Reasons for Implementing a Small Group Ministry
at Peace United Methodist Church

First and foremost, studies show that no church with more than fifty members can be effective in pastoral care without the enlisting and enabling of lay people to be involved in offering such care.

1. This concept is biblical.

- Someone has counted forty-eight "one another's" in the Bible. Some examples are:

Biblical Christianity is not a solitary endeavor. It's clear in scripture that community (koinonia) is important, and that we need each other.

2. The historic roots of Methodism are grounded in this concept.

• John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement within the Church of England, reclaimed in the eighteenth century the small group focus that characterized the early church. 
• Wesley's "class meetings" were groups of ten to twelve people who met in homes and focused on the spiritual life of each group member.

3. They afford an opportunity to respond to specific identifiable, expressed needs held by people in today's world, including the need for:

• a spiritual experience which brings them closer to God
• biblical knowledge which relates to everyday life
• an opportunity to discuss life's concerns and faith questions
• help with family issues
• a sense of belonging
• an opportunity to serve in an important cause
• the development of deeper interpersonal relationships
• leadership development

4. They work

They are a proven tool in enhancing the effective of the overall ministry of the church and the growth and development of individual spiritual lives.

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