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SMALL GROUPS IN THE WESLEYAN WAY
Rev. Dr. M. Scott Hughes
School of Congregational Development
August 19, 2017
CHALLENGES
What challenges are you facing regarding small groups?
CULTURE OF DISCIPLESHIP
Small Groups need to be part of a culture of discipleship within a congregation.
BAPTISMAL COVENANT
"The Baptismal Covenant is God's word to us, proclaiming our adoption by grace, and our word to God promising our response of faith and love."
UM HYMNAL P. 32
BAPTISMAL COVENANT
“With God’s help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ. We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.”
STRATEGIES
CONGREGATIONAL RULE OF LIFE
RULE OF LIFE
RULE OF LIFE
“A rule of life is a pattern of spiritual disciplines that provides structure and direction for growth in holiness.
It fosters gifts of the Spirit in personal life and human community, helping to form us into the persons God intends us to be.”
Marjorie Thompson - Soul Feast
The General Rule of Discipleship
The General Rule of Discipleship
"To witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit."
¶ 1117.2a The Book of Discipline-2016
RULE OF LIFE
GENERAL RULE OF DISCIPLESHIP
BALANCED DISCIPLESHIP
COVENANT DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
COVENANT DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
"Small group ministry structures should not be launched until an intentional leader training program is established." Gareth Icenogle
"The best small group ministries are built one healthy leader and group at a time." Jeffrey Arnold
"Disciplined Groups"
"Participation in disciplined groups such as covenant discipleship groups or class meeting is an expected part of personal mission involvement." ¶220 The Call to Ministry of All the Baptized
"All members are to held accountable for faithfulness to their covenant of baptism." ¶221 Accountability
COVENANT DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
CLASS LEADERS
PILLARS
COVENANT DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
FOUNDATION
John Wesley on discipline
“It was a common saying among the Christians in the primitive church, 'The soul and the body make a man; the spirit and discipline make a Christian'—implying that none could be real Christians without the help of Christian discipline.” Sermon 122: Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity, § 7
THE CLASS MEETING
THE CLASS MEETING
Introduces Class Meeting and Class Leaders
8-week study with practical ideas for starting and leading class meeting
LEVELS OF GROUPS
Hesitancies
Hesitancies
What hesitancies have you heard with regard to small groups?
Questions
Questions
When have you experienced pseudocommunity in a small group?
When have you experienced real community in a small group?
What was the difference?
Grace Groups
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
Companions in Christ
Class Meeting
Alpha
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
Connection Groups
Theology on Tap
Grace Groups 3
Sanctifying Grace
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Bands
Pastor
BAPTISM
Congregational Rule of Life
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Class Meeting
Alpha
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
Connection Groups
Theology on Tap
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
Companions in Christ
Grace Groups 3
MISSIONS
Sanctifying Grace
Foreign/Domestic Mission Trips
Pastor
Congregational mission projects
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Bands
BAPTISM
Congregational Rule of Life
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Class Meeting
Alpha
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
Connection Groups
Theology on Tap
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
Companions in Christ
Working
Groups
Grace Groups 3
Dwelling in the Word
Church Council
Trustees
Finance
SPR
MISSIONS
Sanctifying Grace
Foreign/Domestic Mission Trips
Congregational mission projects
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Bands
Pastor
BAPTISM
Congregational Rule of Life
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Working
Groups
Class Meeting
Alpha
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
Connection Groups
Theology on Tap
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
Companions in Christ
Dwelling in the Word
Church Council
Trustees
Finance
SPR
Grace Groups 3
Retreats
MISSIONS
Sanctifying Grace
Foreign/Domestic Mission Trips
Congregational mission projects
Silent Retreats
Family Retreats
Camping
Class/Group Retreats
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Bands
Pastor
BAPTISM
Congregational Rule of Life
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Working
Groups
Class Meeting
Alpha
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
Connection Groups
Theology on Tap
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
Companions in Christ
Dwelling in the Word
Church Council
Trustees
Finance
SPR
Grace Groups 3
MISSIONS
Retreats
Sanctifying Grace
Foreign/Domestic Mission Trips
Congregational mission projects
Silent Retreats
Family Retreats
Camping
Class/Group Retreats
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Bands
Pastor
BAPTISM
General Rule of Discipleship
Grace Groups 1
Grace Groups 2
Justifying Grace
Prevenient Grace
Working
Groups
Class Meeting
Sunday School
Affinity Groups
One-on-a-few
Disciple
Committees
Sunday School
Study Groups
A-few-on-a-few
Dwelling in the Word
Church Council
Trustees
Finance
SPR
Grace Groups 3
MISSIONS
Retreats
Sanctifying Grace
Foreign/Domestic Mission Trips
Congregational mission projects
Silent Retreats
Family Retreats
Camping
Class/Group Retreats
Covenant Discipleship Groups
Pastor
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A WESLEYAN SMALL GROUP
"Don't stop meeting together with other believers..." Hebrews 10:25
ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTABILITY
"The purpose of the class meeting was to 'watch over one another in love.'"
"Stand against the trap of believing and living as through we are self-sufficent"
"Accountable Discipleship is a distinctly Methodist way of Christian formation."
PRAYER
Intentionally being in the presence of God
STUDY
STUDY
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind..." Matthew 22:37
"Don't let a printed study hinder small group creativity." Jeffrey Arnold
MISSION
MISSION
“If you throw people shaped by consumeristic expectations regarding groups into something called missional community, you will get consumeristic experiments that are called missional." M. Scott Boren
What is God up to?
Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care
Four necessary goals of a distinctly Christian group: "accomplishment of purpose; caring for personal needs of individuals in the group; maintaining healthy relationships; and - overarching all three - becoming the people of God." Julie Gorman in Community that is Christian
COVENANT
COVENANT
"Operating a small group without a covenant is similar to running a corporation without a charter, bylaws, and strategy."
Jeffrey Arnold
COVENANT
Include:
- Purpose
- Tasks
- Expectations (attendance, confidentiality)
- Time
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
BENEFITS
BENEFITS
What are the benefits of small groups?
RELATIONSHIPS - "One Anothers"
Romans 12:5 Belong to one another
Ephesians 4:32 Be compassionate to one another
Philippians 2:4 Look to the interests of one another
1 Peter 1:22 Love one another
1 John 3:16 Lay down your lives for one another
BUILD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP/DISCIPLESHIP DEVELOPMENT
BENEFITS
What are the benefits of small groups?
PASTORAL
ACCOUNTABILITY
MISSIONAL
INTRODUCING SMALL GROUPS
INTRODUCING SMALL GROUPS
(WHY) Connect to Discipleship and Baptism
Preach about organically
Build strategically
INTRODUCING SMALL GROUPS
Connect with SS as strategy for discipleship
Make it simple!
Launch/Taster events
Small Group Size
Size of Small Groups
"Increasing size tends to produce lower satisfaction, less cohesiveness, increased aggression, competition, and withdrawal." Julie Gorman in Community that is Christian quoting Brilhart
"The number of potential relationships multiples astronomically with each member added."
"When the group size is 20, 5 or less will dominate. With 8 or 10 people, 3...With increasing size comes less time for each member."
CROCK-POT METHOD
CROCK-POT METHOD OF DISCIPLESHIP
“We are shaped every day, whether we know it or not, by the practices - rituals and liturgies that make us who we are. We receive these practices not only from the church or the Scriptures but from the culture, from the ‘air around us.’” Liturgy of the Ordinary
“Everyone wants a revolution. No one wants to do the dishes.” Sign on the wall of a Monastic community
“If you make disciples, you always get the church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples.”
FINAL QUOTE
Mike Breen
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
bit.ly/umcsmallgroups
Rev. Dr. M. Scott Hughes
Director of Adult Discipleship (Discipleship Ministries)
shughes@umcdiscipleship.org
@revscottstweets
@UMCAdultForm
615-340-7020
THANK YOU!!!
Congregational Reaffirmation
Through the reaffirmation of our faith we renew the covenant declared at our baptism,
acknowledge what God is doing for us,
and affirm our commitment to Christ's holy church.
Congregational Reaffirmation
May the Spirit of the Lord be upon you.
Amen.
May the water of your baptism enliven you.
Amen.
May the world turn to Christ through you.
Amen.
Go forth to love and serve God and your neighbor in all you do.
Amen.