Better at Growing When I'm With Others
The theological foundations of Community Groups
Whether called Bible Studies, Small Groups, Growth Groups, Community Groups, Missional Communities, or some other name, mid-week gatherings with other Christians in groups of around 10-20 people are a staple of late 20th—and early 21st-century suburban Christianity.
Last week on The Shock Absorber podcast, I sat down with Joel McMaster and Joey Cheng (pastor at Soul Revival Church Ryde and responsible for Community Groups across Soul Revival Church) to begin a new mini-series about the theology, strategy and practice of Community Groups.
We chat about how the names of these smaller-than-church-services-but-bigger-than-1-on-1-groups can emphasise different aspects of a church’s vision and values. We also talk about the influence of the seeker-sensitive movement from the 1980s and 1990s and how churches like Willow Creek and Saddleback distinguished between the intended audience and outcomes of weekend and mid-week ministries.
The key question emerges: What are small groups forming? Is it about the activity itself, or something deeper?
In this first part of the series, we particularly wanted to dig into the theology of community groups, wondering about the role of small groups in discipleship and missional ministry of the church. Joey draws from Colossians 2:6 to highlight the role of God’s Word in spiritual growth, while I challenge the assumption that weekend church and midweek groups are the only effective pattern. If the gospel is inherently corporate, then mission and discipleship should go hand in hand.
This leads us into a discussion on Soul Revival’s core values and how they influence small groups, starting with The Bible is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Rather than treating Bible study like a book club, we wanted to emphasise that the same Spirit who inspired Scripture is alive in the hearts and minds of believers today. We also explore Prayer & Evangelism (Colossians 4:2) and Discipleship to Maturity (Matthew 28:19), emphasising how the smaller group setting creates space for deeper conversations that help people grow in Christ.
Finally, Joel asks us to discuss why Christians might hesitate to go deeper. Small groups act as a holy interruption to our weeks, encouraging accountability and fellowship. When people prioritise this time, they not only grow as disciples but also as friends.
Also in this episode:
Joey went with his wife Mary to Cantopop and Mandopop superstar Eason Chan’s Fear & Dreams concert. He gives his reflections on the experience and Mary’s love of this genre. To hear more from Mary, including her bucket-list desire to be a Hong Kong celebrity, you can check out her Chip Lunch Podcast interview Part 1 and Part 2.
Listen along on your favourite podcast platform or watch the conversation on the YouTube link below.