What is your calling?
The outworking of our calling will look different for each of you, some of you may be called to business or to medicine or politics or ministry, but the calling on all of our lives is simple at its core. We are all called to follow Jesus, called to know Him more each day, to live out His plan for our lives through His grace. In fact, our calling is given to us by Jesus in Matthew.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
We are all called to make disciples of all nations. If this is the calling, it begs the question, how do you make disciples of all nations?
To make disciples, we imitate the one who did it first and perfectly: Jesus Christ. Jesus started the first small group: the 12 apostles! Firstly, He invited those on the outside (fishermen, tax collectors and sinners) into his inner circle. Secondly, He taught them, ate with them and journeyed life with them. Lastly, He raised up and released those disciples into leadership and commissioned them to go and make disciples as He had.
In summary, Jesus invited, journeyed, raised up and released; this is what we are imitating. So that's the how, but what's the why?
why we do small groups
1) We do small groups because Jesus did and we’re called to imitate Christ.
Jesus created and led the first small group. He modelled how to do life and live out faith in fellowship, in obedience and in love through a small group. We are made to imitate Christ, so let's imitate Him and His small group model.
2) We do small groups because they make disciples and we’re called to make disciples.
Jesus invited the 12 to follow Him, taught them how to become disciples. Then He raised them up as leaders, grew their giftings, and commissioned them to go and make disciples. This model of small groups is how the church began, it is how we make disciples and it is biblical!
3) We do small groups because they are invitational, missional, and spread the gospel, and we’re called to share the good news.
Acts 2:42 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This is what we’re aiming for, missional, generous, Christ-centred small groups that through invitation, the Lord adds numbers to daily. We do small groups because they are biblical, they are functional and they are incredible.
Small groups have the potential to love, welcome and disciple. Small groups have the potential to raise and release leaders. Small groups have the potential to see campuses look like the kingdom of heaven. Small groups have the potential to bring revival. Small groups have done before, and have to potential to change lives, the church and the world.
So the question isn’t “why small groups?”, the question is why not?
To understand more of the why and how of small groups, get yourself a copy of Small Groups, Big Mission from our online shop.
