There’s nothing magical about small groups …

One of the greatest areas of focus in the church is the development of small groups. Great emphasis is placed on getting church members into being a part of a small group meeting at a time and place other than a “corporate” worship service.

In fact, churches throughout the country are composed of Christians who meet regularly in small groups. Many churches have replaced Sunday School with small groups meeting in homes, and those Sunday school classes that do still meet are, in themselves, “small groups.” In spite of the fact that American churches are riddled with these small groups, the church is still in decline.

There’s nothing magical about small groups!

Simply getting a group of people to meet together regularly doesn’t, by itself, transform the church, result in revival, instantly produce mature Christians, or meet the needs of those meeting together. What does make small groups vital parts of the church that impact congregations and communities is the motive of the group participants.

When Christians come together to share life as the body of Christ on earth, as the early Christians we read about in the Book of Acts did, then we see the powerful results of transformed lives and met needs. But that often is not the motive for many small groups.

Lots of groups meet to study the Bible. They greet each other warmly, open with a prayer, have a lively intellectual discussion about a passage of scripture, close with prayer, exchange additional pleasantries, and then go home until their next meeting the following week. They don’t “share life.”

Other groups have a greater focus on prayer. Still others spend their time discussing what it means to be a “man” or “woman,” others focus on leadership topics, and some are more socially oriented. But they don’t really share life together.

The missing motive?

Jesus said this in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

When the children of God come together to share (or unleash) the love of God, the result will be the power of God and the blessing of God displayed in and through the lives of the lovers of God!

Small groups that impact the lives of participants, the church, communities and the world, are those groups whose primary motive is to share the love of God with each other. Other motives, such as study, prayer, leadership development, team building, etc., are best achieved when this primary motive is in place.

What is the primary motive of the small groups in your local church? How are your groups sharing the love of God within and without the group? How can you be sure the right motive is driving your small groups?

Scotty