Beyond Worship:
Ministry with Adults
Using A Contemporary
Church Model
Bill Alphin
Virginia Baptist Mission Board
How did Jesus
grow disciples?
How do we
develop a
mature faith
as disciples of
Jesus?
• Study
• Prayer
• Nurture
• Service
• Testing
• Reflection
Some churches grow
disciples by accident!
Natural Church
Development
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Empowering leadership
Gift-oriented ministry
Passionate spirituality
Functional structures
Holistic small groups
Need-oriented evangelism
Loving relationships
Schwarz
The Influence of the
Contemporary Church Models
• To “Clone” rather than learn from
“Principles”
• Contemporary Worship vs.
Traditional
• Sunday School verses Small Groups
• Closed Groups verses Open Groups
The Issue
Is Not Just Style Of
Worship.
Its What Happens
Beyond Worship…
For adults to “stick” with the
church, they must find a
place where they are known by
name and where friendships
can develop.
Essential Groups
in the church:
• Worship—Focus on God.
• Adult Bible Fellowship
(Sunday School).—Focus on
people.
• Small Groups—Focus God’s
relationship with His people.
The
Saddleback
Model for
Building
Up The
Church
Core Lay Ministers
Committed
Maturing
Members
Congregation
The Crowd
Regular Attendees
The
Community
Unchurched
THE BIG PICTURE:
How Small Groups
Fit Into
The Ministry
Of The Church
Worship
Community
THE BIG PICTURE:
How Small Groups
Fit Into
The Ministry
Of The Church
Worship
Community
ABF
SS
ABF’s and
SS Classes are
“Open”:
THE BIG PICTURE:
How Small Groups
Fit Into
The Ministry
Of The Church
Task
Covenant
Group
(Open)
Worship
Community
ABF
SS
ABF’s and
SS Classes are
“Open”:
SMALL GROUPS
OAG
BAG
THE BIG PICTURE:
How Small Groups
Fit Into
The Ministry
Of The Church
Various
Missions/Ministries
Opportunities
Task
Covenant
Group
(Open)
Worship
Community
ABF
SS
ABF’s and
SS Classes are
“Open”:
SMALL GROUPS
OAG
BAG
THE BIG PICTURE:
How Small Groups
Fit Into
The Ministry
Of The Church
Various
Missions/Ministries
Opportunities
Mission
Action
Task
Covenant
Group
(Open)
Worship
Community
ABF
SS
ABF’s and
SS Classes are
“Open”:
SMALL GROUPS
OAG
BAG
THE BIG PICTURE: How Small Groups “fit” in the Church
Small Groups
As A Tool For
Growing
Disciples…
Entry Point
Mission
Action
Entry
Points
Possible
point of
assimilation:
Worship
Service
TERMINOLOGY:
ABF= Adult Bible
Fellowship
BAG=Basic Accountability
Group.
OAG=Ongoing Accountability
Group
Debrief and
reflection.
People who
are never
assimilated
at this point
are at high
risk of exiting.
ABF
ABF
Various
Missions/Ministries
Opportunities
BAG
Covenant
(Open)
OAG
Entry
Points
SMALL GROUPS
ABF
SS
ABF’s and
SS groups are
“Open”:
The focus is
fellowship.
OAG
Ministry
Beyond
“Self”.
Task
Group
Content of Small
Groups (Varies depending
on the purpose of the group)
Leadership
Community
used to
coach
leaders.
•Prayer
•Disciplines of the faith.
•Time of accountability
• and encouragement.
•Training.
•Ministry beyond self.
Agree-Disagree:
“A church that relies only on
Church member participation in
the Sunday morning worship
experience and adult Sunday
School class will not go very far
in developing mature disciples of
Jesus Christ.”Bill Alphin
Turning Attenders Into Members
Rich Warren, Saddleback Valley Community Church
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Develop a plan to assimilate member.
Communicate the value of membership.
Establish a required membership class.
Develop a membership covenant.
Make your members feel special
Create opportunities to build relationships.
Encourage every member to join a small group.
Three functions of
The Adult Bible Fellowship…
(Adult Sunday School Classes)
Evangelism
And
Assimilation
Care
Ministry
Bible
Study
Why Should We Care About
Small Groups?
•
•
•
•
•
Growing churches think small.
High tech cries for high touch!
Millennials want honest, caring relationships
Millennials are looking for “family”.
Church renewal often comes from God
working with people in a small group
community setting.
• It may be the most important “Niche” the
Church has that will differentiate itself from
other organizations and institutions.
Why Are Small Groups Important
To The Development Of Disciples?
• Disciples are best developed in groups.
• Disciples are best developed when there is
accountability and encouragement.
• Disciples are best developed where there is a
high degree of trust in the group.
• Disciples are best developed when there is
agreed expectations and outcomes.
• The adult Sunday School is not very effective as
a disciple making group.
It is difficult to move
People who attend
Worship where they can
Be anonymous to
Involvement in small
Groups that require
A high degree of intimacy.
Brief Theology of Small Groups
•Exodus 18:17-18a,21 (NIV)
•Moses' father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not
good. You and these people who come to you will only
wear yourselves out….But select capable men from all
the people-- men who fear God, trustworthy men who
hate dishonest gain-- and appoint them as officials over
thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”
Brief Theology of Small Groups
•John 10:16 (NIV):
•I have other sheep that are not of this sheep
pen. I must bring them also. They too will
listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock
and one shepherd.
Contents of A Small Group
(Varies depending on the purpose of the group)
•
•
•
•
Fellowship and possible ice breaker.
Prayer (talking and listening).
Disciplines of the faith.
Time of “catching up”: Accountability and
encouragement.
• Additional new training.
• Ministry beyond self: Gift based Missions
• Time of hospitality and fellowship.
Small groups should be
sequential...
People are grouped according
to stage of faith journey...
Each phase of discipleship
moves the disciple to a
higher level of commitment.
The Traditional Model Verses The Contemporary Church Model
Small Groups
As A Tool For
Growing
Disciples…
(Traditional Church Model)
Entry Point
Worship
Service
Various
Missions/Ministries
Opportunities
BAG
ABF
Covenant
(Open)
ABF
(Contemporary Church Model)
Entry Point
Worship
Service
SMALL GROUPS
ABF
SS
Open
Small Groups
With
“Empty Chair”
OAG
OAG
Task
Group
Leadership Community
used to coach leaders.
The Contemporary Model Verses The
Traditional “Baptist” Model
Traditional:
Contemporary:
• Sunday School/ABF
• Out Reach/ Caring
through the SS.
• Discipleship Small
Groups are often
“Hit or Miss” –No
curriculum plan.
• Discipleship Training
Director.
• Open Small Groups
• Outreach/Caring
through the Small
Group (Open Chair)
• Small Group Ministry
Tends to Be Organized
with “Coaches.
• Leadership Community.
• Movement from
anonymity to intimacy
without transition.
Open
Verses
Closed Groups
Elements of a Healthy Small
Group
X
Xa
Leader
Facilitator
L
Apprentice
Overseer
Recruiter
Observer
S
Seekers
Empty Chair
Babysitter
(B)
Children’s Minister
if needed
Hospitality
Growing
Person
H
29
Disciples
Extra Grace
Required Person
EGR
G
An effective disciple making
church must have leaders. Develop
disciple making leaders by...
• Affirm those who are effective Christian
disciples and leaders.
• Provide vision and encouragement.
• Discover and utilize spiritual gifts.
• Create accountability relationships for
leaders through a leadership community.
• Free leaders of institutional Maintenance.
Edward H. Hammett Making the Church Work.
The Leadership Community
• Nurture
• Vision Casting-Large Picture
• Ideas and activities. (Plenary)
• Skill Development (Sub-groups by
type)
• Huddle/Planning (Sub-groups by
type)
• Meets at least monthly.
What will
you do
next?