(Welcome to the second edition of The Payneful Truth. Feel free to forward this email to your friends or use the ‘share’ button at the end to spread the word.)
They are complementary ministries. Each is less effective without the other; neither should one take the form of the other or neglect the other.
Personally I think it is worth making sure that if anything we favour the particular strength of the setting: more preaching focus if at church, and more person focus at growth group.
I really liked this article about small groups and church. I had two thoughts, and I share them as suggestions for things you may like to explore further in future posts? Or you can completely disregard. :-)
1) I’m really on board with the distinction you’re making between these two kinds of word-ministry speech. And I think it’s a very helpful way to describe a key difference between our Sunday gatherings and our small groups (which by the way we call “Home Groups” in our church and I felt very excluded and marginalised by you not including “HG” in your expansive acronym!!!!). But one of the things I’ve always been a bit puzzled by in our circles is the fact that we don’t make more room for the “one another edifying speech” in our Sunday gatherings. You don’t get the impression when you read the New Testament that the early Christians had to create a second kind of gathering in order for these “words” to find their place. I’m all for small group Bible Studies to continue and I think they’re a unique context for this kind of speaking. But I’m also interested in how we can make space in Sunday church services for more voices to be heard, and this is something we’re working on a bit in our church. I’d love to hear you reflect more on that in another post some time?
2) In terms of the distinction you’re making between these two different kinds of speech, I’ve sometimes thought of it as the difference between the kinds of speaking Paul has in mind when he uses the word “teaching” (ie. in 1 Tim 2 etc) and the kinds of speaking Paul has in mind when he uses the word “prophecy” (ie. in 1 Cor 11- cf. 1 Cor 14:26-33). If that way of describing it is productive (although you may disagree?), then it raises the question of the role people are given in 1 Cor 14:29 to ‘weigh’ prophecy. Given that I think the contributions small group members make are at the “prophecy” end of the spectrum, it has always seemed to me that one of the roles the small group leader plays is that of “weighing” the contributions group members make. So whilst I agree with you that group leaders should not be burdened with an expectation of being a “teacher” (ie. pastor/elder responsibility), I wonder what it means for them to carry the authoritative role in the group of being the “weigher”. I’d be fascinated to see that idea explored more some time.
Thanks Simon, and don’t stop ranting! These are both excellent points/questions, and I looked into both of them (esp the second) during my PhD. Just no time to touch on everything in these short posts.
I will no definitely be ranting myself on these topics in due course on this platform! Stay tuned.
You're making a case for "two zones", which "overlap". This is helpful.
However, I suggest it is better to think of one spectrum, rather than two zones. Better, because more in line with the various New Testament (NT) evidences, and more in line with the diversity of what happens in Christian gatherings across the world today.
Conceptually, it's a fine line between two zones that overlap, and one spectrum.
(The spectrum I'm thinking of is not about how small groups operate, as you've described in your opening MDMGCGTs paragraphs.)
I'm thinking about the spectrum ...
- from larger gatherings with ‘congregational teaching-and-preaching’ word ministry by recognised pastor-teachers
- to smaller gatherings with ‘one-another edifying speech’ word ministry.
In larger gatherings, it becomes a practical / logistic / social necessity that it's fairly formal and only a very small minority of people address the whole gathering, and they are put up-front, and they are authorised, recognised, qualified.
In smaller gatherings, it makes more sense to allow and encourage a higher percentage of participants to speak. From my 50 years, experience across small 'groups' and small 'churches' and big 'churches', across a significant diversity of cultures, most modern Christians think there's a theological difference between 'church' and a small group, but I have never been convinced by any appeal to the New Testament (NT) that such a theological distinction exists - and I don't see that you have demonstrated one either.
Of course many people appeal to 'worship' as the distinctive for 'church', but that's hogwash (that is to say, the NT never offers 'worship' as a paradigm for Christian gatherings of any size).
Others (including, apparently, you) appeal to when the gathering happen - Sunday versus other days.
So I'd suggest what you've conceptualised as two zones of Christian 'word ministry' can be better conceived of as two ends of a continuous spectrum.
And I suggest "the focus and function of the two ‘zones’ of word ministry" are ultimately the same : to build up each believer to maturity in Christ, and to present the Bride to Christ, "in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Really useful comment Andrew. I’m happy with what you’re wanting to emphasise with spectrum language — that there is a continuity between different forms of ‘word ministry’.
I should clarify though - by ‘zones’ I meant zones or fields *of speech*, not physical zones or ‘event’ zones or structural zones (so that Sunday is a ‘zone’ and small groups a different ‘zone’). I wasn’t trying to differentiate church and small groups as different zones, but as different opportunities, in which different kinds of speech can be utilised.
The question of how one might differentiate small groups and ‘church’ (as in the whole gathered local congregation) structurally or theologically was not one I was wanting to take on in the small space I had available! I think they can and should be differentiated, even though they share a great deal (in terms of theological character and purpose).
But perhaps that is something for another payneful discussion!
I recognise your zones are about word ministry - or speech - but you have set up your distinction as an answer to the question about the difference between church and small group:
"the community that is defined and constituted by the larger Sunday gathering (the local ‘church’) is a different thing in key ways from the small Wednesday night gathering (the ‘small group’).
But different how exactly?"
Good 'preaching' will include personal anecdote and application; good 'sharing' in a small group will include theological proposition. I suggest the distinction you are drawing looks bigger for you (and for most modern Christians) because it is aligned with modern experience: preaching in bigger gatherings, sharing in small groups, and these feel like two different things.
Which zone do you want to put Acts 20:31 into, and why? To me it looks like an authorised leader behaving in a personal sharing way.
Yes, by all means a payneful discussion about the difference(s) between Sunday 'church' and Wednesday 'small group'!
I reckon we can make some helpful observations about 'structural' differences between bigger and smaller gatherings - in our contemporary experience and also in the NT - but I don't see any 'theological' difference in the NT.
Thanks Andrew – good thoughts. I did flag that there are various ways to approach the question. We could examine the similarities and differences structurally (e.g. in relation to the nature of pastoral leadership/oversight) or theologically (in terms of ecclesiology). My side-step of these issues was to consider the question *functionally* — what does each kind of gathering do or contribute to their common purpose. Which I hope is helpful, and which I suspect may be a more fruitful way forward. But I acknowledge that it leaves questions unanswered! Thanks again. TP
Hi Keith. I’d probably reverse the question and say that the two kinds (or zones) of speech are found in many campus ministries— that is, many para-church organisations (like campus ministries) engage in ‘teaching-and-preaching speech’ to help frame the mind and understanding of students, as well as providing opportunities (and training) for different forms of ‘one-another edifying speech’. Make sense?
Yeah makes sense. Thanks for clarifying my initial confusion. I guess my question then is, given campus ministries engage in both 'teaching-and preaching' and 'one-another edifying' sorts of speech, what is it then that differentiates them from the local church?
Excellent question, and very hard to answer in this small space! My short and inadequate answer would be that the local church is a particular kind of thing, with certain characteristics, and that campus ministries (usually) share some but not all of those characteristics — and so are an identifiably different kind of structure. But both are expressions of the Great Church that Christ is building around himself in the heavenly places, the spiritual gathering of all his people in him. (I’ve stolen this answer largely from my friend Mikey Lynch who is writing a book on this very subject.)
They are complementary ministries. Each is less effective without the other; neither should one take the form of the other or neglect the other.
Personally I think it is worth making sure that if anything we favour the particular strength of the setting: more preaching focus if at church, and more person focus at growth group.
Hey Tony,
I really liked this article about small groups and church. I had two thoughts, and I share them as suggestions for things you may like to explore further in future posts? Or you can completely disregard. :-)
1) I’m really on board with the distinction you’re making between these two kinds of word-ministry speech. And I think it’s a very helpful way to describe a key difference between our Sunday gatherings and our small groups (which by the way we call “Home Groups” in our church and I felt very excluded and marginalised by you not including “HG” in your expansive acronym!!!!). But one of the things I’ve always been a bit puzzled by in our circles is the fact that we don’t make more room for the “one another edifying speech” in our Sunday gatherings. You don’t get the impression when you read the New Testament that the early Christians had to create a second kind of gathering in order for these “words” to find their place. I’m all for small group Bible Studies to continue and I think they’re a unique context for this kind of speaking. But I’m also interested in how we can make space in Sunday church services for more voices to be heard, and this is something we’re working on a bit in our church. I’d love to hear you reflect more on that in another post some time?
2) In terms of the distinction you’re making between these two different kinds of speech, I’ve sometimes thought of it as the difference between the kinds of speaking Paul has in mind when he uses the word “teaching” (ie. in 1 Tim 2 etc) and the kinds of speaking Paul has in mind when he uses the word “prophecy” (ie. in 1 Cor 11- cf. 1 Cor 14:26-33). If that way of describing it is productive (although you may disagree?), then it raises the question of the role people are given in 1 Cor 14:29 to ‘weigh’ prophecy. Given that I think the contributions small group members make are at the “prophecy” end of the spectrum, it has always seemed to me that one of the roles the small group leader plays is that of “weighing” the contributions group members make. So whilst I agree with you that group leaders should not be burdened with an expectation of being a “teacher” (ie. pastor/elder responsibility), I wonder what it means for them to carry the authoritative role in the group of being the “weigher”. I’d be fascinated to see that idea explored more some time.
Thanks for reading my rantings!
Simon.
Thanks Simon, and don’t stop ranting! These are both excellent points/questions, and I looked into both of them (esp the second) during my PhD. Just no time to touch on everything in these short posts.
I will no definitely be ranting myself on these topics in due course on this platform! Stay tuned.
Thanks Tony.
You're making a case for "two zones", which "overlap". This is helpful.
However, I suggest it is better to think of one spectrum, rather than two zones. Better, because more in line with the various New Testament (NT) evidences, and more in line with the diversity of what happens in Christian gatherings across the world today.
Conceptually, it's a fine line between two zones that overlap, and one spectrum.
(The spectrum I'm thinking of is not about how small groups operate, as you've described in your opening MDMGCGTs paragraphs.)
I'm thinking about the spectrum ...
- from larger gatherings with ‘congregational teaching-and-preaching’ word ministry by recognised pastor-teachers
- to smaller gatherings with ‘one-another edifying speech’ word ministry.
In larger gatherings, it becomes a practical / logistic / social necessity that it's fairly formal and only a very small minority of people address the whole gathering, and they are put up-front, and they are authorised, recognised, qualified.
In smaller gatherings, it makes more sense to allow and encourage a higher percentage of participants to speak. From my 50 years, experience across small 'groups' and small 'churches' and big 'churches', across a significant diversity of cultures, most modern Christians think there's a theological difference between 'church' and a small group, but I have never been convinced by any appeal to the New Testament (NT) that such a theological distinction exists - and I don't see that you have demonstrated one either.
Of course many people appeal to 'worship' as the distinctive for 'church', but that's hogwash (that is to say, the NT never offers 'worship' as a paradigm for Christian gatherings of any size).
Others (including, apparently, you) appeal to when the gathering happen - Sunday versus other days.
So I'd suggest what you've conceptualised as two zones of Christian 'word ministry' can be better conceived of as two ends of a continuous spectrum.
And I suggest "the focus and function of the two ‘zones’ of word ministry" are ultimately the same : to build up each believer to maturity in Christ, and to present the Bride to Christ, "in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Really useful comment Andrew. I’m happy with what you’re wanting to emphasise with spectrum language — that there is a continuity between different forms of ‘word ministry’.
I should clarify though - by ‘zones’ I meant zones or fields *of speech*, not physical zones or ‘event’ zones or structural zones (so that Sunday is a ‘zone’ and small groups a different ‘zone’). I wasn’t trying to differentiate church and small groups as different zones, but as different opportunities, in which different kinds of speech can be utilised.
The question of how one might differentiate small groups and ‘church’ (as in the whole gathered local congregation) structurally or theologically was not one I was wanting to take on in the small space I had available! I think they can and should be differentiated, even though they share a great deal (in terms of theological character and purpose).
But perhaps that is something for another payneful discussion!
Thanks again Tony.
I recognise your zones are about word ministry - or speech - but you have set up your distinction as an answer to the question about the difference between church and small group:
"the community that is defined and constituted by the larger Sunday gathering (the local ‘church’) is a different thing in key ways from the small Wednesday night gathering (the ‘small group’).
But different how exactly?"
Good 'preaching' will include personal anecdote and application; good 'sharing' in a small group will include theological proposition. I suggest the distinction you are drawing looks bigger for you (and for most modern Christians) because it is aligned with modern experience: preaching in bigger gatherings, sharing in small groups, and these feel like two different things.
Which zone do you want to put Acts 20:31 into, and why? To me it looks like an authorised leader behaving in a personal sharing way.
Yes, by all means a payneful discussion about the difference(s) between Sunday 'church' and Wednesday 'small group'!
I reckon we can make some helpful observations about 'structural' differences between bigger and smaller gatherings - in our contemporary experience and also in the NT - but I don't see any 'theological' difference in the NT.
Thanks Andrew – good thoughts. I did flag that there are various ways to approach the question. We could examine the similarities and differences structurally (e.g. in relation to the nature of pastoral leadership/oversight) or theologically (in terms of ecclesiology). My side-step of these issues was to consider the question *functionally* — what does each kind of gathering do or contribute to their common purpose. Which I hope is helpful, and which I suspect may be a more fruitful way forward. But I acknowledge that it leaves questions unanswered! Thanks again. TP
Thanks Tony! I'm just wondering where you'd place a para-church organisation like a campus ministry within the two zones?
Hi Keith. I’d probably reverse the question and say that the two kinds (or zones) of speech are found in many campus ministries— that is, many para-church organisations (like campus ministries) engage in ‘teaching-and-preaching speech’ to help frame the mind and understanding of students, as well as providing opportunities (and training) for different forms of ‘one-another edifying speech’. Make sense?
Yeah makes sense. Thanks for clarifying my initial confusion. I guess my question then is, given campus ministries engage in both 'teaching-and preaching' and 'one-another edifying' sorts of speech, what is it then that differentiates them from the local church?
Excellent question, and very hard to answer in this small space! My short and inadequate answer would be that the local church is a particular kind of thing, with certain characteristics, and that campus ministries (usually) share some but not all of those characteristics — and so are an identifiably different kind of structure. But both are expressions of the Great Church that Christ is building around himself in the heavenly places, the spiritual gathering of all his people in him. (I’ve stolen this answer largely from my friend Mikey Lynch who is writing a book on this very subject.)