Small Group Woes

I have been dissatisfied with church small groups for a long time now. My complaint has been that they gravitate too easily to all theory and no practice, i.e. lots of (good) Bible study, but no practical action. Maybe groups in cell churches fare better, but most small groups seem to end up in the same rut as far as I can see.

In such a state, how can small groups effectively perform (or even resource) mission?

The excellent book 'Missional Small Groups' by Scott Boren sums up exactly my feelings on this subject. Boren helpfully distils groups into four categories (or 'stories'):

1. The story of Personal Improvement
2. The story of Lifestyle Adjustment
3. The story of Relational Revision
4. The story of Missional Re-creation

He suggests that most groups get stuck in either no. 1 or no. 2. I think he is correct. In these first two stories good things happen for the individual, and they may contribute to a good small group experience, but they fail to engage people in an alternative rhythm of life. Mission, if discussed at all, is then an awkward 'add-on' which only the keenies are interested in.

The book goes on to describe different rhythms that develop a different way of being both as an individual and as a group -  a way that is open to God's mission purposes around them.

Small groups - think again!