Starting a Small Group with Unbelievers

Starting a Small Group with other Christians is a fairly routine matter, but attempting to begin one with non-Christians can seem overwhelming. We have provided some help below by addressing:

• How do you get people to come?
• Why people stay
• Barriers
• How to break down barriers

How Do You Get People to Come?

• The person of Jesus is intriguing to people. People know He's real.
• Learning to love is inviting. Almost everyone struggles with love in some way. We want to be loved and learn how to love.
• Do not present it as a Bible study. "Bible study" sounds formal, religious and intimidating.
• Get potential participants to make only an initial four-week commitment.
• Offer a safe environment to enter:
  
  • Someone's home.
  • Someone in the group is familiar.

Why People Stay

• Inductive Study of Jesus. They discover Jesus for themselves. Key principle of adult education: they are equal partners. They don't have a stranger telling them what to see; someone guides them into discovering material on their own.
• The Beauty of Jesus. It is captivating to see Jesus' love for people as it unfolds in the study.
• The Love of Christians. They see Jesus in two places: the gospels and the lives of believers.
  
  • We're not above them. We talk about our weaknesses.
  • We're with them. We share our hassles.
  • We listen to them and are genuinely interested in their lives.
  • We're fun. We have many laughs together.
• A Safe Environment to stay in.
  
  • No prayer-time until it unfolds naturally.
  • No pressure to "believe the gospel" or "become a Christian'.
  • Take it four weeks at a time. They are not locked in for life.

Barriers

• Bible
  
  • They don't know the Bible, its stories, where the New Testament is or where the gospels are.
  • They don't trust the Bible as the Word of God.
• Christians
  
  • The popular image of Christians is legalistic, Bible-thumping, bombing abortion clinics and banning books.
  • They are afraid of church and what they don't understand.
  • They may have seen Christians display hypocritical behavior.
  • They might have been hurt or disappointed by Christians.
• God
  • They are functional atheists. God has very little to do with their lives.
  • They are functional polytheists because they believe that everyone can have their own God: Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Native American animists all have valid beliefs. The idea that Jesus is the only way to the Father is heresy.
• Morality
  • Relativism is their functional moral code. "If it feels good, then it must be okay."
  • Moral standards are set by "Dear Abby", Geraldo Rivera and Oprah. The authority in their lives is set through daily doses of People Magazine or the equivalent.

How To Break Down the Barriers

• The Spirit. The Doctrine of Effectual Calling says that the Spirit begins to work in the life of a person before he or she publicly becomes a Christian.
  • "My sheep hear my voice." John 10:3
• The Gospels. The gospels were the evangelistic literature of the early church. They are very audience-focused. They present Christ with very little commentary and let who Jesus is leap off the page. The church has never quite known what to do with the gospels.
  • But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing you may have life in His name." John 20:31
• The Word. Inductive Bible study allows non-Christians to build confidence in God's Word on their own. Faith can slowly grow as the truth of God's Word begins to get under their skin.
  • "The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
• Christians. They see the love of Jesus coming from Christians for them. They see our love for one another.
  • "By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
• Prayer. We are working quietly in their lives through prayer.
• The Gospel. Everything in the gospels bends towards understand that "Jesus dies on the cross for my sins and rose again to new life."
  • "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." Romans 1:16

Leading a Small Group

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