What is the value of being a part of a Small Group? BIB 502-2-24-7

I’ll start with churches in general rather than what to me is the value of being a part of a Small Group. I do not care to attend a large impersonal church with one possible exception. Should I ever find myself in San Antonio Texas I would like to hear John Hagee preach at Cornerstone Church.

I can't remember which KI slide presented this information so let me just say thanks to CM.

The Life Cycle of Churches with my added editorial comments in red:

• People-oriented Pastor – describes the church I attend when home in Arizona

• Pulpit-Oriented Pastor

• Property-oriented Pastorate – describes the Protestant church I attended with my mother before she joined the Catholic Church

• Power-oriented Pastorate - Return of the Nicolaitanes – in my opinion, describes the Catholic Church my mother now attends

• Politically-driven decay - Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church and too many others

Back on topic, I much prefer being in a small group to attending church because in my opinion:

• No church politic

• There doesn't seem to be the clicks in a small group that I too often find in church

• Usually an informal setting with lots of individual participation

• Members of a small group seems to me to bond with each other

• The group can get into a very in depth Bible study

• Members of small groups can be very supportive of each other

• Everyone is involved in the discussion unlike in a church setting

• Groups can grow and split into more than one group

• Participants often evolve into group leaders

My favorite Bible study is a small group meeting winters at a camping site in the desert in a 10’ x 20’ tent. Arizona gets a lot of “winter visitors” so the group starts out small in the fall and grows through the winter. My friends will hold their first Bible study this week, however, I’ll still be in California and unable to be present. I'll miss attending, there is something about Studying the Word of God in the desert that makes me feel even closer to Jesus.

One final comment, small groups may very well be the future churches in America as they are in so many other countries. We can see more and more discrimination against the Christian faith and Christians even here in the United States. I would pray that rather than having to go underground, we will see great revival in the United States