The Needs That Don't Go Away

I read an article in the newspaper yesterday about the home church movement. It spoke to the growing popularity in America of small groups meeting in homes in lieu of the institutional church we have come to know over the last 100 years. Some of the reasons cited for joining these home churches were as follows: opportunity for strong relationship building; fellowship; intimate and informal prayer;flexibility; child friendly; setting for engaging Bible study; low cost. The article went on to say that persons see home churches as a viable option to joining an established church. People interested also said that they think home churches model the early church which in some ways represents authenticity to the way God would design churches.

There is validity in these reasons which poses the challenge to those of us involved with the institutional church.

This movement has its downside which was not included in the article. I expect that home churches call for really wise and faithful leaders, outstanding resources that keep people engaged in learning, and establishment of expectations among group members that foster discipline and personal stewardship, just to name a few. Nevertheless, home churches are a growing viable option to established congregations.

The challenge for those of us in organized churches is to work hard at providing some of the same opportunities that home churches provide. Anyone who has worked at establishing small group ministries knows how challenging they can be. It has been my experience that organizing, developing and promoting healthy small group ministries in churches takes dedicated, creative and intentional work, not to mention prayer that seeks God's guidance beyond all the packaged programs available to the church today. It is particularly hard in congregations that are static with few new members and often tired leadership. Old habits and behaviors are hard to change. Just ask the established pastor who now wants to institute name tags in a congregation that has gotten along without them forever. Starting small groups in homes with the primary objectives that mimic those of home churches is HARD WORK. It is so important that it should become priority work for institutional church and its leaders. This isn't something that can simply be sidelined for consideration. People need to grow in relationship with each other, they need to have opportunities for intimate prayer, they need relaxed fellowship, and they need the opportunity to hear each other share how God is working in their lives. Often the best way to address these needs are in small home groups.

My question for you is, have you made small group ministry a priority at your church? If you tried and failed, have you discerned how you might go about it differently? Have you sought out good resources and understand the basics that you may be called as the leader to identify, encourage, resource train and support persons suitable to lead small home groups in your church? Have you realized this is an ongoing necessity for the organic nature of ever changing small home groups? Have you figured out the need to always create new groups because established ones become insulated and often not welcoming to new members because of the bonds of friendship and patterns of the groups?

How have you established the expectation that your members participate in small groups, with an emphasis of all new members having easy entry groups with outstanding leadership?

There is little doubt that Americans will opt out more and more for home churches. As long as there are people, they will have a need to be in relationship with others and to know God. These are simply needs that don't go away. Praise God for that! Let's take this movement very seriously. How will you as a missionary leader provide for your congregation the benefits that can be found in small home church settings?
Pray about it. Work on it.