The Great Commission calls us to “Go and make disciples… baptizing, and teaching all of them to obey everything I have commanded you,” Jesus said (Matt. 28:19-20). This imperative makes the followers of Christ realize that our life must be in accordance with discipleship.
This idea of discipleship begins by surrendering our life to God—making Jesus our all in all. A disciple needs a discipler. Jesus is our Master Teacher; the Spirit is the one that applies the teaching of Christ in our lives. But the Spirit also indwells in each believer that gives us the ability to conform to the image of Christ.
To this thought, Paul told Timothy to teach others who will also teach others (2 Tim. 2:2). Meaning, we are called to teach and make disciples—this is aligned to the Great Commission.
Surveying the NT Church, Christians as a church were told to meet regularly and emphasizing not to neglect it (Heb 10:24-25). Does that only mean to meet every Sunday? I believe not. Because in Acts 2:42-27, when the church was starting, they were meeting daily not in the temple but in every household (cf. Acts 5:42). No wonder Paul, during his missionary journeys, was also meeting and baptizing people from different households.
This meeting does not necessarily have a large group. In a household, five to ten people were present usually. Yet in the Scriptures, even “where two or three gathered in Christ’s Name, Christ is there” (Matt. 18:20).
This idea of the small group was not only practiced during the Early Church but also during the modern-day. Charles Simeon (1759-1836) started with a handful of members. He set them in smaller groups called societies. From six societies, it grew to thirty after a decade. A decade?!! Yes, discipleship is not a short-term aim. It is not a secret tool for church growth but rather a long-term plan—truly, a life-long journey for Christians.
Be at peace and entertain the motion of the Spirit. Be intentional with your small group meetings. Soli Deo Gloria!
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John&Paul's Reflections 