Call to revive small group

By NASONI LUTUNALIWA
Fiji Mission President.

THE Fiji For Christ campaign had a soft launch earlier this year.The campaign is a coordinated approach, inspired by Revelation 14, and it is meant that every church and member be part of it.

The three angels were seen flying in the middle of heaven and earth in the chapter, with messages that were to be preached to all nations, tribes, and tongues. This message is urgent. It is necessary to alert Fiji and the world.

This message, to preach, “sound the alarm,” and prepare lives to meet their Saviour, has been given to the Adventist movement.

In accordance with Matthew chapter 28, the church believes it has been commissioned and that this message of Revelation 14 “will be preached to all the world as a witness, then the end will come”.

Therefore, the Fiji for Christ initiative embodies all of the above. The church believes in the mandate of Matthew 28:19-20 that the gospel “will be preached to all the world as a witness, then the end will come”.
Thus, the Fiji for Christ campaign embodies this initiative and the great commission.

It wishes to witness the manifestation and effective ministry of every spiritual gift of church members, the activation of Sabbath School action units, cells, and care groups.

The goal is to spread evangelism in small groups.

Small group ministry is a deliberate, in-person meeting of three to twelve individuals on a regular basis with the shared goals of building relationships, attending to members’ perceived needs, advancing spiritually, making plans, and co-operating to help others accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour of their lives.

The goal is to support each other’s personal spiritual development, their relationship with God, and their willingness to reach out and give what they have with others.

Small groups comprised the New Testament church.

Early Christians gathered in each other’s houses, in part because the intimate bonds that held Christ’s earliest disciples together could only be maintained in small groups and in part because regular meetings in public settings were problematic due to Jewish hostility.

Even while they also gathered in larger numbers whenever and wherever they could, the apostolic church’s creativity and depth were found in this web of little groups to which everyone belonged.

The church’s remarkable growth from 120 to over 10,000 members in a matter of months following Pentecost, as well as the formation of its distinctive fellowship, were greatly aided by these little groups (Acts 1:15; 4:4; 5:42, etc.).

The small group meeting is where we study together. It is where we learn to pray together and our prayer life strengthened. It is where fellowship and bonding grow within the body of Christ. The bond shared will spill into the church.

I would like to encourage every church member to join a small group. It is a great way to grow spiritually and help others grow spiritually.

Small group ministry will give a sense of belonging and purpose.

The challenge is for every minister, local church elder, and leader to have a small group and inspire members to attend one. I have a small group and we try our very best to meet every week for a time of sharing, prayer, Bible study and fellowship.

The life and organization of the church depend heavily on small groups. Small groups cannot simply be “tried” by the church.

To thrive, they cannot be just another program; they must become the foundational pillars of the church itself. At the time of the New Testament, small groups were to the church what cells are to the body.

With such a strategy, success is short-lived. It is ineffective. Small gatherings are not merely a choice.

The possibilities and results of small group ministry are endless! I would like to encourage you to start your group today!