Small Groups: I Called You by Name

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Leading a Small Group

Small Groups: “I Called You by Name”

We are made for Communion and Friendship with God.

Running a small group is not difficult in a practical sense, yet many small groups end up failing. We want to help you run an effective small group. This is going to take some formation and preparation. That formation begins by examining our own lives, our relationship with God, and our motivation for starting a small group. In my first ten years of experience in parish ministry I discovered that virtually everyone who worked for the Church needed to be ministered to in some way themselves. Busying themselves with the work of the Church, they hoped to work the change in themselves that they wanted to see in other people.

Our evangelization will not be effective if we are not living as true disciples who are working out our own salvation. We could end up teaching others to follow our own example instead of the example of Christ. I have seen too many catechism teachers teach their students not to worry about sin and to be happy because Jesus loves them. There is no need to go to confession, they imply, because “God wouldn’t really let anyone go to hell.” In order to be an effective apostle – one sent bearing the message of Christ – we must first examine our own lives every day and uproot sin where it has taken hold.

In Joy of the Gospel Pope Francis warned against living a “practical relativism.” This relativism is marked by a cynicism towards the Church’s message of salvation, a rejection of parts of it, and can lead the Catholic to a crisis of identity. Overcome to with a desire to live in the world and by the world’s standards, they experience a cooling off of their faith and a fear to evangelize so they can “fit in” with the world. By fitting in with the world they become indistinguishable from the world. Francis warns that “pastoral workers can thus fall into a relativism which, whatever their particular style of spirituality or way of thinking, proves even more dangerous than doctrinal relativism. It has to do with the deepest and inmost decisions that shape their way of life.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 80)

How is your own Relationship with God?

How are you doing on becoming a missionary disciple? Do you see grace working on your nature? Are you overcoming the passions and growing in the virtues? As Catholic Christians we are called to be saints and live as saints by repenting of our sins and picking up our crosses on a daily basis. A cross is something that we can choose to put down. If we do not willingly pick up our cross, we will be tempted to live in and for the world. We can affirm all of the teachings of the church with our intellect, and our heart can still rebel against God. That is why Jesus repeatedly warns us to be watchful. “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning.” (Luke 12:35) If we are not prepared to live as a disciple we risk becoming lukewarm in our faith and our small groups will not be effective.

That is not to say that only the perfect can evangelize. If that were the case, none of us would evangelize. We cannot discount the importance of becoming a fully converted missionary disciple. Having received God’s grace and mercy we are called to share that grace and mercy with others. Jesus warns the disciples to repent or they will parish (Luke 13:1-5), and that the barren fig tree will be cut down and burned in the fire (Luke 13:6-9), and that only those who enter through the narrow door will receive eternal life (Luke 13:22-30), and that those who do not bear their own cross will not be his disciples (Luke 14:25-33). The warning could not be made any clearer. After all of these teachings on sin and damnation Luke records one of the most beautiful accounts in all of scripture on forgiveness – the parable of the Prodigal Son. Those who persist in their sin will perish. Those who return to the Father and seek forgiveness receive mercy and are unconditionally forgiven. “It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

Where has sin taken root in your life? Before diving into leading a seeker small group I would encourage you to work on establishing good spiritual habits. Start doing a daily examination of conscience and go to confession on a regular basis. Join appropriate confraternities to overcome habits of vice. Remind yourself that you are loved, you have been given gifts to share with others, and that you will be most ready to share those gifts while you are growing as a disciple.

We are made for communion and friendship with God. When we evangelize we announce the kingdom of God – both the costs and the benefits of belonging to that kingdom. It costs everything to belong to the kingdom and at the same time, we gain everything by belonging to the kingdom. We evangelize in order to welcome people into friendship and into our family because we have discovered what it means to be a part of that family.

Friendship is Lost in the Garden of Eden

R.R. Reno reminds us that “The devil is not a mythological figure invented by a prescientific people” (Brazos Theological Commentary, Genesis, 78). Satan presented Adam and Eve with a choice either for good or for evil. They knew and understood the truth that had been revealed by God, but instead chose sin and their sin led them to death. Now the world needs a way out of the choice of sin. We are spiritually dead. The evangelist is called to be Christ in the world, and in doing so we are called to make a choice (having been given grace and mercy) that is going to make us uncomfortable.

As evangelists, we are called to invite sinners into our home and eat with them. Jesus presents the disciples with the parable of Lazarus. This poor man was full of sores and hungry. The rich man turns him away. Would we do the same? Before you say “of course not!” Think about it. If you saw a filthy, broken, diseased man on the street you might call the police and hope that he gets some help (that is what doctors and hospitals are for) but would you pay for his medical bills? Would you visit him in the hospital? Would you invite him over for dinner? Would you welcome him into your family? That is exactly what Jesus did to the offense of the “good religious people” of his day. “Really, Jesus” they would say “this is too much.”

In classic literature the character Jean Valjean faced the same dilemma. Valjean was a convict in the story Les Miserable. Just out of prison he was stunned when a holy bishop welcomed him into his home and fed him. Not trusting such goodness, Valjean later stole the bishop’s silver, but the bishop responded by forgiving him and giving him more than he stole. The bishop told him, “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I’ve ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.”

Are we willing to become that evangelist? Are we willing to pay the cost of discipleship? It could cost us our livelihoods, our money, our health, our friends, our societal standing. It could mean the criticism and gossip of many people in our community. The costs seem high, but compare that to what the rich man paid by ignoring Lazarus. The rich man is still in hell at this very moment, having lost God forever.

Friendship with God is lost by sin and gained by repentance and mercy. The mercy that has been extended to us now needs to be extended to others. As an evangelist and a small group team leader, you need to welcome everyone. For most of us, that will be the challenge and where we will accept circumstances that are outside of our comfort zone. We cannot limit ourselves to making invitations to people that make us comfortable. God desires that everyone will be saved, and the goal of St. Paul Street Evangelization is to make that invitation. You could be reaching out to a future saint.

The Path to a Successful Small Group

Satan attacks our ability to have relationships with God and others through: