We Were Made to Care For One Another
08-31-08 “We Were Made to Care for One Another” (Montia)
Acts 2:42-47 NIV
Magnify the Lord
Assimilate and equip new believers
Building caring community
Communicate the Good News to the Inland Empire and beyond
1. SMALL GROUPS FUNCTION AS MICRO CHURCHES (v.42)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
The apostles went around town, house to house, in small groups, to train leaders to lead.
The early church small group performed multiple functions:
Teaching (discipleship) of the apostles; they made sure these things were taught
Community (fellowship) “the fellowship”; they were committed to it; church hoppers are prevalent, so “stop the hop”
The Lord’s Supper (worship)
Prayer devotion to prayer; not an add-on, but continual consultation; small groups have the advantage of praying for each other; becomes more powerful and more meaningful
Every small group should have all the functions of the large group
2. SMALL GROUPS FORM THE PRIMARY CARE UNIT OF THE CHURCH (v.44-45)
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”
They recognized needs and did not see individualistic life, but a communal life.
Not just financial, but sharing in their lives.
When you are in a small group, it’s harder for needs to go unmet
The focus isn’t vertical like a worship service; it’s horizontal with each other
We try to maintain small spans of care
If it’s up to one person, then many others will go untouched
3. SMALL GROUPS CONNECT US WITH OTHER BELIEVERS (v.46)
Acts 20:20 “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.”
We translate this “from class to class”
We get to know one another in a small group.
We were made to be connected to other people.
4. SMALL GROUPS CONNECT US WITH GOD.
Even in a small group, there is a focus on worship.
We can connect to God in a large or small group, but small groups add accountability to the equation.
5. WE GROW LARGER AND SMALLER AT THE SAME TIME (v.47b)
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Acts 5:42 “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Small groups help us do a better job of evangelism.
As growth occurs, we need to continue to multiply the groups.
Remember: The basic building block of the church is the small group. We are able to take care of
Acts 2:42-47 NIV
Magnify the Lord
Assimilate and equip new believers
Building caring community
Communicate the Good News to the Inland Empire and beyond
1. SMALL GROUPS FUNCTION AS MICRO CHURCHES (v.42)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
The apostles went around town, house to house, in small groups, to train leaders to lead.
The early church small group performed multiple functions:
Teaching (discipleship) of the apostles; they made sure these things were taught
Community (fellowship) “the fellowship”; they were committed to it; church hoppers are prevalent, so “stop the hop”
The Lord’s Supper (worship)
Prayer devotion to prayer; not an add-on, but continual consultation; small groups have the advantage of praying for each other; becomes more powerful and more meaningful
Every small group should have all the functions of the large group
2. SMALL GROUPS FORM THE PRIMARY CARE UNIT OF THE CHURCH (v.44-45)
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”
They recognized needs and did not see individualistic life, but a communal life.
Not just financial, but sharing in their lives.
When you are in a small group, it’s harder for needs to go unmet
The focus isn’t vertical like a worship service; it’s horizontal with each other
We try to maintain small spans of care
If it’s up to one person, then many others will go untouched
3. SMALL GROUPS CONNECT US WITH OTHER BELIEVERS (v.46)
Acts 20:20 “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.”
We translate this “from class to class”
We get to know one another in a small group.
We were made to be connected to other people.
4. SMALL GROUPS CONNECT US WITH GOD.
Even in a small group, there is a focus on worship.
We can connect to God in a large or small group, but small groups add accountability to the equation.
5. WE GROW LARGER AND SMALLER AT THE SAME TIME (v.47b)
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Acts 5:42 “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Small groups help us do a better job of evangelism.
As growth occurs, we need to continue to multiply the groups.
Remember: The basic building block of the church is the small group. We are able to take care of
