowered representatives. Unfortunately most of us who call ourselves Christians are merely spectating fans. We may agree with the concept of being involved in the Great Commission, but we have fallen into the trap of being passive, sitting on the sidelines, hoping that someone else will lead our family member, neighbor, or friend to Christ and teach them how to follow him fully. Many Christians think that evangelism is inviting someone to church, where they will hear the preacher talk about Christ. We do not see ourselves as the one who can best share the gospel with them. However, the truth of the matter is that we cannot transfer our responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission to someone else. God does not give us the option of merely being fans or spectators. God asks us to be players – disciples and disciple makers. Not everyone is equally gifted in this area, but we are all asked to participate. Some may win thousands to Christ, while others may help only a few become followers of the Master over a lifetime. Sadly, a great number of those who call themselves Christians have never led even one person to faith in Christ. In some cases they have given up trying. This ought not be. Could this be because we do not even talk about Jesus in a serious way with anyone outside of church meetings? Suggestions Ask God to forgive us for succumbing to laziness, fear, and the spirit of the age that tells us to keep our faith to ourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir in us the fire of enthusiasm for Jesus and the Gospel. Ask him to give us a love for those who live around you who do not yet know Christ. Familiarize ourselves with the Gospel. (I recommend The King Jesus Gospel by McKnight. You can read my summary by clicking here or you may wish to read my articles on the subject .) Pray for opportunities to speak meaningfully to people. Make it a priority to get to know the people in your neighborhood, at work, at the gym, at school, and wherever you have the opportunity to connect. As we spend time in conversation, we will begin to see how Jesus and the Gospel can help them. Our care for them may give us a platform from which to speak about Jesus to them. Visit people and have them over to our homes. The more time we spend with people, the greater the opportunity we provide for the Holy Spirit to work in the relationships. Offer to pray for people on the spot when a genuine need for God’s help surfaces. Join a group (or start one) whose focus is fishing for people and making disciples. In many cases this will be what some call a “missional” church, as opposed to an event-oriented spectator church. We need to be encouraged in the work of the Great Commission because, although it is rewarding, it can be difficult and discouraging at times. Never, never, never, never give up. Our heavenly reward will be great!
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