The first church
This was a gathering of believers worshipping, praying, and seeking God’s direction. They greatly impacted their community as they lived and shared everything.
Every day, more people were saved and joined this community of God. There were no standards of who could and couldn’t join this group. This was not a high-ranked exclusive group.
The key to this community of believers was their unity. Individualism forgone.
Within the city, the Bible doesn’t point out how many groups of believers there were.
The people simply gathered as one.
Unity instated by Jesus
Jesus never excluded anyone. He went to the outcast, touched the untouchable, and associated with people many refrained from.
He set the perfect example of living counterculturally and loving everyone. He united his nation in an unprecedented way. He prayed for this legacy to remain in John chapter 17 – “that they may be one as we are one”.
As God demonstrated perfect love and unity through Jesus, he desperately wants us to do the same. Jesus wants the whole world to know God.
However, our focus has turned inwards.
We have prioritised our own needs above the needs of this world. Many of us require small tight-knit groups to flourish. We then struggle to live well in unity amongst the extended community of believers.
Perhaps our goals and missions for small groups have too gradually changed from the first church two thousand years ago.
Small groups, connect groups, fellowship, and community groups. All interchangeable terms with a modern concept - that it is for us. I attend one of these gatherings for myself.
Alternatively, why keep connected to a group if it is not benefitting me?
It seems the smaller church community has become a way to make us feel better, connected, and supported. Church small groups have predominantly become another group for sharing and friendship.
More than a social group
We have a variety of social group opportunities. Joining a sports club or craft club, and connecting with school friends and colleagues are a few examples.
Through these gatherings, we share experiences, laugh together, and support each other through difficult times.
So what is the fundamental difference between a church group and a social one?
It is living like Jesus. It is to love others, unify, and ultimately restore every person to God. Bringing people to be saved by God is foundational.
Have we forgotten the purpose of church groups and how radical they were initially?
Every day a new life was saved, even up to thousands.
Brad House writes in his book, Community: Taking your small group off life support, “The world will not recover from the community of God’s people living lives to glorify Jesus.”
He goes on further to write, “Our primary purpose in community is not that our needs are being met, but that Jesus would be lifted up. It is not that we aren’t blessed by the love we share for one another, but that we experience our greatest joy when Jesus is most glorified.”
A missional community
Acts chapter 8 tells us others crave the lives and gifts God has given us. They want what we have regardless of whether they understand it is God working. The New Testament churches were mission-focussed. They realised addressing social needs was not more important than telling others about God.
Similarly, for us today, addressing our needs is necessary, but this must not lead us to neglect the call for each of us to tell others about God.
God did not save us to live comfortably. Forming exclusive small groups are not representative of the unity Jesus demonstrated and called us towards.
I believe our responsibility for outreach and missions has dissipated. We have expectedly placed this role on a few.
When was the last time your group discussed missions and took action?
When did a new believer last join your group?
We need to revive our generation by living with an outward focus.
A church group that doesn’t extend God’s kingdom by doing his work in missions are no more than a social group.
Stephanie enjoys simple living, admiring nature’s beauty and intricacy, and playing the piano. She is particularly passionate about empowering the vulnerable. Writing is her way of processing thoughts and feelings to understand herself, God and the world in a deeper and more meaningful way.