Building Christian Community Small Group Ministry in Today’s Seventh-Day Adventist Church

1. Small groups: part of God’s plan 2. Life-changing small groups: some definitions 3. Small group values: the key to growth 4. Small group meetings and small group life 5. The goal of small groups: holiness and harvest 6. Small group leadership 7. Developing a small group network

Building Christian Community SESSION FOUR: SMALL GROUP MEETINGS, SMALL GROUP LIFE

WELCOME WITNESS WORD WORSHIP The Four Parts of a Small Group Meeting

Small Group Meeting Agenda WELCOMEWELCOME WORSHIPWORSHIP WORDWORD WITNESSWITNESS EntranceintoFellowshipEntranceintoFellowship Exaltation in His PresenceExaltation Presence Edification in the WordEdification Word Evangelism Vision & PrayerEvangelism Prayer YoutoMeYoutoMe UstoGodUstoGod GodthroughUsGodthroughUs GodtoUsGodtoUs ORDERACTIVITYRELATION FOCUS CHRISTCHRIST CHRIST’SPRESENCECHRIST’SPRESENCE CHRIST’SPOWERCHRIST’SPOWER CHRIST’SPURPOSECHRIST’SPURPOSE

The Four Parts of a Small Group Meeting WELCOME Greeting and welcome Time to “catch up” with each other The ice- breaker

Breaking the Ice with the Ice-Breaker The Ice-Breaker: creates a relaxed atmosphere enables everyone to say something can lead into the Bible study or worship period

WORSHIP With singing Meditation with instrumental music With testimony, prayer or Scripture The Four Parts of a Small Group Meeting Acknowledging the presence of Jesus:

WORD The Four Parts of a Small Group Meeting The Bible study

Small Group Bible Study Should Be Relational Three Questions: ?What is this text saying ? What is this text saying to me/us ?What are we going to do about this

Relational Bible Study Asks not only “What does this mean?” but “What is God saying to me/us here?” Based more on real life experience than on a collection of doctrinal texts More concerned with making Christianity real than with proving a point Concerned not only with the original characters associated with the story, but where we see ourselves in it Accepts all opinions as equally valid It allows the group to grow together even when there is serious disagreement

WITNESS The Four Parts of a Small Group Meeting

Witness: Praying for Group Growth Spirit-led prayer Informal, usually seated Conversational prayer Smaller prayer groups Special prayer for individuals

The “Afterglow” Begin and end the meeting on time Simple refreshments afterwards Informal: some leave, some stay Sometimes the most important time of sharing

Remember the Goal The Goal of Small Group Meetings: Life transformation Building community Kingdom growth

Group Life Outside Group Meetings Social events Community service Church involvement Retreats Mentoring Community cannot “happen” in a weekly meeting alone

Stages of Small Group Development 1. Adventure 2. Discovery 4. Maturity 3.Development

When the Group Gives Birth... …the gain is greater than the pain!