What is the purpose of your group?
I ask this question or something similar to it at almost every leadership conference I have the privilege to lead. The answers almost always fall in one of these three areas:
- Bible study
- Fellowship
- Ministry
Although Sunday School or small groups certainly has these elements to it, these are three functions of the Sunday School. But your group has a mission!
The mission of Sunday School is to make disciples. In fact, Sunday School should be your church’s primary discipleship strategy.
To put it another way…
The mission of Sunday School is to make missionaries.
For the most part, many groups do not know their purpose, their mission. And when you do not know your true mission, then any old mission will do. In fact, when an organization has no mission, people project whatever mission they want onto the organization. As a result, our churches are full of people who somehow think that their mission is to show up!
As a group, it is vital that you connect your group to your church’s mission of making disciples. Groups that are focused on their true biblical mission are less self-serving and more other centered.
Consider asking your group what they believe the group’s mission is the next time that you meet. Have them read Matthew 28:18-20 or Acts 1:8 for comparison.
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