Small Groups in the
New Church
The Rev. John L. Odhner
I
n the New Church today there is increasing interest in using small groups
as a key part of our congregational care for one another. Recently seven
congregations from our denomination gathered to develop strategies for
improving church health through small groups. For me this is a welcome
development as I have long seen teachings in the Word that direct us to using
small groups to accomplish the work of the Church. Here I want to consider
some of those teachings.
The Lord Used Small Groups
The essentials of the New Church are to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as
the one God of heaven and earth, and to keep His commandments. All of our
efforts to build the Church in people’s hearts, minds and lives begin from that
starting point. Since it is not we ourselves but the Lord who builds the Church,
He is our pattern and guide.
When the Lord was in the world, He sometimes preached to thousands,
He sometimes ministered one-on-one, and very often He worked with small
groups. He called twelve disciples, sometimes meeting with all twelve (as at
the Last Supper), and sometimes just with Peter, James and John (as in the
Garden of Gethsemane). Often He would eat at someone’s home, ministering
to the family and friends who had gathered. When He healed the 12-year-old
daughter of Jairus, He wanted privacy and allowed only seven people in the
room.
When the Lord sent out his twelve disciples, He told them to focus their
ministry on a particular house in each city. “Whatever house you enter, stay
there, and from there depart.” (Luke 9:4, Mark 6:10) Although some of their
preaching was more public, much of it focused on small groups in homes and
families.
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