We think these frequent failures are not the result of divine opposition to the idea of small groups or because, “our kind of people aren’t right for this sort of thing.” Instead, we think there are a number of good theological and practical reasons why these groups usually fail.ġ. Church division is also a possibility, although we have not seen very many cases where this occurred. Sometimes a minority struggles along, unwilling to admit failure in the program and developing a “faithful remnant” theology which justifies, on theological grounds, the lack of growth and participation by others. Problems sometimes include a lack of participation and interest from members.
Leaders often ask us, “What have we been doing wrong?” Yet most of these efforts are disappointing to some degree. In fact, most evangelical churches have tried to establish a network of small groups at one time or another. Through these consultations, we have discovered that small-group ministries are not a novel idea at all.
ONE AND ALL CHURCH COMMUNITY GROUPS HOW TO
Home churches have also resulted in good morale among the hundreds of lay leaders, all graduates of a two-year graded training course.īecause of this success, pastors often call Dwell staff to consult regarding how to establish or manage small-group lay ministry in their own churches. Using this focus, Dwell has grown from a handful to roughly 5,000 today. If the local church is to develop the spiritual gifts of its members, mobilize the terrific power of the Holy Spirit to work through a trained and experienced laity and facilitate true relationship-based community, it will need to organize smaller groups.ĭwell Community Church, an independent fellowship in Columbus, Ohio, has centered around lay-led home church ministry since beginning in 1970. All members commit to fully investing themselves in this process, supporting one another, and holding each other accountable in their walk with the Lord.The need for effective small-group ministry is implied in the New Testament. Shared Values: Groups are encouraged to develop a "covenant" or agreement that spells out the expectations and ground rules for the group. The study and discussion of scripture is an essential element in the life of a HomeGroup. The Study of Scripture: We affirm that all Scripture is God’s word written and our final authority in matters of salvation, faith, and life. It is used to express our care for one another and to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit to meet of challenges of life. To create and maintain this environment, all members must hold themselves to the highest level of confidentiality.Ĭentrality of Prayer: Prayer is a vital part of every Community Group. You'll find that we are all living out our faith in different ways and we have plenty to learn from each other.Ĭommunity: We meet regularly in homes or the community in order to build relationships within the body of believers around Jesus Christ.Ĭonfidentiality: We value the process of sharing our stories with each other without concern of being criticized, judged, or ridiculed. Be a part of a diverse group of people whom you may not have connected with otherwise. Our Community Groups are one of the key ways you can get connected here at Trinity.
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