I had the opportunity to interview one of the most prominent voices in Christianity today,
Eugene Peterson. His work on
The Message bible is known worldwide and has greatly influenced thousands upon thousands of people, perhaps millions. One of the questions I asked Dr. Peterson during my interview with him was, “
Speaking from the perspective of a pastor, why should pastors want their parishioners in a group?” His response is the most profound and revealing I have ever heard. These 70 words say so very much.
Dr. Peterson: We learn best when we’re learning with others. A small group or Sunday School class is the perfect setup for discussion. Truth is ambiguous. It’s not clear. If you want absolutely clear language you have to use mathematics. That’s the only absolutely clear language we have. Everything else is subject to tone, inflection, context, and relationship between people. A group is where you can work out those ambiguities through discussion.
Dr. Peterson then added…
The way you get the gospel is to forgive someone, help someone, build a relationship with someone. It has relationship in it. That takes practice. It goes beyond just knowing something.
If This Helped You Check Out...
Why Small Groups? Steve Gladen and Rick Howerton audio
Small Groups: Church is More Than Preaching, John Piper video (2 minutes 12 seconds)
Why Small Groups? North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Georgia