1. Seminar 1: Settings for Ministry
Creating a Discipleship System
Please read the following slides to prepare for your seminar.
Seminar 1: Settings for Ministry

2. Order from Amazon - $7.50 Discipleship Ministries www.TeamWorksUMC.org
Connecting Seminar 1: Settings for Ministry is found in the TeamWorks Creating a Discipleship System Guidebook. You will need a copy for each participant. They can be ordered on Amazon and cost $7.50 each.
Order from Amazon - $7.50
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3. TeamWorks Guidebooks and Tools
Use the Spiritual Life Template to build your group
Discover your group’s Spiritual Gifts
TWS: Spiritual life of the Leader
Discover your homeland and learn about displacement
Use the NICHE Process to learn about your community
TWS: Connecting to Your Community
Learn about the Lifecycle of the Church
Discover your Setting for Ministry
TWS: Creating a Discipleship System
Learn to use the powerful VAPIT Strategic Planning Tool
Take the TeamWorks Church Assessment
TWS: Futurecasting
This is the list of the whole series of the TeamWorks Guidebooks. If you decide to do the whole series, it is suggested you start with Spiritual Life of the Leader and follow the series in the order listed.
Discipleship Ministries

4. What’s in a TeamWorks Guidebook?
Two 2-Hour Seminars
Four MyWorks Devotions
Two Tools for congregational life
Support at
Each TeamWorks Guidebook has these components. In addition, some also include articles.
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5. Instructions for Seminar Leaders
TeamWorks Seminars are designed to encourage discussion. To prepare for each seminar do as follows:
Setup a room with table and chairs for your seminar.
You will need an LCD projector and a screen or a large TV that can be hooked up to a computer to show the presentations.
Download the presentation slides for TW: Discipleship Seminar 1: Settings from You may get them as a PDF or in PowerPoint. When using PowerPoint use it in presentation mode so you can view the notes for each slide.
Download TW Discipleship Seminar 1: Settings with Notes PDF. Here you will find every slide with tips and ideas about its content.
Before leading a seminar, go to and watch the Seminar Leaders Webinar for the seminar you are leading. The webinar will go through each slide and will offer tips and ideas for how to lead the seminar.
Set dates for the seminars or for the one-day experience.
Recruit a group of participants who will agree to attend both seminars and to do the MyWork devotions.
This gives you an overview of what you need to lead your seminar.
Be sure to read the article on Settings for Ministry which is included in the guidebook.
Discipleship Ministries

6. Schedule your Seminars
Use the template below to schedule your sessions. TeamWorks Seminars are designed for 2-hours. You also can do a one day format, with participants using the MyWork devotions to follow-up their experience. Plan for 4-hours with a break for a meal or refreshments. Session Date Topic Seminar One ­___________________ Settings for Ministry MyWork 1 ­___________________ Disciple-Making MyWork 2 ­___________________ Settings for Ministry MyWork 3 ­___________________ Leader Development of Laity MyWork 4 ­___________________ Small Groups Seminar Two ­___________________ The Discipleship Process
Use this to schedule your time. Read “Settings for Ministry” as preparation for this seminar.
Discipleship Ministries

7. How to lead the seminars
TeamWorks Seminars are designed to foster discussions within the group. Your primary role as the seminar leader is to facilitate discussions.
When you come to a discussion slide divide people into groups of three or four people. Have them share with one another. After they are finished, you can ask individuals to share with the wider group.
Avoid starting with the larger group. Why? Because few people are willing to talk in front of larger groups. By dividing into smaller groups you help everyone have an opportunity to share their ideas.
Spiritual Life Template: If you did TeamWorks: Spiritual Life of the Leaders and are doing the whole series, start each seminar with the Spiritual Life Template.
These are the instructions for leading the seminar.
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8. Spiritual Life Questions
If you did the Spiritual Life of the Leader and are doing the whole TeamWorks series, start off with the Spiritual Life Template. If this is new to you, you many choose to use this to start your session. If not, skip these two slides and start the seminar with the title slide.
To learn more go to the TeamWorks tools section on the website and download Spiritual Life Template or go to the seminar section and watch Spiritual Life Seminar 1 – The Spiritual Life Template.
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9. Spiritual Life Questions
Show this slide as they answer question 2.
They are only to identify one item off of the whole slide. They do not need to pick one from each area.
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10. Seminar 1: Settings for Ministry
Creating a Discipleship System
Use this slide as your opening slide as people gather.
Seminar 1: Settings for Ministry

11. Today’s Human Condition
A breakdown in relationships that leads to feelings of abandonment or loss.
A feeling that the institutions of society have not kept their promises (work, government, education, church, family).
A feeling I have to make it on my own because I have lost trust in other people and in society as a whole.
Feeling the changes in society have left you behind. Drifting through the world without a deep sense of connection.
Rootlessness
Self-seeking
Loneliness
Brokenness
This slide introduces a series of slides that will talk about how the gospel speaks to these human conditions. Today people in our culture are wrestling with these four issues in their daily lives.
This slide is based on the first four chapters of Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life. Before the seminar be sure to read the notes for each slide. They will give you the info you need to lead the session.
Source: Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life
Craig Kennet Miller
Discipleship Ministries

12. Four Areas of Ministry
So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
—Acts 2:41-42
This is a description of how the early church focused its work and formed community. This passage shows how the early believers responded to the call to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
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13. 1. Apostle’s Teaching
The teaching of the apostles is based on the teaching of Jesus. The basic purpose of the apostles’ teaching is to equip believers for service to others.
These next four slides break down the four aspects of church life seen in the early church.
The apostles’ teaching was based on the Old Testament scripture and the teaching of Jesus. The focus of the apostles’ teaching was equipping believers for ministry so they could be in mission to the world. Not only were they equipped by learning the beliefs and practices of their faith, they also were taught how to share the gospel through word and action with people who were not part of their faith community.
Discipleship Ministries

14. 2. Fellowship
In their living together, the early Christians became witnesses to others of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Today our connections to each other is a reflection of the fellowship Jesus shared with the disciples.
Fellowship is what brings us together. The relationships we form with fellow followers of the Way shape our values, beliefs, and lifestyles.
Discipleship Ministries

15. 3. Breaking Bread
Through the breaking of bread, the first believers remembered Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf. On the cross Jesus gave his life for our sins. Now we are called as believers to celebrate new life by breaking bread and sharing Christ’s love with the world.
Through the breaking of bread, we remember the One who was broken for us on the cross so we could be forgiven of our sins and have new life. The early church had a pattern of sharing common meals which cemented deep relationships with one another.
Discipleship Ministries

16. 4. The Prayers
Through prayer, a vision and passion for ministry unfolds as believers seek to follow God’s will for their lives and their collective ministry. Acts of worship and devotion bring them close to God and to one another.
The prayer life of the believers, both individually and as a community, gave guidance and direction to the community of faith as it moved into the future. Through prayer, vision is formed, and believers are given the fuel to be in ministry to those inside and outside the community of faith.
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17. Four Areas of Ministry
As people forgiven of their sins, they had followed the call to repent and be baptized. Through the Holy Spirit, they were now called to be in ministry together.
—Acts 2:38
As you go through the following slides, look to see how the ministry focus of the early church helps us meet the deepest needs of humanity.
Our response to God’s call to follow Jesus Christ includes the call to be in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ and to share God’s grace and love with the world.
Discipleship Ministries

18. Repent & Be Baptized Acts 2:38
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
This next series of slides will show how these four areas of ministry connect to the real human condition that shapes us all.
Repent and be Baptized: This comes from Acts 2:38 and is central to all that we do as individuals and as a congregation. It is the minimum we need to believe and do to become a Christian.
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19. Apostles’ Teaching Repent & Be Baptized Acts 2:38
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Apostles’ Teachings: One of our key priorities as leaders in congregations is to share the teachings of the Bible in a way that shapes the lifestyles and spiritual practices of the congregation. Our values and beliefs are undergirded and formed through the reading of scripture.
Discipleship Ministries

20. Service Apostles’ Teaching Repent & Be Baptized Acts 2:38
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Service: When we know the Bible and its teaching we are compelled to be in service to others. It’s not enough to know the scripture. It comes alive when we act upon our knowledge by serving in the congregation and serving those in our community and in the world by using our spiritual gifts and discovering our call to ministry as laity and clergy.
Discipleship Ministries

21. Self-seeking Service Apostles’ Teaching Repent & Be Baptized Acts 2:38
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Self-seeking: One of the strongest conditions of our time is self-seeking. This is different from selfishness. With the birth of the internet and the access we have to information and to people around the world, we find ourselves in the position of being able to create our own sphere of meaning. People who are self-seeking are asking questions about life and many times are confused by the vast array of choices that are before them.
The antidote to self-seeking is being in service to others through faith in Jesus Christ. When we see that its not just about me, we move into a life that has meaning and purpose.
Discipleship Ministries

22. Self-seeking Service Apostles’ Teaching Fellowship Repent &
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Fellowship
Fellowship: We are designed to be with others. It’s through our fellowship with fellow Christians that we grow and mature in faith.
Discipleship Ministries

23. Self-seeking Service Apostles’ Teaching Fellowship Community of Faith
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Fellowship
Community of Faith: The result of our fellowship with one another as followers of Jesus Christ is the community of faith. The community of faith is where we live out God’s call in our lives and is our spiritual homeland.
Community of
Faith
Discipleship Ministries

24. Self-seeking Loneliness Service Apostles’ Teaching Fellowship
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Fellowship
Loneliness: Loneliness is a condition that affects people in all walks of life. Loneliness is the result of the breakdown of meaningful relationships. Most people find themselves caught in a web of demands from a variety of sources, from work to home, from children to parents, to friends and relatives.
In many cases these demands leave little room for the time it takes to develop deep abiding relationships. Another source of loneliness is the high expectations we put on people to meet all our emotional needs. So while we may be surrounded by people, we are lonely because they do not fulfill our needs – needs that are fueled by our consumer minded culture that turns stars into brands and people into commodities.
The antidote for Loneliness is the Community of Faith where we live in relationship to each other and to Jesus Christ.
Community of
Faith
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

25. Self-seeking Loneliness Service Apostles’ Teaching Breaking Fellowship
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Breaking Bread: The act of breaking bread is rich in meaning. From the sacramental experience of taking the Lord’s Supper to sharing bread with someone who is hungry, the breaking of bread is symbolic of Jesus’ call to remember him and to invite others to the table.
Community of
Faith
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

26. Self-seeking Loneliness Service Apostles’ Teaching Breaking Fellowship
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Grace: We can invite people to share the bread of life, because Jesus first loved us. In the Wesleyan context, prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace all flow out of what Jesus did for us on the cross, providing all of humanity a pathway to a relationship to God and eternal life.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

27. Self-seeking Brokenness Loneliness Service Apostles’ Teaching Breaking
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Brokenness: Whereas loneliness has to do with unmet expectations in personal relationships, brokenness is fueled by unmet expectations in relationship to society as a whole. It is a feeling that nothing and no one can be trusted. It is a feeling of continually being lost, that the promises of childhood and young adulthood have been broken.
For example, there is widespread belief that when people retire social security will be bankrupt and as a result they will not receive what was promised to them when they first started working. In our most recent recession, men lost the most jobs – especially men in their fifties and sixties, just when they were trying to set themselves up for retirement. Millions of people saw their house as a lifelong investment but instead found themselves underwater with their mortgage being higher than their house was worth. On the flip side, the largest percentage of people who are unemployed are young people aged 18 to 24.
The antidote to brokenness is being in relationship to the One who was broken on the cross so that we could be made whole.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Brokenness
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

28. Self-seeking Brokenness Loneliness Service Apostles’ Teaching Prayers
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
Apostles’
Teaching
Prayers
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Prayers: Our spiritual practices such as daily prayer, reading the scripture, and worshipping (the Means of Grace) draws us into a closer relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The early Church prayed at the Temple and in their house gatherings. Jesus himself taught the disciples how to pray by teaching them the Lord’s Prayer.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Brokenness
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

29. Self-seeking Brokenness Loneliness Service God’s Call Apostles’
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Self-seeking
Service
God’s Call
Apostles’
Teaching
Prayers
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
God’s Call: Through our prayer life we discover meaning and purpose for our lives. This is not necessarily about what we are supposed to do with our lives as much as who we are to become because Jesus Christ lives within us.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Brokenness
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

30. Rootlessness Self-seeking Brokenness Loneliness Service God’s Call
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Rootlessness
Self-seeking
Service
God’s Call
Apostles’
Teaching
Prayers
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Rootlessness: As we are bombarded by information that challenges yesterday’s truth (How many planets are there? Is vitamin C good for you?) we increasingly live in the nether world of rootlessness – a deep seated feeling that the traditions and norms of the past have little to do with making it in today’s world. But the constant drive for the newest thing (the latest smart phone and the newest laptop) comes at a cost. Living in the now leaves us unmoored and disconnected from each other and from deep truths that have stood the test of time.
The antidote to Rootlessness is discovering God’s Call in your life and being connected to the Creator of the universe – to the One who created you. Regardless of our changing circumstances, our relationship to God through Jesus Christ keeps us deeply rooted in grace, love, and hope.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Brokenness
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

31. Rootlessness Self-seeking Brokenness Loneliness Service God’s Call
Ministry priorities Results of ministry Human condition
Rootlessness
Self-seeking
Service
God’s Call
Apostles’
Teaching
Prayers
Repent &
Be Baptized
Acts 2:38
Breaking
Bread
Fellowship
Use the next slide to discuss this material.
Community of
Faith
Grace
Brokenness
Loneliness
Discipleship Ministries

32. Fellowship Breaking Bread Prayers Apostles’ Teaching
Ministry Priority
Results of Ministry
Human Condition
Fellowship
How are you including new people in your faith community?
Where do you see loneliness in your community?
Breaking Bread
How are you offering the grace of Jesus Christ?
Where do you see brokenness in your community?
Prayers
How are you helping people discover God’s call for their lives?
Where do you see rootlessness in your community?
Apostles’ Teaching
How are you equipping people for service to others?
Where do you see self-seeking in your community?
Talk about these four areas and how they speak to the needs in your church and community.
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33. What Do Churches Do?
Local churches create the experience of grace where people gather to connect with God and with each other.
This new section focuses on Settings for Ministry. For preparation, read the article on Settings for Ministry..
The question “What Do Churches Do?” addresses the issue of what churches literally do. As you talk through the Settings for Ministry, you will be able to help the group answer this question. The short answer is that “Local churches create the experiences of grace where people gather to connect with God and with each other.”
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34. Settings for Ministry Informal Formal Individual actions
Random occurrences
Personal behaviors
Formal
Group actions
Organized events
Planned experiences
There are two types of settings where ministry takes place.
First, there are the informal settings that echo Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” The informal settings are not planned by the church.
Here is a question you can ask the group: When are you with two or three other people during the week? After they answer, you can ask: Can the church organize this? Of course the answer is no, but when we gather with two or three people, we are still in ministry because Jesus is in our midst.
The formal settings are the experiences that are organized by the church, like worship, a Bible study, or a mission project.
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35. Individual acts of mercy Stand for justice
Wesley’s Means of Grace
The public worship of God
The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded
The Lord’s Supper
Family and private prayer
Searching the Scriptures
Fasting or abstinence
Christian conferencing
Informal
Daily devotions
Reading the Bible
Fasting or abstinence
Individual acts of mercy
Stand for justice
Formal
Worship experiences
Small group Bible studies
Sacraments
Missional outreach
Acts of justice
We can take Wesley’s Means of Grace and break them down into informal experiences and formal experiences.
Key point: Informal experiences and formal experiences are equally important for our spiritual growth.
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36. Formal Worship Experience Small Group Bible Study Sacraments Outreach
Acts of justice
Informal
Daily Devotion
Reading the Bible
Fasting or Abstinence
Individual Acts of Mercy
Stand for justice
Congregational Life
Congregational Life happens in the intersection of the two.
Key Point: Informal and Formal experiences compliment and fuel one another.
Ask the group: “What are the implications of this for ministry in your churches?”
Follow-up point: How do we equip people for the informal experiences?
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37. Fellowship/Instruction
Formal Settings for Ministry
Small Groups
5-15
MIssional Groups 5-15
Fellowship/Instruction
50-80
Large Groups
120+
These are the settings that are created by local churches. People in small churches may wonder how this applies to them. These numbers reflect the type of experience people have when they are in these size groups. For example, it is very hard to have an accountable small group with 25 people. There is not enough time to share and its hard to share personal information with that large of a group.
Small Groups: Bible studies for teenagers, disciple Bible studies, prayer groups, 12-step groups, parking lot team, worship team, etc.
Mission Groups: These are usually short term task groups but may be long term projects run by a dedicated group.
Fellowship Groups: Older adult fellowships, large youth groups, Sunday school classes, etc. (Note: many of our smaller churches worship at this size. We will address this in the next slide.)
Large Groups: Usually, this is a worship experience with over 120 people. In the larger worship setting, people are freer to express themselves and are focused on the experience (singing, praying, the message, etc.).
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38. Fellowship/ Instruction
Settings for Ministry
Small Group
5-15
Practicing spiritual disciplines
Focus on personal growth
Diversity found in multiple groups
Missional Group
Acts of compassion and justice
Focus on improving lives
Diversity of people from inside and outside the church
Fellowship/ Instruction
50-80
Everyone knows your name
United by single focus
Homogeneous cultural perspective
Large Group
120+
Lost in the crowd
United by the experience
Diversity (there is room for everyone)
This slide helps to show the differences between these settings:
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39. What about the numbers? 5-15 50-80 120+
The group size for accountability
Trust creates deep sharing
50-80
You can learn everyone’s name
Hard to join if you are not part of the group
120+
Feel like you are part of an experience
You can try it out without standing out
What’s the difference between going to a movie theatre with 50 people scattered in the seats versus a full crowd?
Why is it that large movements like the Methodist movement (The Holy Club) or Christianity (The 12 discipleships) started small?
Have you ever showed up to group of around 50 where everyone knew each other already? How did you feel?
Many churches are challenged by these numbers. These numbers are not about how successful a church is. Instead they help to define the experience a person has in that particular size group.
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40. The issue is not numerical growth. It is spiritual growth.
By offering multiple settings for ministry, you are giving people more opportunities for spiritual growth.
Key point: When you offer all three settings, people have more options and opportunities for spiritual growth.
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41. Fellowship/Instruction
Large Groups
All Four
Small Groups
Fellowship/Instruction
Missional Groups
A vital church offers all four group experiences.
Discipleship Ministries

42. Third Second Bank El Molino High School 1st Church Ying’s Bar & Grill
Use this city map to identify places where small groups, missional groups, fellowship & instruction groups, and large groups can offer ministry.
Third Second Bank
1st
Church
El Molino High School
Ying’s Bar & Grill
Coffee Shop
Post Office
Estes Park
Now ask the teams to imagine they are the Leadership Team at 1st Church, and have them identify places where the different settings for ministry could be offered. Have them think about what kind of experiences could be created. The goal of this exercise is to help people see how a wide variety of ministry can happen outside of the church.
Example: Small Group at the Coffee Shop
Give them 10 minutes.
Hill St.
Grocery
Fitness Center
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43. Dynamics of Group Settings and Settings for Ministry Survey
Size of Group
Setting
Results 4
Personal Interaction
Perfect for in-depth discussions and building relationships.
(Jesus, John, James, & Peter)
5-15
Small Group
Perfect for discipleship and accountability. Large enough for continued interaction and support.
(The Twelve Disciples)
Missional Groups
Great for short term project groups or long term missional efforts in the community.
16-49
Floundering
Group struggles for self-identity and longs for the former intimacy of the small group.
50-80
Fellowship/Instruction
Self-sustaining group that is homogeneous and single focused. Good for instruction and teaching. (70 Disciples)
81-120
Awkward
Size group where people long for the easy familiarity of the fellowship/instruction size group.
120 plus
Large Group
A large-group dynamic takes place that enables people to focus on God.
(The Temple Courtyard)
Use this slide and the following slide to analyze the types of groups that are currently active in your congregation. Have people refer to this material in their guidebooks and talk about the different between the different size groups.

44. Identify groups in your church that match these groupings
Size of Group
Setting
Do they fit the description?
How could they be reconfigured to better match their best use?
Do you have a good balance of small groups, missional groups, fellowship/instruction, and large groups? 4
Personal Interaction
5-15
Small Group
Missional Groups
16-49
Floundering
50-80
Fellowship/ Instruction
81-120
Awkward
120 plus
Large
Group
On a white board, black board, or newsprint make this chart and work together to identify the different groups in your church.
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45. Discussion
What are the implications of the settings for ministry for your congregation?
What is the mix of small groups, missional groups, fellowship groups, and large groups in your church?
Once the chart is filled out, answer these questions.
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46. Settings for Ministry Small Groups - Devotion - Personal relationships
Missional Groups - Acts of service - Contextual
Fellowship/Instruction - Everyone knows your name - Support of the faith community
Large Group
- Celebration - Focus on the experience
This next grouping of slides helps to explain how the different size groups work together.
Discipleship Ministries

47. Settings for Ministry
Fellowship/Instruction - Everyone knows your name - Support of the faith community
When everything a church does happens in the Fellowship/Instruction
Group, this limits its growth. Why? Because people are limited in their spiritual life and it’s hard for new people to join.
This slide explains the dynamics of a church where everything happens in the fellowship/instruction group. This type of grouping can be a great hindrance for growth because people are only having one type of experience. If people are not in a small group, where can they deeply share about their spiritual struggles? If they are not part of a missional group, where are they experiencing the joy of being in service and learning from others? If they are never in a larger group, where do they have the opportunity to fully express themselves? In a larger church, you may have a fellowship/instruction group that never experiences the other size groupings and is also stopped in its growth.
Discipleship Ministries

48. Settings for Ministry Small Groups - Devotion - Personal relationships
Missional Groups - Acts of service - Contextual
Fellowship/Instruction - Everyone knows your name - Support of the faith community
Large Group
- Celebration - Focus on the experience
Churches can break this growth barrier by inviting its current members and new people to engage in small groups and missional groups.
Once these groups are up and running, large-group experiences can be offered.
Rather than trying to launch a large group, it is much better to focus on developing multiple small and missional groups. As the number of groups grow you have enough people to support large group gatherings.
In a small church, you may look to create large group gathering by partnering with other churches in the area to offer quarterly gathering – like a worship service that is designed to create a large gathering.
Discipleship Ministries

49. Settings for Ministry Small Groups - Devotion - Personal relationships
Missional Groups - Acts of service - Contextual
Fellowship/Instruction - Everyone knows your name - Support of the faith community
Large Group
- Celebration - Focus on the experience
Youth Ministry
Wednesday Evening Home Groups
Tuesday Afternoon Tutoring for Children
Sunday Evening Youth Group
Here is an example of how one ministry area, in this case a youth ministry, intentionally uses all four groups settings to offer their youth multiple experiences for spiritual growth.
Sunday Morning Worship with Congregation
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50. Settings for Ministry Small Groups - Devotion - Personal relationships
Missional Groups - Acts of service - Contextual
Fellowship/Instruction - Everyone knows your name - Support of the faith community
Large Group
- Celebration - Focus on the experience
Discussion
Pick one ministry group
and identify the ways it is engaging in all four of these settings.
In you are in a church where everything happens in the fellowship/instruction group, talk about ways you can invite people to be part of small groups and missional groups. Ask how children and youth can benefit from being part of these four settings.
Apply this material to your particular church and discuss its implications.
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51. Team-Centered Pastor-Centered Pastor as spiritual care-taker
Less than 100 in worship
Pastor as spiritual care-taker
Pastor as Jack & Jill of all trades
Focus on relationships
Laity focuses on managing the assets
Team-Centered
More than 120 in worship
Pastor as team leader
Pastor equips laity and staff
Focus on worship, outreach, and discipleship
Laity freed to be in ministry as assets are managed by staff
As congregations grow, there is a fundamental shift that takes place around the role of the pastor and the role of the laity.
In the Pastor-Centered church, the pastor is seen as the spiritual care-taker of the congregation. Pastors are asked to do a variety of tasks, and members of the congregation have a face-to-face relationship with the pastor. Laity serve on committees and teams whose primary focus is taking care of the buildings, budget, and running the programs.
In the Team-Centered Church, the pastor no longer has the time or ability to be the face-to-face relationship builder for the congregation. The larger the congregation, the more this is true. Instead the pastor’s focus is on equipping key laity and staff to do the ministry. While relationships are still vital, larger congregations spend more time offering vital worship, outreach, and discipleship.
In the very large church (think 2,000 in worship), the staff handles the day-to-day operation of the church, and laity are freed to focus on being in ministry by serving in the church and the community.
(Look at Exodus 18:13 – 23: When Jethro saw how Moses was doing everything, he told him what he was doing was not good. He was wearing himself out and he was wearing out the people. Instead he was counseled to focus on teaching the people and having gifted leaders handle the day-to-day work of the people.)
Discipleship Ministries

52. Discussion
How does the size of your church affect your expectations for the work of the pastor(s) and staff?
What are the responsibilities of laity in your church?
How do laity and staff take responsibility for the long- term vision of the church?
Discuss.
Discipleship Ministries

53. TYPES OF SMALL CHURCHES
Small Town/ County Seat/Rural/Declining Big City
LOW POPULATION
Family size or heritage church
Loss of influence & prestige
Caters to a small subset of the larger community
Inability to connect with recent arrivals
ALWAYS SMALL
Never had over 100 in worship
ONCE LARGE Once a large church,
it now worships under 100
The circumstances churches find themselves in have a great impact on the way they view their futures. Use this chart to talk about these four situations:
Low Population/Always Small Typically these churches are family churches where the branches of one family tree is seen throughout the congregation or a heritage church that sees itself as protecting the heritage of the community.
Low Population/Once Large These congregations tend to live in the past and remember the good old days when the church was full and had a lot of activity. Their decline is seen as the result of people moving away, not because the church hasn’t changed.
High Population/Always Small These congregations are niche churches whose members tend to be from one ethnic or language group or generational group.
High Population/Once Large Although there are still a lot of people in the area, the people in the church do not identify the new people as being their people. In many cases children and grandchildren have moved to other communities while those in the church never moved away.
HIGH POPULATION
Growing suburb/vitalized downtown/ static area with lots of people
Discipleship Ministries

54. Discussion
If you are worshiping with under 100 a week, identify your group and talk about the obstacles and opportunities your church has to connect with people in your community. If you are worshiping over 100, talk about implications you see for your ministry as you think about what is happening in your community.
GROUPS
OBSTACLES
OPPORTUNITIES
Low Population/
Always Small
Low Population/ Once Large
High Population/ Always Small
High Population/ Once Large
Note: Over 70% of UM Churches worship with under 100.
After you identify your group, uses a whiteboard, blackboard, or newsprint to record the ideas of the group.
If you are in a larger congregation, talk about the situations in your community that are having an impact on your church.
Discipleship Ministries

55. Assignments
As part of the MyWork devotions read the four articles related to different aspects of the discipleship process.
As a group set your time for your next meeting.
Encourage people to read the four articles in the guidebook that are part of the four MyWork sessions.
Set a date for your next seminar.

56. TeamWorks Series www.TeamWorksUMC.org
To learn more about the whole series go to
Contact Craig Miller at if you need more information.