MINISTRY UPDATE: Advocating for Small Groups

Advocating for Small Groups
Posted on January 20, 2017  in Ministry Update, Uncategorized, Worship
Have you thought about joining a Life Group? Maybe you’ve mulled it over for a while and weren’t able to come up with any concrete reasons to join one.
In a sermon that John Piper preached in 2009 he shares “Seven Reasons Why Preaching Isn’t Enough” (an interesting theme coming from a man who clearly believes in the necessity of preaching). Here are Piper’s seven reasons why preaching isn’t enough and why meeting in a small group setting is worth pursuing.
1/ The impulse to avoid painful growth by disappearing safely into the crowd in corporate worship is very strong.
2/ The tendency toward passivity in listening to a sermon is part of our human weakness.
3/ Listeners in a big group can more easily evade redemptive crises. If tears well up in your eyes in a small group, wise friends will gently find out why. But in a large gathering, you can just walk away from it.
4/ Listeners in a large group tend to neglect efforts of personal application. The sermon may touch a nerve of conviction, but without someone to press in, it can easily be avoided.
5/ Opportunity for questions leading to growth is missing. Sermons are not dialogue. Nor should they be. But asking questions is a key to understanding and growth. Small groups are great occasions for this.
6/ Accountability for follow-through on good resolves is missing. But if someone knows what you intended to do, the resolve is stronger.
7/ Prayer support for a specific need or conviction or resolve goes wanting. O how many blessings we do not have because we are not surrounded by a band of friends who pray for us.
These are compelling reasons to join a small group! Are you interested in joining a group? Contact Pastor Caleb at caleb@hespelerbaptist.ca.
You can follow the link below to hear Piper’s audio presentation. Piper’s reasons for joining a small group can be found in the first nine minutes of the message.
http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-love-of-human-praise-as-the-root-of-unbelief#full-audio

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