Small groups aren’t just another church program — they’re where real life happens. They’re where friendships grow, faith deepens and people feel seen. As we live out the gospel in everyday life, small groups become a vital expression of the church in action. In many ways, it’s about bringing the church home — creating space for connection, care and spiritual growth in everyday settings.
We invited Kurt Johnson, author of multiple books and seminars on small group ministry, to share a practical how-to guide with Gleaner readers. For some, it may be a helpful refresher; for others, it may demystify what small group ministry can look like. Wherever you find yourself on the journey, may this guide inspire you to invest deeply in this counter-cultural rhythm of discipleship — one that offers real connection in a world that often feels increasingly disconnected.
The year was 1902, and Ellen White had recently relocated her home, Sunnyside, on Avondale Road in Cooranbong, Australia, to California. On that particular morning, she was writing an article for Australasian Union Conference Record, to be published in the Aug. 15 edition. Here are her words: “The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort is a plan that has been presented before me by One who cannot err. If there is a large number in the church, let the members be formed into small companies, to work not only for the church members but for unbelievers also" (Evangelism, p. 115).
Furthermore, she counseled church leadership to provide training for church members on how to conduct “Bible readings” and “cottage meetings” in homes (Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 82–83). Bible readings would be similar to what is termed today as a traditional Bible study, and a cottage meeting relates to a small group Bible study. Notice also that the purpose of the small companies was to work for the salvation and discipling of both Adventist Church members and those who are “unbelievers.”
Combining this counsel with Acts 2 gives us guidance on the agenda for a small group Bible study meeting:
“Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where [the disciples] were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2–4).
Scripture describes the listeners hearing the gospel message in their own languages. Miracles occur as people are healed and their lives are transformed by the message of salvation through Jesus. Hearts are convicted. Acts 2 describes a time — Pentecost — when a Spirit-filled church was directed and guided by God. Verses 38–41 describe how 3,000 people responded and were baptized. Verses 41–47 explain what church life was like for these newly baptized members of the newly formed, relatively pristine, Spirit-filled church. Verse 42 lists key items that were part of their church life.
First, the believers devoted themselves to the “apostle’s teachings.” Today, we would refer to this as a Bible study.
Second, there was a sense of “fellowship” with one another — love, caring, sharing and nurturing.
Third, they “broke bread” together. That is, they ate meals together and shared the emblems of the Lord’s Supper.
Fourth, they “prayed” together.
Verse 43 adds a fifth element. It states that miracles and supernatural signs occurred in the church, in answer to prayer and the faith of the believers.
Verses 44–45 add a sixth dimension. These verses tell us the believers had “all things in common” and sold their possessions in order to give freely to anyone “in need.”
Verse 46 states that the members met in the “temple” — large meetings of corporate worship — as well as “house to house” — small group meetings — and that the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
By combining scripture and White’s supportive comments, we discover the following principles, which apply to both corporate worship time and the home. Applying these principles specifically to a small group home meeting, we discover the agenda and purpose for a small group home Bible study.
Acts 2:
- Studied the apostles' doctrine
- Fellowshipped
- Broke bread
- Prayed
- Had commonalities
- Worshipped in the temple and in houses
- People were added daily
Today:
- Study the Bible with your group.
- Develop friendships with your small group members.
- Share regular meals and the Lord’s Supper in worship.
- Pray together and privately.
- Meet in small groups in homes to fulfill the principles of Acts 2:41–47.
- Attend Sabbath worship services and invite group members to attend with you.
- Invite members and nonbelievers to your small group. Decisions will be made within the group and people will be baptized. Develop fully devoted disciples of Jesus.
The agenda for a small group home Bible study based upon these biblical principles would be similar to this:
Agenda:
- Sharing time: 20 minutes
- Bible study: 45 minutes
- Prayer: 15 minutes
Adding more detail, the agenda would be:
- Welcome, prayer
- Sharing time
- Bible study
- Prayer time
- Mission: invite someone to come with you to the group next week.
Understanding the Agenda
Sharing Time
For the group to be successful, it's essential that each member actively participates in the discussion and is willing to share their thoughts openly. To set the stage for each meeting, the group needs to begin with a time of sharing. This sharing time helps everyone relax and discuss their week and personal life in a non-threatening manner. It helps the members of the group to become acquainted with each other, to be aware of each other’s needs and to get the quiet group members involved in the group process, so they will continue to share and interact during the Bible study time.
Most groups have two types of questions for sharing time. These are present situation questions and getting acquainted questions. For example, at the beginning of the sharing time, the leader simply asks the group, “How has your week gone for you?” “Who would like to share?” They pause and wait for someone to share. Then they ask, “Who else would like to share?” If someone’s situation is especially challenging, the group pauses and prays for them immediately; otherwise, they can be included in the prayer time.
The second question asked is a question to get acquainted with each other. These questions are not to be controversial, political or divisive. Ask questions such as, “What is your favorite hobby?” or, “What was your favorite vacation trip?” or, “What was your favorite pet's name?”
Depending upon the number of group members, not everyone will have time to share each week, unless the group members keep their answers short! It's the group leader's responsibility to guide this process and keep the meeting on schedule.
Once the sharing time ends, the group leader will say, “It's time now for our Bible study. Let's discuss our study guide together."
Bible Study
A Bible study small group is a discussion-based study as opposed to a teacher-based classroom setting. The leader facilitates the discussion but does not dominate the conversation. The leader guides the group in discovering the truths to be learned. This style is the opposite of the seminar approach, in which the teacher shares information, answers questions and leads a brief discussion. However, the small group discussion must be based on scripture, otherwise it becomes a pooling of thoughts and personal ideas with no scriptural basis.
If a group is using a printed Bible study guide designed for small groups or individual use, either style should be easy to use to keep the group on topic and facilitate an interesting discussion.
In most cases, the leader simply reads the introduction to the topic as printed in the guide, reads the biblical question and the group looks up the corresponding Bible text. The group is asked to write the answer in their guide, and then asked if there are any thoughts, comments or questions.
An inductive discussion Bible study has three key components:
- Observation: What does the text say? What is the context and background of the passage? The group members simply list the facts and gain as much understanding as possible about the passage.
- Interpretation: What does the text mean? This involves reviewing the historical and textual context and asking what the text meant when it was originally written.
- Application: What parallels can we find between the original context and our contemporary time? The group members ask, “So what?” and, “What difference does this text make to me today?”
It is critical that, at the end of a Bible study, the leader always asks, “Is this topic clear to you? Do you have any questions?” If a group member has unanswered questions, they will not decide to accept and live out the truth in their personal life. Because there is more than one person in the small group, the leader may need to spend individual, personal time with the group members who require more assistance in studying a given topic.
Prayer Time
Prayer is the lifeblood of the group. Prayer bonds group members together, strengthens members for daily life and invites the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of the group members. It's safe to assume some members of any group may have never prayed privately or publicly. Others are scared to pray out loud and might never join a group if they believe they will be asked to pray publicly. A good rule to follow is to let group members know they will never be put on the spot and asked to pray out loud unless you already know they are comfortable doing so. Prayer will always be voluntary.
Once the group members become acquainted with each other and feel at ease in the group environment, they will be more open to participating in the prayer time.
Mission
The goal of every small group is to help group members develop an eternal relationship with God. This means not only accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, but also experiencing God meeting the everyday needs of their lives. As group members, we want everyone living in our community to have this experience.
To accomplish the mission as a group, pray weekly for God to bring new people to your small group. Encourage group members to invite their family and friends. If the group becomes too large, then start a new group!
Beginning Your Group
To begin your group, form a leadership team consisting of a leader, an assistant leader and a host. Invite your neighbors, friends, general acquaintances and those who have participated in community events hosted by your church, such as seminars, evangelistic meetings, health events, etc.
The group leader needs to remember that their role is not to “tell scriptural truth” to the group members, but to assist them in “discovering scriptural truth.” “Discovered truth” is personalized very quickly, while being told something belongs to the teller alone, until the listener decides to internalize a particular truth personally, which may take a long time for some.
We must never forget that biblical learning is a step-by-step process. As long as a person attends the group Bible study, they will continue to grow and learn. The Holy Spirit, combined with a continued study of scripture, acceptance, love, friendship and respect for each group member, will help each member discover the truth of scripture and establish an eternal relationship with God.
Once group members decide to attend Sabbath worship services with you, it's critical to bridge this transition. It's beneficial to have a small group Sabbath School at your church that is patterned after their weekly small group. For some, this will be their first time experiencing a church worship service of any type.
Once your small group members begin attending Sabbath worship services and make a decision to be baptized, celebrate these decisions with your small group members. Invite the members to attend the baptism. Have a meal together and celebrate the special day.
Disciple the newly baptized group members. Invite them to attend church events with you, involve them in ministry, assist in developing a devotional life and continue their small group experience. These efforts, led by the Holy Spirit, will prepare the group members for an eternal relationship with God.
As you can see, a small group experience is a discipleship experience. Small group members are not only studying the Bible, making friends, praying together, supporting each other, growing in a daily walk with Jesus, butthey are also sharing their faith with others! This is following the call of Jesus! It's no wonder the early church of believers grew so quickly, and Christianity spread around the globe!
And guess what? God will do the same for your church in your community! So start a home-based small group today!
Getting Started
Follow these easy steps:
- Talk with your pastor about starting a small group Bible study.
- Team up with three church members, with one serving as the group leader, another as the assistant leader and the third as the host.
- Pray for God’s guidance.
- Choose a set of Bible study guides designed for a small group discussion.
- The three church members meet weekly and follow the previously described small group agenda as they study the chosen Bible guides.
- Once they have studied several of the Bible guides and are familiar with the group process, they are now ready to launch their small group.
- The three church members:
- Choose a start date for their small group.
- Invite others from their community to join the group.
- Use their chosen set of small group Bible study guides and begin with lesson one. (Because the three church members have already completed the first several study guides, this prepares them for the first few small group meetings.)
Pray continually. God will guide and bless your small group!
Kurt Johnson serves concurrently as Voice of Prophecy International Bible School director and General Conference assistant director of the Sabbath School and personal ministries department.
