Middle East Union Pastors Council Arua, South Sudan Field

March 4-8

Small Group Ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church

3. Your Kingdom

Come

The baptism of Jesus: Luke 3:21-23

After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you." When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. (GN)

The baptism of Jesus: John 1:29-51

• Beginning of His ministry

• Holy Spirit focus• People become

disciples• Disciples invite

others

• Luke 4:14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him.

• Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed

• Luke 11:13 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!“

• Luke 12:12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

• Act 1:8 But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Holy Spirit in Christ’s ministry

• Luke 11:13 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!“

• Luke 12:12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

• Act 1:8 But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me."

• Acts 2:17 'This is what I will do in the last days, God says: I will pour out my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will proclaim my message; your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit.

• Act 2:39 For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away---all whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

The Holy Spirit in our ministry

• “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship (koinonia)”

• “The whole congregation of believers was united as one” Acts 4:41,32

“Koinonia” and Pentecost

• Acts 1:15 120 • Acts 2:41 3000+• Acts 4:4 10,000+• Acts 5:14 +++

Growing church

Church as a body

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:27

How does it work?

The Holy Spirit makes it possible through the gifts He gives to each

member of the body (I Cor 12:7-11)

A beautiful plan

“In all the Lord’s arrangements, there is nothing more beautiful than His plan of giving to men and women a diversity of gifts.”

Evangelism 98

If we neglect it?

“The greatest cause of our spiritual feebleness as a people is the lack of real faith in spiritual gifts. If they all received this kind of testimony in full faith, they would put from them those things which displease God, and would everywhere stand in union and in strength. And three-fourths of the ministerial labour now expended to help the churches could then be spared to the work of raising up churches in new fields.” Review and Herald, January 14, 1868

Small groups – an inspired plan…

…for the development and release of spiritual gifts for ministry

Middle East Union Pastors Council Arua, South Sudan Field

March 4-8

Small Group Ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church

3. Your Kingdom

Come

The Gospel according to Jesus

“Jesus went to Galilee to preach God’s good news. ‘At last the time has come!’ He announced. The Kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this good news!’

Mark 1:14,15

“Jesus travelled throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues, preaching everywhere the Good News about the Kingdom.”

Matthew 4:23

The message

“Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Luke 9:2

“Jesus began a tour…to announce the Good News concerning the Kingdom of God.” Luke 8:1

The message

Central message“The Kingdom of God is like…”“Blessed are the poor in spirit…”“He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”

Matthew 6:33

He then demonstrated the beauty and power of the Kingdom in His own life

Last message

“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

Kingdom of what?

Political greatness

x“The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the kingdom of God is among (or within) you.”

Luke 17:21

The Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is the place where His will is done, where what He prefers is actually what happens.

KINGDOM =

King(s) domain - the domain where the king reigns

The promise is ours!

“And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

Matthew 18:20

The kingdom of God is

among you!

The promise is yours!

“If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

John 14:23

The kingdom of God is within

you!

Church is not…

A buildingA building An organisationAn organisation An institutionAn institution

A community of people called to share the life of the kingdom of God on earth in loving relationship with God and with each other

Church is…

X

WELCOME

WITNESSWORD

WORSHIP

Small group meetings

Life-changing Bible study questions

1. What does this Scripture mean when it was written?

2. What does it mean now? What might God be saying to us or me?

3. How should we or I respond?

Life-changing Bible study questions

Matthew 20:20-28

Middle East Union Pastors Council Arua, South Sudan Field

March 4-8

Small Group Ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church

1. Pray the Kingdom prayer

“Our Father in heaven: may Your holy name be honoured; may Your kingdom come; may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us. Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the evil one, for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.”

Small Group

2. Agree on Kingdom principles

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit…get rid of all bitterness, rage, harsh words, and slander… Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:30-32

Holy Spirit Energy

• Openness & honesty

• Affirmation

• Availability

• Accountability

• Sensitivity

• Confidentiality

• Multiplication

3. Organise prototype group for training

2 - 4 leadership teams

Facilitator

Leader

Apprentice

Hosts/hostess

+

This group meets weekly for 3 months for practice and prayer

4. New groups from prototype group start to grow

2 – 4 church members

5 – 7 friends

New groups stay connected through supervisor

• Social events• Serving

community • Serving church • Partners• Retreats

An extra weekly meeting doesn’t make community

5. More than meetings

6. Develop support structure

Pastor

Coaches: 3-5 leaders Group

leadersGroups, basis

of ministry

Departments primarily as resources

Pastor:•Grows the vision•Equips/empowers group supervisors•Plants new churches

Church/ Conference/

Union

Task Group

Support Group

Study Group

Training group

7. Create sub-groups as needed

Prayer group

Leadership Group

Holistic Group

Network

Leaders of 10

Supervising pastor

Leaders of 50

Leaders of 100

Leaders of 500

8. Remember Jethro! Multiply leaders and groups

The Jethro leadership principle

9. Evaluate, and keep growing• Frequently ask, “How are

we doing?”• Use support system for

on-going training. Pastor or co-ordinator plans:– Monthly meeting with

each leader– Monthly meeting with all

SG leaders as a small group

– Quarterly visit with each small group for observation

One grain of rice

?

More than a bowl of rice

The fields are ready for harvest

Holy Spirit power

House-based church

“The great work of th

e Gospel is not to close with

less manifestation of the power of God than marked

its opening.”

White, The Great

Controversy 610