Redeemer small group vision
According to the Constitution of Redeemer Church, members are “expected to participate and contribute to the ministry and life of the church, consistent with God’s leading and with the gifts, time, and material resources each has received from God” (Article 3.3).
We view small groups as an effective means of allowing the congregation to shepherd and disciple each other, within the bounds of pastoral oversight (Eph. 4:11-13). They facilitate relationships for mutual edification.
They are not support groups or counseling groups, and they are not merely Bible study groups. Rather, they are used to cultivate spiritual fellowship together, a fellowship informed by Scripture and pursued through prayer, study, and interpersonal reflection.
In a very real, but informal way, small group leaders are tasked with an extension of the elders’ pastoral ministry—the encouragement, exhortation, and building up of a particular group of people in the church.
What role do small groups play in the life of the congregation?
Out of a wealth of God-given diversity we believe it is the job of everyone in the church to instruct and establish one another in unity of faith (Eph. 4:1-16; 2 Pet. 1:1-11; 1 Pet. 3:8).
The church prioritizes the gatherings of the whole congregation, because that’s where the primary teaching is done and where the entire body, with all its diverse parts, most reflects the gospel of Christ. On the other hand, we recognize how effective individual discipleship can be. In between these two ends of the spectrum, we have small groups working to connect the benefits of our ministry to the whole congregation and the ministry going on between individuals. Small groups provide the context in which what the church is learning as a whole can be applied more individually and deliberately. It’s the context in which members can pray and spur one another on to evangelism. It’s the context for facilitating discipleship relationships.
We are not a cell church in which the entire membership is organized into a pyramid of small groups with staff and elders at the top. Nor do we, in most cases, employ small groups as a way of doing target ministry to particular groups of people (there may be exceptions; see the section on “structure” below). Instead, every group should look like a microcosm of the whole church. We want the culture of the whole to be reflected in the parts.
While close community and fellowship is a part of our mission at Redeemer, we do not see small groups as a sole means to achieve that mission. Our goal is not to produce good small group community. Rather, small groups are a ministry to individuals, in the context of community, with the aim of producing faithful Christians.
We should take care to ensure that small groups are neither a substitute nor a competitor with the church as a whole. Rather, they are an extension of it. It’s possible to be a biblical Christian without belonging to a small group. It’s impossible to be a biblical Christian without belonging to a church.
How should an individual join a small group?
Small group leaders and members are welcome to invite people to their small group.
Elders may also recommend someone to a small group leader for an invite.
At the end of every membership interview with an elder, member candidates should be asked if they want to join a small group if they haven’t already. The elder should then identify an appropriate group, contact the small group leader, and ask the leader—space permitting—to invite the new member.
How are small groups structured?
There may be occasion for groups based on gender or stage of life (women’s bible study, dad’s group, recently married, etc.). We recognize the benefits these groups can have in facilitating a healthy vulnerability and accountability. But beyond that, we are hesitant to particularize much further, since we want our church members to understand that one of the gospel’s first implications in our lives is learning to love people who are not like us.
Small groups should be open to anyone and only limited by the capacity of the meeting place. Groups will generally have a leader and co-leader, the former discipling and preparing the latter for leadership.
Several things that should be prioritized by small groups:
Groups will meet consistently. (Weekly is ideal but not mandatory).
Groups will encourage one another with the Word of God.
Groups will pray for one another. (Honesty and confidentiality are both expected).
Groups will cultivate spiritual fellowship while accepting diversity.
Small group leaders are given a lot of freedom in deciding how to use the time:
They might choose to study a book of the Bible or a book on Christian living. There are a number of books that our church constantly recommends as good for Christians to read. Leaders might decide to use the time to review and make more individualized applications from Sunday’s sermon. There are some very good video series on RightNow Media. Whatever they do, we simply ask them to get an elders’ approval first—and to be open to his suggestions.
They may choose to share a meal together.
They may choose to have times to sing with one another.
For prayer time, there should be plenty of time allowed to share. Btu they may break into smaller groups like men and women or stay together as a group.
What expectations do we have of leaders and members?
We expect the following of small group leaders. They must:
be members in good standing
regularly attend Sunday services
be prepared to study and prepare content coordinated and approved by an elder
communicate regularly with an elder about pastoral issues
be hospitable and accept new members
generally care for the group
facilitate discipling relationships
attend quarterly training events
We expect the following of small group members. They must:
not avoid whole church gatherings, using the small group as a substitute for church
commit to attend and participate in small group
keep matters shared in honesty and openness confidential
How do we support and train small group leaders?
We will have multiple small group training sessions, each of which is devoted to a particular topic. The types of topics which would be covered include:
how to lead an inductive Bible study
how to build community
how to facilitate discipling relationships
how to lead a book study
small group evangelism and mission
how to raise up new leaders
counseling conversations
And once a year, we will review our overall vision for small groups.
What about non-Christians and non-members?
Discipleship begins with evangelism. The Mission of Redeemer says that “we are sent to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ.” We want church members to be constantly aware of the relationships and institutions that God has given them for sharing the gospel with unbelievers. While small groups may provide an opportunity for non-Christians to meet and interact with other Christians, evangelism is not the intended purpose for small groups.
Small groups should show hospitality to everyone. Christians who are not formal members of Redeemer Church should feel welcome at small groups. It is an opportunity to experience the everyday life of the church and enjoy the fellowship of other believers. Small group leaders should consistently encourage small group members to formally commit to the entire church in covenant membership.
Conclusion
As a church grows, small group leaders increasingly do important ministry and pastoral care. Less and less is it possible for staff elders, or even all the elders, to know everyone in the church. It’s tempting to think that all the small group leaders put together could know everyone. But even they can’t. Rather, small group leaders have the privilege to help facilitate and equip the only group in the congregation that can adequately shepherd the whole congregation, and that’s the congregation itself.