I read a great article this week by Brian Jones. He is the founding pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley in Royersford, Pennsylvania, and author of Second Guessing God and Getting Rid of the Gorilla: Confessions on the Struggle to Forgive. The title of the article is, “Why Churches Should Euthanize Small Groups.”
Brian raises some interesting points and concerns. First, he implies that small groups don’t make disciples; rather, they help people make great friendships. A fair concern for sure. I can’t argue with Brian on this one. But I think we have to ask a few important questions…1) What does a disciple look like, and does Brian’s mind’s eye view of a disciple look like the picture Jesus painted? 2) What is a better setting for making disciples? 3) How does Brian’s church gather people for disciple making, and how is he going about taking people from pre-Christian to mature follower of Christ?
Brian also suggests that groups should happen naturally, that people should spontaneously gather together. He states, “What would happen if we euthanized all of our small groups, taught the value of discipleship and community, and then simply let the Holy Spirit do his work?” Oh, how I wish this was possible. Because we have organized the church, people expect the organization to organize on their behalf. Try Brian’s suggestion, and I think you’ll find people coming to the church staff asking when the church is going to start a group ministry. Why are they asking for this? They sense something is missing. They want to grow in Christ and instinctively know they need to gather together with other believers in smaller groups in order to do so. Leave this to spiritual spontaneous combustion, and you’ll have a minute percentage of people in a discipling relationship at all.
Brian goes on to tell us that, “Disciples are created ‘out there.’ Small groups, if not by their definition, definitely by their practice, all occur ‘in here.’ He then goes on to say, “With few exceptions, modern-day small groups are great at producing, 1) Christians who sit in circles and talk to one another inside a building, 2) people who read and comment on the Bible, 3) people who rant about how they long to ‘get out there’ and do something that matters, 4) people who awkwardly end their time by praying for ‘prayer requests,’ 5) people who go home unchallenged and unchanged.” His point seems to be that disciples are made by being out evangelizing, not gathering and discussing. Let’s face it, both are important, and evangelism is a part of any disciple’s training and lifestyle. But let’s not forget that from the beginning of New Testament Christendom the average Joe gathered in homes; the teachers taught in the temple courts, and “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting in any way that non-pastor types should keep quiet when in public. All of us should tell the story of Christ to any person of peace that comes into our path. But we need to be careful about ignoring that Jesus spent a massive amount of time with the twelve. He discipled, and on many occasions, sought a place of retreat from the “out there” to teach, and guide, and admonish His disciples.
I must admit…I appreciate much of what Brian is saying and believe his primary message needs to be heard. Many of our small groups are too inward focused, are too much involved in talking about the great commission rather than doing it, and need to be more proactive in making disciples. But let’s be careful…Insinuating that groups are not the place for the making of disciples would lead some to believe that they should kill their small group ministry. When that happens, I assure you, fewer disciples will be made than were being made before.
