Why Small Groups Matter To Revitalization

Bruce RaleyDirector Church Education Ministry

BASIC ASSUMPTIONAll churches can be more

effective in carrying out their Kingdom work…improving a Kingdom focus.

QUESTION ?

What do you think God wants to do in every church?

People

Reached

For Chris

t

People Matured

In Christ

Commonalities…and Distinct Differences

NUMERICAL GROWTH: The lost being saved

SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION: The saved becoming more like Christ

MINISTRY EXPANSION: The saved being involved in ministry

KINGDOM ADVANCE: The saved being involved in missions

What prevents your church from doing what it should and experiencing what God wants to do?

An effective disciple-making process ALWAYS begins with the

leadership.

Paul’s Example

1 Corinthians 4:16

1 Corinthians 11:1

Ephesians 5:1

1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Disciple-making guides people to be

transformed into Christlikeness so they think and act

like Christ.

What is discipleship?

1.Discipleship is not information.

2.Discipleship is not behavior modification.

3.Discipleship is transformation.

Offensive vs DefensiveDiscipleship

True discipleship always goes after the heart – not

behavior.

TRENDSImpacting the Disciple-making Ministry of the

Church

Moving from a scorecard of simply bodies, budgets and buildings to also including intangible measurements.

Society has moved past a “post-Christian” culture to a “pre-Christian” culture.

Transition of paradigms:

Believe – Behave – Belong to Belong – Believe – Behave

Society is no longer a melting pot, but now mosaic.

Growing demand for process in discipleship. Church leaders are trying to define “family ministry”. There is a shift from ministry at church to ministry at home. Shift in moving from group training to individual or within small groups of people.  

How many apples?

Realities

1.Discipleship takes places best in the context of relationships.

2.Relationships develop within smaller groups.

3.A group is composed of two or more individuals.

God & Me

Daily in the

Word

My Family & Me

Other Christians & Me

Lost & Me

Open Group

On-going Group

Short-term Group

Closed Group

One-on-One(Mentoring, Coaching

Bruce Raley

Marriage

Parenting

Church Group Ministry Discipleship

Worship

8 Attributes of Discipleship

Bible EngagementObeying God and Denying Self

Serving God and OthersSharing ChristExercising FaithSeeking GodBuilding RelationshipsUnashamed

Truth

PostureLeaders

Transformational Sweet Spot

Truth

GospelIdentityDiscipline

Truth

PostureLeaders

Transformational Sweet Spot

Posture

WeaknessInterdependenc

eOutward Focus

Truth

PostureLeaders

Transformational Sweet Spot

LeadersIndispensible

qualityGodly

leaders applying truth

Truth

PostureLeaders

Watch For The Breaks in the Sandbar

Necessity of Leadership

 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

- 2 Timothy 2:2 (HCSB)