LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

SMALL GROUP GUIDE PART 1

A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. BOB BAYLES
IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE COURSE DSMN 630

LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

BY
SHELTON MARKHAM

ROME, GEORGIA
SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................................3
Motivations for Developing Groups..........................................................................................................3
Biblical Foundations for Groups ...............................................................................................................6
What is a Small Group...............................................................................................................................7
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
This paper will provide helpful information to serve as a Small Group Training Manual. This
Small Group Training Manual will address the 1) Motivations for Developing Groups, 2) Biblical
Foundations for Groups, and 3) What is a Small Group. This paper will show that Discipleship,
Community, Evangelism, and Worship are the motivations and the Biblical foundations for groups. The
structure and functions of a small group will also be analyzed.

Motivations for Developing Groups

There are many different motivations for developing groups. Developing groups can help
believers experience discipleship and community. Discipleship and community will help believers
grow and the group grow. The motivations for developing groups though will also focus on outreach
and evangelism. The ultimate goal of discipleship is to Make a Disciple who Worships Jesus.1
Discipleship, Community, Evangelism, and Worship are all part of the motivations for developing
groups.
Discipleship should be one of the primary motivations for developing groups. Many churches
have failed to define and measure what Spiritual Success is and have wrongly assumed that if a
church provides consistent events, biblical information, and appealing programs for people, and the
people consume those offerings, then the users will grow.2
Discipleship is too often defined as a head knowledge instead of a complete transformation.3
Biblical knowledge and a righteous lifestyle must support each other.4 One source points out that Faith
that is not wholly integrated and consistently lived out is a charade.5 Small groups are a great way to
1
2
3
4
5

Dr. Michael R. Mitchell. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. (Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010). 255.
George Barna. Growing True Disciples. (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2001), 88.
Ibid, 89.
Ibid, 90.
Ibid.

live out our faith with others.

Another part of Discipleship is accountability. One source points out that few churches have
systems by which they measure what is happening in the lives of their people.6 Dave Earley and Rod
Dempsey include The Covenant of Accountability in their Small Group Covenant because they know
that openness is essential to Christian growth.7
Discipleship also increases the size of the church. One study following different churches with
discipleship programs pointed out that We quickly learned that a church engaged in effective
discipleship is a church that will grow steadily and solidly.8 Discipleship not only changes people's
lives and changes society, but was also one of the top priorities of Jesus.9 One source points out that
Involvement in small group life and leadership was a primary spiritual discipline in the life of Jesus
Christ.10
Community is also another great reason for groups. One source points out that we can
technically survive without community, we don't function properly without it.11 Community is part of
who we are designed to be and is embedded in the very fabric of who we are.12 A gospel centered
community is a group of people connected by Jesus who strengthen each other and those around
them.13 One source points out that We were built to function in relationship with one another and with
God.14 Small groups are an excellent way to have community. One source points out that One of the
primary purposes, passions, and practices of the healthy small group is developing community.15
Evangelism is another great motivation of groups. Evangelism is about 1)Loving those whom
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Ibid, 92.
Leading a Small Group. (Houston:TOUCH Publications Inc, 2007), 97.
George Barna. Growing True Disciples. (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2001), 107.
Ibid, 162-163.
Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Leading a Small Group. (Houston:TOUCH Publications Inc, 2007), 13.
Brad House. Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support. (Wheaton: Crossway, 2011), 34.
Ibid.
Ibid, 40-41.
Ibid, 42.
Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Leading a Small Group. (Houston:TOUCH Publications Inc, 2007), 37.

Jesus loves, lost people, 2) Actively pursuing and retrieving lost people for God, and 3)Identifying
with lost people where they are and where we are.16 One source points out that evangelism is easier as
a team effort and can be effectively accomplished in a small-group, home Bible Study.17 Joel
Comiskey points out that:
The group aspect of cell (small-group) evangelism takes the burden off the leader and
places it on everyone in the cell (small-group). It's net fishing as opposed to pole fishing.
Pole fishing is done individually, while net fishing requires the help of many hands. Net
fishing is a group effort and results in catching more fish, while fishing individually with
a pole catches one fish at a time.18
Evangelism is the central focus of Christianity. Groups make evangelism more easier and more
successful. This is why evangelism is a motivation for having groups.
Worship is another motivation for having groups. One source points out that Worship of Jesus
is the destination for confession and repentance and is a natural outflow of a community group.19
Worship is not about singing and music, but is acknowledgement, adoration, and the actions of service
directed to and expressed for God.20 One source points out that A transformed life, produced by a
renewed mind, manifests itself in the ultimate act of worship sacrificial ministry to God and his
people.21 Worship in the form of actions of service is a great motivation for having groups. Actions of
service that benefit the local community are much easier to accomplish in a group. This form of
worship or act of service could take many forms including car washes, yard work, food banks, or even
after school programs.

16 Dave Earley and David Wheeler. Evangelism Is...How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. (Nashville: B&H
Academic Publishing Group, 2010), 41.
17 Ibid, 313.
18 The Church that Multiplies (Moreno: CCS Publishing, 2005), 80.
19 Brad House. Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support. (Wheaton: Crossway, 2011), 102.
20 Dr. Michael R. Mitchell. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. (Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010). 258.
21 Ibid, 259.

Biblical Foundations for Groups

There are many Biblical Foundations for Groups. The strongest piece of Biblical evidence for
groups is that Jesus was a Small Group Leader. One source points out that One of the main things
Jesus did was invite a handful of men to be gathered together with Him in an intensive ministryfocused small group.22 This source also points out that Following Jesus today means following Him
into deep relationships with other believers.23
There are many verses of Scripture that show that churches often met in homes in New
Testament times. Acts 12:12, Acts 20:20, Romans 16:3-5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, Collossians 4:15, and
Philemon 2 all make reference to house churches.24 The home ministry work of Jesus is mentioned in
Matthew 8:14, Matthew 9:10, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 10:38-42, Mark 5:35-38, Matthew 9:28-30, Matthew
26:6, Mark 7:17-18; 9:33; 10:10, Luke 5:19, Luke 14:1, Matthew 26:18, and Luke 9:1-9; 10:1-11.25
There is truthfully though no distinct Biblical command of Thou shalt have small group
ministries, but in the same since there is no Biblical command for the format of large, traditional
Sunday meetings either. The fact that Jesus conducted his ministry mostly in the small group setting
does strengthen the argument though. One source points out that Jesus gave the disciples experiences
and allowed them to make personal observations, used the experiences and observations as a starting
point to teach a lesson, and that He modeled what it means to love God and love people by personal
example.26 Jesus also emphasizes the importance of small group ministries by The Great Commission
(Matthew 28:16-20).
One source points out that God's communal image for humanity is the gathering of the small
group and that The entire Bible proclaims that God (expressed singularly) exists from all time and for

22
23
24
25
26

Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Leading a Small Group. (Houston:TOUCH Publications Inc, 2007), 13.
Ibid.
Joel Comiskey. Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church. (Moreno: CCS Publishing, 2010), 31.
Ibid, 79.
Ibid, 78.

all time in community as the Trinity (plurality).27 This source also points out that We are created in
God's image; therefore, we are created for community. It's part of being an image bearer of God
himself.28

What is a Small Group

A small group is summed up nicely by the G.R.O.U.P acrostic given by Dempsey and Earley. It
stands for Guided by a leader, Regular meeting times, Open God's Word, United in love, and Prayer for
one another.29 It is a group of believers and possibly non-believers (open group) that is guided by a
leader, that meets at regular times, that studies the word of God, that loves each other and also prays for
each other.
Small groups are built on authentic relationships, are places where truth meets life, experience
healthy conflict and provide well-balanced shepherding, so that people are both cared for and
discipled.30 One source points out that To cultivate a culture of community requires that the quality of
group life transcend the traditional experiences of most Bible studies, teams or committees. It takes
intention to move groups from casual acquaintance to a committed fellowship of intimate knowers,
extraordinary lovers, humble servants, gracious admonishers, and joyful celebrants.31 A small group is
a group of people doing life together that happen to be believers. As followers of Christ they want
others to experience a life changing relationship with Him. It is that simple. Small groups can be call
cell-groups, life groups, or community groups, but they are essentially followers of Christ who invite
others to experience life with them.

Bibliography
Barna, George. Growing True Disciples. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2001.
27
28
29
30
31

Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson. Building a Church of Small Groups. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 22.
Ibid, 24.
Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Leading a Small Group. (Houston:TOUCH Publications Inc, 2007), 29-32.
Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson. Building a Church of Small Groups. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 55.
Ibid, 70.

Comiskey, Joel. Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church. Moreno: CCS Publishing, 2010.
Comiskey, Joel. The Church that Multiplies. Moreno: CCS Publishing, 2005.
Dempsey, Rod and Dave Earley. The Pocket Guide to Leading a Small Group. Houston: TOUCH
Publications, Inc., 2007.
Donahue, Bill and Russ Robinson. Building a Church of Small Groups. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2001.
Earley, Dave and David Wheeler. Evangelism Is...How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence.
Nashville: B&H Academic Publishing Group, 2010.
House, Brad. Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support. Wheaton: Crossway, 2011
Mitchell, Dr. Michael R. Leading, Teaching, and Making Disciples. Bloomington: CrossBooks, 2010