1. Community Life 101 A five session course in biblical community through small groups What kind of small group experiences have you had? What was the best experience? The worst experience? What reflection do you have about a small group that made a significant impact on your life?

2. Purpose of this course The purpose of this course is for participants to be able to Define biblical community Understand the basic biblical passages and theoretical foundations of small group ministry Identify the main components of small group meetings Demonstrate basic community-building skills including active listening, empathy, and assertiveness Lead a small group discussion using relational and inductive Bible study questions Recognize the relationship of service activities to small groups

3. Biblical Community Defined “Christian community is the –body of Christ –expressing the life and message of Christ –to build up one another and redeem the world for God’s glory.” Bill Donahue, Leading Life-Changing Small Groups “You can have a small group and not experience community – but you cannot have community apart from a small group experience.” Randy Frazee, The Connecting Church

4. Purpose of Small Groups is… To connect people into groups of three to twelve who come together –On a regular basis –For a common purpose and are –Led by an identified leader who is assisting them and being assisted by them –Toward growth in Christ-likeness by intentionally providing an environment for –Connection (outreach), –Community (fellowship), –Spiritual formation, and –Service Donahue, Leading Life-Changing Small Groups

5. Connecting Questions What is your name? How long have you been attending this church? Where were you living between the ages of 6 and 12, and what were the winters like? How did you heat your home during this time? What was the center of warmth in your life during this time? (This can be a person, time of year, place in the house or all three.) When did God become a warm reality to you?

6. The Bible and small groups: Jesus and the disciples Jesus had a small group “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve— designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons…” Mark 3:13-15

7. The Bible and small groups: The Early Church “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

8. The Bible and small groups: “one anothering” passages Biblical small groups are an expression of the approximately 50 “one anothering” verses in the Bible such as the following. –love one another – John 13:34-35, –be devoted to one another – Romans 12:10, –accept one another – Romans 15:7, –encourage one another – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

9. The Bible and community Koinonia: The word appears 19 times in the Greek New Testament. It is translated “fellowship” twelve times, “sharing” three times, and “participation” and “contribution” twice each in the New American Standard Version of the Bible.

10. The Bible and community The Ekklesia (assembly or congregation) is never conceived of as institutional; but exclusively as a fellowship of persons, as the common life based in fellowship with Jesus Christ as a fellowship of the Spirit (koinonia pneumatos) and a fellowship of Christ (Koinonia Christou). To be in Christ through faith and to be in this fellowship are one and the same thing. Emil Brunner, Dogmatics, Vol. 3, p.21.

11. Biblical community applied What kinds of actions and attitudes would you expect to see in a small group that is developing Koinonia?

12. Biblical community discussed Ephesians 4:1-6 1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Small Group Bible Discussion Questions 1. What words or ideas are repeated or emphasized in this passage? 2. What does the passage say about God? About humankind? 3. What are the lessons of this passage about a life of faith? 4. How does this passage apply to my life of faith?