Can you consider your small group as a church?

Many churches practice small group ministry. Groups of varying sizes (usually about ten believers) are often the best context for discussing Scripture, as well as for prayerful support and encouragement for one another. There is likely no opportunity to interact on this level during the main Sunday gathering, so small groups often become the place where some of the most important «one-on-one» ministry takes place. It is here that relationships are strengthened, experiences are shared, and life’s challenges and challenges are discussed.

Because of all this, it can be easy for such a group to become the primary focus of the spiritual life of its members. The group becomes, in effect, a church.

While this is understandable, it is not desirable. Small groups should not become a substitute for the main church gathering. If your small group replaces the church, you are missing out on something important. It is worth noting that in some contexts where there are few believers, churches are so small that they function like small groups. The Bible does not specify what size a church should be. So we are not discussing whether healthy churches can be small groups of people—they can be—but whether small groups can replace the church—they should not.

Why can't a small group replace the church?

First, because being a whole church family is also a way to demonstrate who God has reconciled to himself. Our small groups probably don’t reflect the full range of age and social groups that are included in the larger church family. But our Sunday gatherings do, and that’s important.

Second, the amount of work a small group can do is limited. precisely because of its small size. The church is a body made up of many members, each with a distinct role in the life of the body. Within a small group, there will not be the full range of gifts and ministries that are found in the entire church family.

Third, a small group is not governed in the same way as a church. Therefore, it cannot make final decisions on matters of doctrine or conduct for which the recognized church leadership is responsible. Nor can it observe the Lord’s Supper in a way that symbolizes the unity of the entire church.

So, small groups can be a wonderful addition to the life of a local church, but they should never replace the church. We want to be in a church with small groups, not a church of small groups. The main focus of church life is the whole gathering, not the small groups.