Small Groups

Small Groups “He established twelve”. (Mark 3:14)

What is a Small Group? 

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A small group is where there is faceto-face interaction; meaning, each person can communicate with the others without an intermediary. It is a group of mutual communication based on friendship and the companionship of the other people.

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According to Kart Lewin (1936), interdependence is the essential element of Small Groups.

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For Marvin E. Shaw (1949), small groups are defined as “two or more persons who interact mutually to such a degree that each person influences the others and is influenced by the others”.

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For the SDA Church the small group is the minimum expression of its organization (Ex. 18:25) The number of its members is defined by the word small (Ex. 18:25 and Mark 3:14). They are grouped, following geographic criteria or by affinity.

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There are three reasons for its organization: To Nurture (feed), Train and Send (Mark 3:14). The Small Groups of the SDA Church are the places to take care of the Christian growth of each member. Small groups are organized for the fulfillment of the Mission of the church.

How many members should be in a Small Group? “And Moses chose able men…and made them heads over…tens. (Ex. 18.25).  “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve.” (Mark 3:13, 14) 

FLEXIBILITY

How many members…

• • 3. 4. 5.

How many members… Specialists identify three types of groups: Large Group (40 or more) Median Group (15 to 40) Small Group (3 to 12)

How to Organize a SG

1 Form an organizing committee of the Small Groups from the local church (Pastor, Elder, Personal Ministries Director, SG Leader)

How to Organize…

2 Form a Small Group from the local church. SG leaders of the local church led by the pastor o the Personal Ministries Director.

How to organize…

3 Give each SG Leader the list of members he/she will visit, to invite them to join the Small Group.

How to organize…

4 Organize the Small Group with the participation of all members. Decide on: The name, time and meeting place of the SG; Objectives and Goals, Regulations and Roles of the SG members.

How to organize…

5 Present the SGs to the church and set them apart for the duties of the Small Groups. This ceremony should take place only after complying with points 3 and 4.

How to organize…

6 Initiate the official activities. Keep in mind the three objectives of the SG: Nurture, Train and Send.

Purpose of Small Groups Mark 3:14 Three very important elements are found in this passage as the reasons to establish Small Groups: 2. To be with Jesus: To strengthen Christian growth. 3. To send them to preach: Training— Commission

Purpose of Small Groups

These reasons are centered on the disciples (baptized church members). These are the ones who need to be with Jesus, to be trained for witnessing and to go out to fulfill the divine commission: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20).

Purpose of Small Groups

The Small Group is the place par excellence where each baptized member receives spiritual attention from the church. It is there that he/she grows spiritually, learns how to witness for Christ and from there goes out to fulfill the mission.

Purpose of Small Groups “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14).

Purpose of Small Groups 

To Nurture Provide each member the nutrients needed for his/her spiritual development.

Purpose of Small Groups 

To Train Provide each member with the necessary tools to efficiently fulfill the mission of Christ. (Plant, develop and reap)

Purpose of Small Groups 

To Send To give each member the opportunity to testify of God’s love among his/her relatives, friends, neighbors and others.

Roles of the members of the SG 

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SG Leader: Is responsible for the group, indicates the North of the group, is the pastor of the group and guides its members in the fulfillment of the mission of Christ. Evangelism Coordinator: Ensures that each member is assigned his missionary territory and takes care of it weekly.

Roles of the members of the SG 

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Retention Coordinator: Takes care of the Christian growth of each SG member Missionary Partners: Care for his/her missionary partner and supports him/her in the missionary work in his/her territory. Small Group Secretary: In charge of SG’s record.

Small Group Meeting The weekly SG meeting is the best means of the church to train each of its members.

Small Group Meeting Weekly SG meeting: b. Worship c. Intercessory prayer d. Nurture and training e. Send out to preach

Small Group Meeting Satisfying the essential needs of discipleship:  The Need to Live (physical): Food, Housing, Clothing and work.  The Need to Learn: (Intellectual):  Reading, Training, etc.  The Need to Love: (Social): Good human relations  The need to Worship (Spiritual): Devotional, Prayer, Church attendance, Missionary Work, Tithe and Offerings.

Goals of the Small Group “Go ye therefore, and teach al nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19).

Make each Small Group member a competent disciple.

Goals of the Small Group 

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That each SG member takes care of four Bible students permanently. For every SG member, baptize two new disciples..

Goals of the Small Group 

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Organize a basic-level Small Group each semester. Prepare a SG leader every semester. That each SG member be part of the Sabbath School and have all its devotional materials.

Small Groups according to Exodus 18: 13-26

Continuation of SG according to Exodus 

Moses cared for the people from morning till evening.

Jethro, his father in law, questioned this form of leadership: “Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning until even?...the thing that thou doest is not good.” 

Continuation of SG according to Exodus 

Jethro explains why the way he is attending to the people is wrong: “Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.”

Continuation of SG according to Exodus 

Jethro encourages Moses to organize Small Groups of tens: “…thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of…tens…So it shall be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.”

Cont. of SG according to Exodus 

Moses listens to the voice of God and organizes Small Groups of Ten: “So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he said.”

Small Groups according to Matthew 9:35-10:4

Cont. SG according to Matthew…. 

Jesus went about Galilee visiting and taking care of all the churches and congregations. “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching…preaching… and healing.”

SG according to Matthew continues 

Jesus saw the helpless, scattered and needy multitudes, and the need of leaders to guide them: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

SG according to Matthew continues 

Jesus recognizes that the task is very great to do it alone: “…The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.”

SG according to Matthew continues •

3. 4. 5. 6.

Jesus establishes His Small Group of Twelve: He prays for the leaders He makes a personal call He organizes the school for leaders Establishes the TWELVE.

HISTORY OF THE SMALL GROUP

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The Sabbath School class Has been present from the very beginning of the work. These are Small Groups that meet in the church every week to study the Bible and promote witnessing.

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Evangelizing Units These started in the second half of the 70s. They are small groups that were eventually organized to evangelize. Their base was the Sabbath School class.

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Koinonias: These appeared during the first years of the 80s. These were Small Groups that were organized to develop the spiritual life of the youth and reach the non-believers. These met once per week in the home of one of its members.

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Branch Sabbath School: This Small Group came out of the Sabbath School class with the purpose of spreading the gospel.

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“Graja”: These Small Groups were organized in 1985 to revitalize the AY Society of the local church and promote greater youth participation.

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Action Units: These small Groups were organized in 1992 from the Sabbath School classes. The purpose was to energize the Sabbath School, to provide them with a more significant missionary space.

Weekly Small Group Mobilization 

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The term mobilization is used here to mean: Small Group member giving Bible studies. Weekly, the Small Group leader encourages and supports three of his/her members to witness with Bible studies. This is how he/she prepares them. This is repeated during the three moments of the process: Sow, Nurture and Reap.

Weekly Mobilization of the Small Group Small Group leader

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Richard

Monique

Paul

Richard

Monique

Paul

Jeanne

Charles

Michel

Jeanne

Charles

Michel

Annie

Danièle

Mary

Annie

Danièle

Mary

Small Group Base or Coordination

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A Small Group base or Coordination is a type of special group that serves as monitors or to give attention to Small Groups on the Web.

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These groups meet with the leaders who have completed the function of uniting with the various SG levels of the SG Conference or Mission Web.