When Small Groups Replace Sunday Church Attendance

A church I visited in Kiel, Germany had the chairs oriented in circles around the pulpit/altar (it was Evangelische/Lutheran) because it was believed that many ancient churches oriented their chairs this way--and enhanced interaction among the congregants. I don't know how historically true this is, but it was an interesting assertion of Arthur's Round Table there.

Which is a long way of saying that I'm not quite sure that we ought to orient things like a lecture hall for the sermon, Sunday School, or small groups. But that said, YES, Dan's right that it can be a typical difference between Sunday School and most small groups.

Both Bert and Dan have mentioned exactly the differences that I see between traditional SS classes and small groups. The way I see it, both require leaders who are qualified and apt to teach. Small groups generally (in comparison to most SS classes I’ve ever been a part of at any of my churches or churches I have visited) allow more person-to-person interaction than a typical SS class.

This is not to say that I denigrate regular SS classes. I’m part of one at my current church that I like a lot. It is led by two teachers who share the burden, either of whom would be able and qualified to lead small groups as well. We even do have occasional fellowships for the entire class, where, in a small way, I do have more of a chance to get to know those in the class. It’s not quite the same as in the small groups I have visited. Both models can work well, but I do miss the extra personal interaction I have seen in the small groups, which happens every meeting (or nearly) as compared to the usual SS dynamics. It did take longer, though. My current SS class even allows a fair amount of class interaction instead of a pure lecture model with just a couple questions. However, with the size of the class, it can get a little unwieldy.

Given we don’t have all the details of how the early church handled all their dynamics, I’m glad my church doesn’t have to deal with how to handle all this with several thousand members, as the early church did. Even with the apostles and deacons, that would still have required both a lot of work and a lot of delegation to shepherd that many people, particularly with the limitations they would have had.

I don't have any recent experience with Sunday School as it has been more than 20 years since I last attended one. I've been in the Small Group model for the past 20 years. The most frequent Sunday gathering of the church is in rows with large group teaching/preaching format. Small groups moves to a more relational environment in circles. Most of the SS experiences I've had were in rows and really a mid-sized gathering.

I've had much more opportunity for deep relationships in small groups than I ever had in SS environments. Our first group was an abysmal failure but some of our deepest relationships are with those in our small groups. We walked through amazing Bible learning, health scares, murders of a family member, marriage issues, new believer discipleship, and amazing life experiences shared in community. It is hard to see how that happens in a limited time SS. I see SS as a mid-sized environment, not dramatically different form what is is happening in the auditorium. Sitting in rows with someone standing at a podium in a lecture format. I'm sure you can find great things happening in SS environments too but this is my experiences.

As a side note I would love to know how the generations split out on this topic. I saw this study earlier this week which was interesting on engagement.

https://www.barna.com/trends/fostering-relationships-at-church/

For churches that have fully shifted from the SS model to the small group model, especially where the small group lesson is a rehash and application of the sermon, what is the game plan for serving the advanced student? Of necessity, sermons are one size-fits-all, as they have to serve non-believers, new believers, and coasting believers. Get too theological, throw in some original Greek/Hebrew, or assume that your audience remembers what you talked about a month ago, and a pastor is likely to put people to sleep and get complaints. Likewise, small/home groups that are attended as couples are bound to target an even a lower level of maturity, especially since the focus is on the food and fellowship.

Back in the day, when the SSs were weighted more towards instruction and especially when there were electives, it seemed like churches had more opportunity to indeed foster biblical/theological maturity, raise up trained leaders, substantively teach those who have been within the church for ten+ years, etc. How are your churches addressing this need?

Dan

We are a small church. Our SS is around a series of tables arranged in a large square, and is done completely by QA discussion of a bible passage. There are snacks and coffee. This is deliberately not a lecture format. It’s essentially a small group.

For us, small groups do not replace Sunday school.

Likewise, small/home groups that are attended as couples are bound to target an even a lower level of maturity, especially since the focus is on the food and fellowship.

What does attending as a couple have to do with spiritual maturity? Are you saying that if a SS class is attended by couples, that that class, as well, will be targeted at a lower level of maturity than a sermon? People have mentioned that food and fellowship can be part of both SS classes and small groups, but I haven't heard anyone claiming that those things are "the focus" of either group.

Dan,

As I look at the question of the advanced student, I'd ask you what about self feeding? Information is available at everyone's fingertips like never before. Over the years I've taken upon myself the responsibility for my personal study and learnings. I can go where the Spirit is leading me rather than where someone else, or a curriculum is going.

I can go where the Spirit is leading me rather than where someone else, or a curriculum is going.

Why would you presume the Spirit is leading in one and not the other? Or in either?

....that having come to Christ through the ministry of a small group, I am more than a little biased, but my overall take is that either Sunday School or small groups are exactly as mature as the leadership, with some adjustment per the maturity of those coming. I have had both where the leader showed MDIV/professorial expertise and lots of practical Godliness, and I've been in some where you can tell the guy has memorized just enough of the material to pretend to be a leader and try to impress some pretty girls.

Another consideration is that if either small groups or Sunday School are intended to guide people in making disciples, we have the question of which setting lends itself more to actually leading people to Christ. That is, which is the more "natural" interpersonal setting? Alternatively, how do we design our small group/Sunday School settings to better reflect how a man can reach coworkers, neighbors, and the like for Christ?

What does attending as a couple have to do with spiritual maturity? Are you saying that if a SS class is attended by couples, that that class, as well, will be targeted at a lower level of maturity than a sermon? -- Kevin Miller

"Spiritual maturity" is a broad concept, is it not? Most take it to refer to faithfulness, prayerfulness, love, reverence, being of good character, self-disciple, etc. So many aspects here in which my wife far outshines me. However, am trying to address something more specific.

My immediate concern is in identifying a local church forum which is focused on developing a level of biblical/theological maturity, of instilling a depth of sound doctrine in those who are inclined for that type of study, which is sufficient to challenge the theological winds which threaten those in our churches. Am having a hard time envisioning a small/home group that would choose to study something akin to Ryrie's Basic Theology. Not all small/home group participants or spouses are equally interested in such things. Therefore, what forum is that to be? Ideally, with elective SS offerings (be they Sunday morning or otherwise), couples can divide for a season and pursue the class offerings which meet their maturity needs.

Paul J appropriately notes that we all have an amazing opportunity for self-study in our present world. I agree, as this has been much of my journey. And yet, I keep running into these passages which suggest that the (local?) church has an obligation in this area.

Bert Perry weighs the value of small groups (or SSs) by their effectiveness in bringing people to Christ. This echoes what I hear others desire, with regard to these groups. But this gets to my concern: if small groups have an emphasis on bringing people to faith (and also building Christian fellowship and love, studying the Bible, etc.), where then is the forum which brings others to that deeper understanding of all that the NT teaches?

Perhaps I'm just expressing a sentimental dream here, as I saw our prior church flip from a robust set of SS electives to the small group model; the doctrinal decline began not long after.

There are both small groups and Sunday Schools that do very well going deeply; there are on the other hand those which are very shallow. Again, it depends on the leadership, really.

Question for Dan Moore

Can you explain "Sunday School Electives" to me. Is that being able to choose between multiple classes or is that Sunday Schools offering classes at a college level that allow the students to earn credits towards a degree? I have been in smaller rural churches my whole life, so perhaps that is why I am unfamiliar with what you are speaking about. I'd love to hear more.

Thanks, JD. It is about having parallel class offerings, with some classes that are targeted at those with minimal levels of biblical/theological maturity and other classes that are targeted at those who are ready for something more intense. (For this discussion, am not suggesting formal credits and such.)

I recognize that small churches have limitations, so one does what one can.

This concern was brought home to me again recently, as I am presently teaching a mid-week men's study at a local church (ABC), while also teaching a men's study at my own small church (MBC). As it has worked out, the ABC attendees are all long-term Christians, who have themselves taught and served over many decades; whereas, the MBC crew spans the range of new and longer-term Christians, yet with a variety of doctrinal backgrounds. As we all know, the audience makes a difference in what one teaches.

Bottom-line is that we need forums for training up both constituencies.

This concern was brought home to me again recently, as I am presently teaching a mid-week men's study at a local church (ABC), while also teaching a men's study at my own small church (MBC). As it has worked out, the ABC attendees are all long-term Christians, who have themselves taught and served over many decades; whereas, the MBC crew spans the range of new and longer-term Christians, yet with a variety of doctrinal backgrounds. As we all know, the audience makes a difference in what one teaches.

We just had our Monday night Bible study. We have a wide range of ages and a wide range of maturity levels as well as a wide range of understandings. We sit around tables that are arranged so we can face each other. I lead a study where we go through verse by verse, but where I ask leading questions that get discussions started. Anyone can ask a question, answer a question, or bring insight. It is great because it allows everyone to contribute.

My job as a pastor is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4). This study is one of the key ways where I do that. We talk about the passage and how it relates to our lives and how we can grow. We also talk about how we can share these truths with others. Since everyone is able to participate, it helps them to be more equipped to communicate the truth of God's word with people they meet who will never set foot in church or in a Bible study.

The more well taught saints are able to bring wisdom and help me teach the less taught. The less taught are able to bring insights into life that some of us may have missed. Many of us who have been saved for years may have forgotten what it is like to be a new believer and hearing from them helps us to be better equipped to minister to new believers. The young learn from the old and the old learn from the young. It is a great dynamic.