A Christian isn’t simply a person who believes all the right stuff. It’s someone who has a personal relationship with the living person of Jesus Christ whereby He is the Lord/Leader of their lives, and they are following Him everyday. Just like any other relationship, it isn’t a static thing. It must be nurtured, and God’s design is that we grow in our trust and obedience as we experience His expressions of grace and love to us.
But how and where does this happen? Surely it can’t be reduced to a program or series of steps (we as evangelicals are addicted to books that have the word “steps” or “paths” in them). On the other hand, we shouldn’t think that our relationship with Jesus is so mysterious that sanctification will just happen to us, like a kind of spiritual osmosis. The truth is it’s both. “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13) So, we work it out, and God works it into us.
Greg Ogden’s book on “Transforming Discipleship” makes the case that the best context for working it out while God works it within is a small group. That’s not a new notion. We know from Scripture and experience that people are transformed most often when they have regular opportunities to talk and listen and share and work out their salvation among a small group of committed friends. For years small groups have been identified as a primary factor in a church’s effectiveness in not only making disciples, but growing disciples. What is new is Ogden’s assertion that a “triad”–a small group of just three people–is the best, most transforming context. In his study he compared small groups of various sizes, as well as one-to-one discipleship models, and discovered that triads worked best. He doesn’t say other sized groups are unimportant, but that triads provide unique advantages. Triads are more intimate than larger small groups, but not as limited or (sometimes) intimidating as a “Paul-Timothy” mentoring relationship. Ogden feels adding just one more person to a mentoring pair gives everyone more room to breathe and respond without undue pressure.
What do you think? Have you ever been in a “triad”? How did that experience differ for you from a small group of 5 to 10 people? Have you ever been in a mentoring relationship one-on-one? Where have you grown the most as a Christian?
There is nothing magical about the number of people. I have been involved in all sizes of groups and benefitted. I do enjoy a lot of stimulation. A large church with a school is my favorite atmosphere for personal growth. I love the constant activity of the children, many types of break off groups studying a choice of subjects, and varied worship with many mission opportunities available. Small churches have been my least favorite, especially when the administration is “lazy” and “legalistic”. This breeds exclusivity instead of inclusiveness as Jesus modeled.