Program! Get your program!
I was first introduced to the concept of small groups some thirty years ago at a men's conference. The organizers had brought in a group from California who had successfully established these in local churches with success. This was to be a modern implementation of what the church experienced in the decades after Pentecost. I was hooked and started such a group in my church with a few people. It started well enough but lasted only as long as the first book we worked through. I was somewhat disillusioned that it had not continued under its own inertia. Over the decades between then and now, I have come to understand that my attempt, though well-intended, was more contrived than developed.
Since that time many programs I have been involved with in the assemblies of God's people have come and gone. Programs initiated to involve people in the body or draw to the body generally have lasted but a few months at best. Why was that? Men and women who said they loved the Lord either did not get involved or abandoned the program early on. At first I thought other Christians were just lazy or apathetic. Later, I factored in the work and family schedules that many of the saints maintain. I still wondered how God's children would not maintain consistency for a program designed to stimulate body life. These initiatives were good for them.
Any of what I mention above could be accurate to some degree. My own work schedule gets crazy during the Spring of the year. And with one child, there was no way my wife and I could understand the logistics of a family with four or five children, though even they seemed to have enough time for the important matters of godly living and many special events at the church building. But still something was missing. There was a key ingredient that prevented what appeared to be good programs for spiritual growth from doing what was expected. Eventually, the real reason hit me like a 2x4—men were leading and working; the Holy Spirit was not.
So what do I mean that "the Holy Spirit was not?" Wasn't he involved? I doubt it. You see, the plans made and enacted were geared toward creating activity within the church to spur spiritual and numerical growth, and that artificially and outwardly. God was completely unnecessary in the effort except as someone invoked as having the final authority and the ultimate answers of life. These were our plans; we had prayed for God's blessing; and by golly, he better deliver or else. Of course, he rarely did. The spiritual victories that did come usually were something done on the side and not as part of the main function of the program, like a coincidence. We should have learned.
Fast-forwarding to the present, I think I have learned. Let's take the small group effort as an example. When a church tries to organize a program of this type, there are some potential areas of great concern that I build on from an article by Brian Jones in The Christian Standard.
If you build it, they will come. No, they will not. And if they do, it is for the wrong reason. Church leaders often have blinders on in matters of growth. They want so badly for the church to increase spiritually and numerically, that they forget who is to be leading and growing the church. It is Christ's body. He is the head. He causes the increase. No amount of organization and implementation will cause this to happen.
Growth happens at the discretion of a sovereign Lord and according to his plan. He knows what is best. Revivals are exciting to be a part of and hear about, but they do not come because a great speaker is preaching the gospel or because of the impassioned pleas during an altar call. Those spark emotions. True revival comes from faithfully proclaiming the fullness of God's word. The law condemns, and the gospel heals.
The fellowship is contrived and shallow. Small groups are promoted with the idea that they are necessary for good fellowship. While it is true that you get to know a subset of the church a little better, the forced nature of the groupings will keep people on their guard. So as not to stir controversy, comments will be withheld. Socializing revolve around the weather, politics, travel plans, or whatever keeps the conversation away from spiritual matters. There is more chance of encourage each other of the St. Louis Cardinals' chances in the World Series than to encourage each other in Christ.
Fellowship comes as we are centered on Christ. Understanding on a daily basis who we were as sinners undone who have been freely forgiven, we can more easily operate in a realm of humility open to those the Holy Spirit brings our way. To those that day we fellowship with and minister to, and as we continue to interact, we share more of ourselves because we want to open up without sense of obligation.
The material does not center on scripture. Group material is meager at best. The questions are given to stimulate discussion rather than work out what God's word says and means. Who cares if I identify more with the younger or older brother in the parable of the prodigal? That is immaterial. Tell me what Christ is saying first and foremost.
And why are the group studies usually topical? They lead to greater discussion. Recently, I sat through an entire hour session listening to others discuss what should and should not happen in regards to forgiveness. For the entire time, nobody (leader included) sought to open their Bibles and state what holy writ instructed. I tried but the leader kept the discussion moving to the next nuance so was unable to interject when appropriate.
The only way to keep centered on God's Word is to use it as the primary source. This can be done directly through some method of systematic teaching through the Bible or doing so systematically using creeds and catechisms directing the learner's attention to it.
If you can read, you can lead. A group leader who does not know his Bible makes for a disastrous small group. Typically, the material is written so that anybody can pick up the discussion guide and rattle off the questions. But what happens when the question is unbiblical or the discussion moves into uncharted waters? How does the leader navigate this? The discussion leader is in the position of a teacher, and with that comes a great responsibility. (James 3:1)
Now, get with the program
If you think by now that I might be opposed to small groups or any program whatever, you would be wrong. The problem is that those which are correctly functioning seem as scarce as hen's teeth because the church at-large has neglected its duty. What is the purpose of the church? What is the purpose of the individual member? Answer these questions biblically, and programs take care of themselves. They become something we do not as a well-organized, sterile clinical study but as a by-product of Christ-centered body life.
I was first introduced to the concept of small groups some thirty years ago at a men's conference. The organizers had brought in a group from California who had successfully established these in local churches with success. This was to be a modern implementation of what the church experienced in the decades after Pentecost. I was hooked and started such a group in my church with a few people. It started well enough but lasted only as long as the first book we worked through. I was somewhat disillusioned that it had not continued under its own inertia. Over the decades between then and now, I have come to understand that my attempt, though well-intended, was more contrived than developed.
Since that time many programs I have been involved with in the assemblies of God's people have come and gone. Programs initiated to involve people in the body or draw to the body generally have lasted but a few months at best. Why was that? Men and women who said they loved the Lord either did not get involved or abandoned the program early on. At first I thought other Christians were just lazy or apathetic. Later, I factored in the work and family schedules that many of the saints maintain. I still wondered how God's children would not maintain consistency for a program designed to stimulate body life. These initiatives were good for them.
Any of what I mention above could be accurate to some degree. My own work schedule gets crazy during the Spring of the year. And with one child, there was no way my wife and I could understand the logistics of a family with four or five children, though even they seemed to have enough time for the important matters of godly living and many special events at the church building. But still something was missing. There was a key ingredient that prevented what appeared to be good programs for spiritual growth from doing what was expected. Eventually, the real reason hit me like a 2x4—men were leading and working; the Holy Spirit was not.
So what do I mean that "the Holy Spirit was not?" Wasn't he involved? I doubt it. You see, the plans made and enacted were geared toward creating activity within the church to spur spiritual and numerical growth, and that artificially and outwardly. God was completely unnecessary in the effort except as someone invoked as having the final authority and the ultimate answers of life. These were our plans; we had prayed for God's blessing; and by golly, he better deliver or else. Of course, he rarely did. The spiritual victories that did come usually were something done on the side and not as part of the main function of the program, like a coincidence. We should have learned.
Fast-forwarding to the present, I think I have learned. Let's take the small group effort as an example. When a church tries to organize a program of this type, there are some potential areas of great concern that I build on from an article by Brian Jones in The Christian Standard.
If you build it, they will come. No, they will not. And if they do, it is for the wrong reason. Church leaders often have blinders on in matters of growth. They want so badly for the church to increase spiritually and numerically, that they forget who is to be leading and growing the church. It is Christ's body. He is the head. He causes the increase. No amount of organization and implementation will cause this to happen.
Growth happens at the discretion of a sovereign Lord and according to his plan. He knows what is best. Revivals are exciting to be a part of and hear about, but they do not come because a great speaker is preaching the gospel or because of the impassioned pleas during an altar call. Those spark emotions. True revival comes from faithfully proclaiming the fullness of God's word. The law condemns, and the gospel heals.
The fellowship is contrived and shallow. Small groups are promoted with the idea that they are necessary for good fellowship. While it is true that you get to know a subset of the church a little better, the forced nature of the groupings will keep people on their guard. So as not to stir controversy, comments will be withheld. Socializing revolve around the weather, politics, travel plans, or whatever keeps the conversation away from spiritual matters. There is more chance of encourage each other of the St. Louis Cardinals' chances in the World Series than to encourage each other in Christ.
Fellowship comes as we are centered on Christ. Understanding on a daily basis who we were as sinners undone who have been freely forgiven, we can more easily operate in a realm of humility open to those the Holy Spirit brings our way. To those that day we fellowship with and minister to, and as we continue to interact, we share more of ourselves because we want to open up without sense of obligation.
The material does not center on scripture. Group material is meager at best. The questions are given to stimulate discussion rather than work out what God's word says and means. Who cares if I identify more with the younger or older brother in the parable of the prodigal? That is immaterial. Tell me what Christ is saying first and foremost.
And why are the group studies usually topical? They lead to greater discussion. Recently, I sat through an entire hour session listening to others discuss what should and should not happen in regards to forgiveness. For the entire time, nobody (leader included) sought to open their Bibles and state what holy writ instructed. I tried but the leader kept the discussion moving to the next nuance so was unable to interject when appropriate.
The only way to keep centered on God's Word is to use it as the primary source. This can be done directly through some method of systematic teaching through the Bible or doing so systematically using creeds and catechisms directing the learner's attention to it.
If you can read, you can lead. A group leader who does not know his Bible makes for a disastrous small group. Typically, the material is written so that anybody can pick up the discussion guide and rattle off the questions. But what happens when the question is unbiblical or the discussion moves into uncharted waters? How does the leader navigate this? The discussion leader is in the position of a teacher, and with that comes a great responsibility. (James 3:1)
Now, get with the program
If you think by now that I might be opposed to small groups or any program whatever, you would be wrong. The problem is that those which are correctly functioning seem as scarce as hen's teeth because the church at-large has neglected its duty. What is the purpose of the church? What is the purpose of the individual member? Answer these questions biblically, and programs take care of themselves. They become something we do not as a well-organized, sterile clinical study but as a by-product of Christ-centered body life.
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