Small Groups

[FSSL]

...then maybe you are not doing sunday school right.......  8)

My Sunday School teacher can beat up your Sunday School teacher

They have two different purposes and both are great!

 

[FSSL]

...well.... since my sunday school teacher is an elderly hawaiian lady.... then yeah... yours probably c.... .... hey ...wait a minute... what am i saying?.... ???.... .. elderly hawaiian ladies are known for being tough....  ???..... and besides.... i just saw your -666 negative rep....... all she has to do is whack you and your sunday school teacher with her family sized chain reference king james ...... and it;s all over but the crying...... 

LOL! Yes. I am -666. My rep serves two purposes:
1) to create fear among the conspiracy theorists on the forum
2) to advocate that I am the wholly opposite of +666

i have nothing against small groups...... i;m sure they serve a wonderful purpose....... but so does my large congregational church service..... and..... despite claims to the contrary... there is nothing pagan about it......... even if at least one sermon a week is preached in hawaiian..... but then there is a hawaiian language bible too...... and he uses it in his sermon...... 8)[/font][/size][/color]

Large churches are great! They have more resources.
We all have to be flexible and experiment with the best ways to reach our culture with the gospel.

 

[Biker]

Kindof a funny name .."Sunday School".

I've been to Sunday School maybe 6 times in my entire life. As a kid, we weren't allowed to attend Religious gatherings growing up

Our "outreach" is our members proclaiming the Gospel and the result of such

so many have one on one bible studies going during the week

Our Church Bible Study is generally happening about 6 months out of the year -Sept through Middle of November & Feb-Middle of April

 

[Ransom]

Kindof a funny name .."Sunday School".

And yet that's literally what they were.  Robert Raikes founded a system of Sunday schools for working children, to provide them an education on the only day they had free from work. Though the Bible and the catechism were taught, and Sunday services were part of the routine, the purpose was to give an education to a class that normally had no access to it. It was the forerunner of the English state school system.  After education became available and compulsory for everyone, the Sunday school became a church's own education program for its adherents.

 

[Biker]

Kindof a funny name .."Sunday School".

And yet that's literally what they were.  Robert Raikes founded a system of Sunday schools for working children, to provide them an education on the only day they had free from work. Though the Bible and the catechism were taught, and Sunday services were part of the routine, the purpose was to give an education to a class that normally had no access to it. It was the forerunner of the English state school system.  After education became available and compulsory for everyone, the Sunday school became a church's own education program for its adherents.

Wow, that's interesting. Many of our churches have Adult Sunday School here too.
This is an excellent tv show we've been streaming for a while to the TV screen, you  may enjoy. unknown facts about historical figures. http://www.history.com/shows/10-things-you-dont-know-about/episodes

 

[BALAAM]

I am just a bit perplexed at some of the pastor's reactions to 'small groups' and I have heard many over the years. Now, think of this; A group of Christian people, taking a night out of their schedule, to be with other Christian people, whose main goal is the study the Bible. I mean, isn't that the goal?

 

[Ransom]

A group of Christian people, taking a night out of their schedule, to be with other Christian people, whose main goal is the study the Bible.

A night spent with other Christians studying the Bible is a night spent not inflating the pastor's numbers by going soulwinning.

 

[Frag]

Pastors who are against small groups are either spooked by that which they do not know or are control-freaks who have to always be the teacher.

Frag's response seems to show this to be true.

My response showed just the opposite.  If I was a control freak, then I would not have urged us to strike for a balance and give people time to live their lives. 

Control freaks are great at labeling others as control freaks.  Perhaps the man or woman who is the most insistent on leading a small group is the one who has the biggest thirst for control.  Modern-day Diotrephes love to find some setting where they can have preeminence.  Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight. 

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Pastors who are against small groups are either spooked by that which they do not know or are control-freaks who have to always be the teacher.

Frag's response seems to show this to be true.

My response showed just the opposite.  If I was a control freak, then I would not have urged us to strike for a balance and give people time to live their lives. 

Control freaks are great at labeling others as control freaks.  Perhaps the man or woman who is the most insistent on leading a small group is the one who has the biggest thirst for control.  Modern-day Diotrephes love to find some setting where they can have preeminence.  Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight.

Why not cut out the main service, which is long and tedious, puts people to sleep, and rarely teaches anyone anything new?  Just conduct Sunday School classes.  That would give people more time to live their lives. 

 

[FSSL]

Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight.

So you would TOTALLY miss out on allowing your church people discuss Scripture in small groups, in homes throughout your community, because your concern is that someone is going to get some spotlight? (which has never been the case in our small groups)

Someone does not trust the leadership in his own church.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight.

So when one person is the absolute center of attention, while all others must sit quietly and listen -- that's not someone needing the spotlight.

But when small groups come together and everyone has a chance to participate if desired, that's one person needing the spotlight? 

Umm..... sure, right.

 

[Frag]

Why not cut out the main service, which is long and tedious, puts people to sleep, and rarely teaches anyone anything new?  Just conduct Sunday School classes.  That would give people more time to live their lives.

This post is a commentary on the church you attend, not the church I pastor.  I preached for 40 minutes yesterday morning.  The vast majority of people were fully engaged in the message.  No one slept.  You might want to consider changing churches. 

Preaching is essential furtherance of the gospel and to Christian growth.  Do a word study on preach and preaching in your King James Holy Bible and it will answer your question. 

 

[Frag]

Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight.

So you would TOTALLY miss out on allowing your church people discuss Scripture in small groups, in homes throughout your community, because your concern is that someone is going to get some spotlight? (which has never been the case in our small groups)

Someone does not trust the leadership in his own church.

I would TOTALLY rather the members of that small group take the evening and engage in Gospel outreach.  As I already stated, balance is the key.  They have ample opportunity to hear the Bible preached and taught in their local assembly.  Pass around a piece of paper in your next small group session and have them write down two numbers:  the number of hours spent in group Bible preaching/teaching/discussion and the number of hours spent taking the gospel to the lost.  You will have your answer. 

Someone does not want to go soul winning....

 

[Frag]

Small groups MANY times are not about the need for discipleship or encouragement, but about someone needing the spotlight.

So when one person is the absolute center of attention, while all others must sit quietly and listen -- that's not someone needing the spotlight.

No, that is called pastoring. 

 

[FSSL]

Pass around a piece of paper in your next small group session and have them write down two numbers:  the number of hours spent in group Bible preaching/teaching/discussion and the number of hours spent taking the gospel to the lost.  You will have your answer. 

Someone does not want to go soul winning....

Someone doesn't understand the dynamic of small groups. They are magnets for the unsaved.

You already have structured your church ministries to stifle any extracurricular "soulwinning." Your growth is prevented by your many hours of SS, Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Wednesday

 

[.tim]

Does it go against pastoral authority for one to have an in-home Bible study?

 

[Frag]

Pass around a piece of paper in your next small group session and have them write down two numbers:  the number of hours spent in group Bible preaching/teaching/discussion and the number of hours spent taking the gospel to the lost.  You will have your answer. 

Someone does not want to go soul winning....

Someone doesn't understand the dynamic of small groups. They are magnets for the unsaved.

You already have structured your church ministries to stifle any extracurricular "soulwinning." Your growth is prevented by your many hours of SS, Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Wednesday

Not at all.  The list of services you gave occupy (in attendance and travel) about 4% of a Christian's 180 hour week. 

4%. 

Plenty of time for soul winning and outreach.  Unless you waste a bunch of time in small group nonsense......

 

[FSSL]

Does it go against pastoral authority for one to have an in-home Bible study?

Apparently it goes against one poster's authority! He doesn't trust his leadership.

 

[.tim]

Does it go against pastoral authority for one to have an in-home Bible study?

Apparently it goes against one poster's authority! He doesn't trust his leadership.

My old pastor was the same way. He seemed to believe it was counter productive.

 

[Frag]

Does it go against pastoral authority for one to have an in-home Bible study?

If a pastor wants to initiate in-home Bible studies for his church, and select qualified members to lead them, then that is up to him.  As stated, not my cup of tea, but whatever....

If a member wants to start one, he should seek his pastor's advice and permission.