A Church Grows Through Small Group Fellowship
and Large Group Worship
(1st Corinthians 12:12-27)
I.INTRODUCTION:
A.We are the Body of Christ
1.The scriptures says that we are the body of Christ, the many make up the one.
1 Corinthians 12:12 (NKJV)
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (NKJV)
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
2.Just like your physical body, it has many members and all the body part members are belong to your body. The body is also made up of cells, if the cells are healthy then the body is healthy, it is the same with the body of Christ. If the small groups are healthy, then the church is healthy. Small groups in the church represent the cells of the church. Each small group is made up of members being involved in others lives. In small groups, we eat together, pray together, study together, learn together, and care for each other. Small groups help the community grow, the church grow, helps individuals grow, promotes healthy relationships. Small groups promote fellowship where others learn and grow by a participative roll.
B.Examples of small groups from the Old Testament:
1.Exodus 18 – Jethro, Moses Father-in-Law explains to Moses that he needs to delegate responsibility to others.
a)Jethro knew that Moses couldn’t sustain his own life or the life of others, it would wear him down, wear him out, and make him ineffective for God. Jethro advised Moses to pick godly men to help him, to help carry the load. So he instructed him to put men over other areas. Teach them to carry it out, and delegate the responsibility. There are two implications here:
(1)People had to be willing to do it, to be committed to helping
(2)They had to be people of integrity, honest, hate selfish gain, no skeletons in the closet, trustworthy, and passionate.
b)Notice Moses responsibility – to be a representative to God for the people. Just like Moses, the Pastors job is to feed the flock of God, not to live their life for them. It is the responsibility of the Pastor to preach the truth, stand in the gap of false doctrine, to pray for his people that God places in front of him. It is the peoples responsibility to guard your own heart in your life by the truths that you learned, and apply them to your life. My job is to help you to understand the bible, what it means, how it applies to you, how to live in obedience to God, and then through the Word and bible studies equip you to do the work of the ministry:
c)I think the people think that it is the pastor job to do all of the work of the ministry, that’s what we pay him for, but that is a fallacy. The Pastors job is to be sure you are well equipped to go and do the work of the ministry.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NKJV)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
d)Jethro advised Moses to assemble smaller groups of people to help the large group of people be in unity and understanding and cared for. He made things smaller, so that things would be more manageable and so the whole would be more complete. Jethro said that if you do this, the people will go home satisfied:
Exodus 18:23 (NIV)
23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."
C.Early church growth:
1.Acts –The church grows in Jerusalem in large and small groups
a)The church stated in the upper room with about 120 people
Acts 1:15 (NIV)
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)
b)The vital church grew from the 120 to about three thousand
Acts 2:40-41 (NIV)
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who acceptedhis message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
c)Then the Lord was adding daily to the church
Acts 2:47 (NIV)
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
d)The Lord added 5000 men
Acts 4:4 (NIV)
4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
e)The then so many were being added to the church, they quit counting and just saw multitudes were being added, there are so many, you couldn’t eve count them.
Acts 5:14 (NKJV)
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
f)The word was penetrating all around them
Acts 5:28 (NKJV)
28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!"
g)The NIV says that the number of disciples grew rapidly, the NKJV says that the multiplied. So it turns from 120, to 3000, to 5000 (probably more than 5000 because of woman and children), then it went to multitudes
Acts 6:7 (NKJV)
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
2.Myriads of people believed in Jerusalem
Acts 21:20 (NKJV)
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;
D.Where did all these people meet?
Acts 5:42 (NKJV)
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
1.They met in the temple courts. The NKJV, and the KJV state the temple, but I believe that the proper translation is the temple courts because in those days, the only person that could enter the temple was the high priest to carry out the animal sacrifice. But they met in one big assembly and they met in small groups by going house to house. So they met in two locations. The temple courts which would have been a more public meeting place, and from there they met house to house. This is one church in Jerusalem. Many bible scholars believe that the population of Jerusalem at that time was about 250,000. Can you imagine that? Nearly have the city was won, 1 out of every two people were believers. This church was one church in many locations and it was still growing. So they met in two ways:
a)Large group worship – that is our Sunday worship time together
b)Small group fellowship – this is a more intimate meeting and discussion to care, learn, pray, and grow.
E.The church should do than just teach the of the bible, the church should also the method of the bible.
F.The church should grow larger and smaller at the same time.
1.The church should grow larger in corporate worship
2.The church should grow smaller through small group fellowship.
3.Small groups will help eliminate stagnation in corporate worship. As the small groups grow, the assembling of Sunday worship grows.
4.House church has its beginning as the church was being founded. They met house to house in Jerusalem, Philippi (Acts 16:25-40), Ephesus 1st Corinthians (16:8, 19), Rome (Romans 16:5)
Romans 16:5 (TLB)
5 Please give my greetings to all those who meet to worship in their home…
G.There are many examples from the New Testament about home churches, and about corporate worship. Be aware that during this time, there was great persecution against the church, in fact you could lose your life or even be crucified. The church thrived under persecution. In spite of the persecution the church grew, not only did grow but it actually infiltrated the political system until even Cesar was a Christian around 300 AD. Small group home fellowship is a biblical way to for the church to grow.
H.Five reasons MVCC uses small groups
1.Small Groups are .
The first thing that Jesus did was form a small group. A small group of twelve men that He could teach and mentor.
2.Small Groups are .
One study showed that those who have personal relationships with others in the church will most likely stay in that church. Others who do not form a bond with others in the church will most likely leave that church. Most people will come to hear the pastor, but most people will stay because of relationships.
3.Small Groups are .
Small groups can meet any time, any place, and even change days if needed. With enough small group leaders, you can even change the leader when needed to facilitate the small group. There is also no time limit.
4.Small Groups are .
They can reach out in different areas, and around the world.
5.Small Groups are .
Bible studies can be done in an economical because they can meet anywhere, anytime, without having a large building to a bunch of people.
I.What Does a Small Group do?
1.Small groups do eight things (Acts 2):
a)They the bible together
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching…
b)The together
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship,…
c)They the Lords Supper
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread…
d)They .
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
e)They helped each other in .
Acts 2:45 (NKJV)
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
(Show Video 1) 27:51-34:10
f)They .
Acts 2:46 (NKJV)
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
g)They and together
Acts 2:47 (NKJV)
47 praising God and having favor with all the people…
h)They to Jesus
Acts 2:47 (NKJV)
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
J.The Benefits of Small Groups
Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV)
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
1. you and other to the body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
.
2.I the Bible better, we together
1 Corinthians 14:30-31 (TLB)
30 But if, while someone is prophesying, someone else receives a message or idea from the Lord, the one who is speaking should stop. 31 In this way all who have the gift of prophecy can speak, one after the other, and everyone will learn and be encouraged and helped.
3.Prayer becomes more and more .
Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV)
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
4.It helps me handle better
Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
5.It’s a place to practice .
Romans 15:2 (NLT)
2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
K.What are the responsibilities of a host leader?
1.Show to my group
3 John 1:5 (NKJV)
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,
2.Communicate Church from the pastor/s
You become a communicator and a representative of the church. You help promote the
church and encourage others to stay engaged
Proverbs 13:17 (NLT)
17 An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.
3.Encourage others to .
2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
L.Things to Avoid and Remember
1.Avoid .
2.Avoid .
3.Be .
a)The mission is to reach others for Christ, promote fellowship, biblical growth, and Obedience to God, not to create a click. Break off into small groups when the group gets too big. Don’t get comfortable.
II.Conclusion
A.Get smaller to grow larger
B.Practice the method of the bible not just hear the message of the bible
C.All of us do the work o the ministry, let us all do our part.