Middle East Union Pastors Council Arua, South Sudan Field

March 4-8

Small Group Ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church

1.Jesus’ model for ministry

Why small groups?

Andressa

Why small groups?

In the beginning…

“God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves.”

Genesis 1:26

Good!

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

‘ezer’ = rescuer (Exodus 18:4; Ps 33:20)

Not good

“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion (‘ezer’) who will help him.” Genesis 2:18

Glory of creation

God’s supreme achievement was not the creation of mankind, but the creation of human

community

The sin problem

God

• Restored communion with God

=koinonia • He has “made us

one” by removing the obstacles to community

Why Jesus came

“…God gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” II Corinthians 5:18

God The devil

Oneness

Diaballo = throw

apart

Heart of the matter

Moses

GodGod

The Multitude

Human leadership

Moses

GOD

Leaders of 1000

Leaders of 100

Leaders of 50

Leaders of 10

The Multitude: groups of 10

Inspired leadership

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one… May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23

What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one… May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23

What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan

• close community• divine/human

community• convincing

community• achievable

community

““May they be May they be one”one”

What Jesus wants for His church in Sudan

And He saith unto them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

The model

Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples,

and I will show you how to fish for people.”

The model

A Disciple is…

An apprentice One who models his/her life on the life of

someone else One with a personal teacher/student

relationship with Jesus

The model

“He climbed a mountain and invited those He wanted with Him…He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with Him, and He would send them out to proclaim the Word…” Mark 3:12,13

Empowering leadership

Leaders of growing churches concentrate on empowering other Christians for ministry. They do not use lay workers as helpers in attaining their own goals and fulfilling their own visions. Rather…the leader assists Christians to attain the spiritual potential God has for them. These ministers equip, support, motivate and mentor individuals, enabling them to become all that God wants them to be. (Ephesians 4:12)

New Testament church

“Greet also the church that meets at their house.” Romans 16:5

“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the Good News that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42

Our prophetic mandate

“The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort is a plan that has been presented to me by One who cannot err.” White, Evangelism

115

“For contemporary Christians, to meet regularly in small groups is not an option or a luxury. It is a Biblical mandate that they must obey if…their churches are to become Biblically functioning communities.”

Gilbert Bilezikian

No other way

The Effective Cell or Small Group is…

A small number of people (3-12) who meet together for Bible study to:

• grow in their relationship with God• grow in their relationship with each other• reach out to share what they have with

others

= a holistic small group

Adventist Model

“Let the members be formed into small

companies, to work not only for the church members, but for

unbelievers…As they work and pray in

Christ’s name, their numbers will increase.”

Evangelism 115

Adventist Model

“We meet together to edify one another by

an interchange of thoughts and feelings, and to gather strength, and light, and courage

by becoming acquainted with one another’s hopes and

aspirations…” 2 Testimonies 578

Small Group Ministry is not simply one of many church programs

Small Group Ministry affects and defines the life of the whole church

…the small group is to the church

What the Cell is to the Body...

Small Groups provide... …a setting for

every-member in ministry

• No preaching• Not a gathering

of teacher and students

• Everyone contributes to the growth of the whole group

• Makes small groups essential, not optional

• Enables people to live in community according to the divine plan

• Multiplies leaders• Provides for 100%

church involvement in ministry

In summary: In summary: Jesus’ model for Jesus’ model for

ministry…ministry…