Why small groups?
Below is an article I wrote in response to the Scott’s book “Ten Decisions….”
Convicted Enthusiasm
By Bart Stewartmember, Manchester (TN) First UMC The church saved the life of Leslie, my wife and the mother of Jaden and Leah, not once, but twice during the last eight years. What do I mean by this? Be assured I speak in the most literal sense. My wife suffers from bulimia which has three possible phases: active, remission and death. Our family was steaming full speed ahead toward being without a matriarch when the Holy Spirit intervened through the actions of the body of Christ. This was the “hook” for me, but there is more.The church, made up of “the people who call themselves Methodist,” is the best place I have seen to accomplish what we are all called to do–make disciples. And I don’t mean merely adding numbers by a one-time acceptance of Christ, but by making real disciples–people who have gone on to be consumed by Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. You probably noticed I did not say the United Methodist Church (UMC) and that was intentional.
What happens in 10 years?What will the United Methodist Church look like in ten years if we, the church, do nothing? The buildings will still be here. We thirty-somethings will be driving Corvettes or motorcycles purchased at the onset of mid-life crises (I like red). And many members from the generation closest to the authentic church will have gone home. If we do implement the changes outlined in Jim and Molly Davis Scott’s book Restoring Methodism, some of these things will still happen (except maybe not the Corvettes and motorcycles), but that is not all that will happen. The United Methodist Churchwill start to look more like John Wesley’s methodist societies which were very close to the first century church.Reading the Scotts’ book and attending the subsequent Bishop’s Convocation, was deeply convicting for me as a layperson who is a member of the United Methodist Church. I had been sitting back coasting while piling the work of the church higher and deeper on our professional ministry team. But you and I are called to “be the church,” not subcontract the responsibility out to our clergy. I have also learned that personal holiness is not only refraining from killing my neighbor or having sex with his wife, but it’s doing what Jesus told us–loving God and loving our neighbor. We will bear fruit as a result of our love if it is genuine. Abstaining from buying that red Corvette for myself when I know my neighbor’s kid doesn’t have a coat or a house for that matter, is very sweet fruit indeed.As I learned more about Wesley’s method and the Holy Spirit, enthusiasm overcame me. It turns out the thing that made Methodism so successful as a movement was its structure. The system of classes, bands, societies, class leaders, local ministers, and traveling ministers served to teach the people who called themselves methodist how to be the Church. The structure facilitated interaction with and reliance on one another as the body of Christ. This is exciting because we need to learn reliance on the body now more than they did 200 years ago. I believe Wesley’s structure would be even more effective at retraining us today than it was in his time. It seems to me that we’re less dependent on God and each other than we have been at any time in history.The church that saved Leslie’s life the first time was not a United Methodist church, but it had a structure that was almost identical to that of early methodism. The second time the Holy Spirit intervened was through a small group meeting during a Lay Witness Mission event.The significant thing in both instances is that the Spirit worked through the structure of a small group of believers watching over each other in love. It seems to me that the Spirit prefers the small group over large corporate worship or solitary soul searching.
What can we do?I have some specific recommendations that I believe will facilitate the successful implementation of Restoring Methodism. The first thing I hope the church will engage in is a study of spiritual warfare. Past experiences have taught me to be terrified to begin any activity opposing the Devil without first putting on armor and readying all weapons. Satan would be stupid not to do everything he can to oppose the restoration of Methodism, and one thing Satan is not is stupid. The secondthing would be to seek congregational unity on the three tables (to use the Scotts’ tmetaphor) of theology, structure and language. The Scotts talk about the United Methodist Church setting a table that is wide, but a table that has definite edges. Congregations should agree on what is flexible–what’s on the table–and what we will not compromise on–what’s off the table–in the areas of theology, structure and language.I’m grateful for the sacrifices and dedication of those who went before us–from the first century church to the early Methodists to the recent members of the United Methodist Church who have kept the church alive during hard times. I’m also grateful to the Scotts for writing Restoring Methodism and having the love of the United Methodist Church that drives them to spread the word. I’m most grateful to the Holy Trinity for life, rebirth and life anew walking with the Holy Ghost. What is my response to all this? It is an overwhelming feeling of Convicted Enthusiasm. Whatever I, we, do next is a decision, so let it be intentional.
Lord, thank you for your patience. Please open my heart to the whispers of Your spirit, and please drive my hands to right actions so Your kingdom may come and Your will be done. •
