SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF

GCI has been working with various small groups/networks for the last four years in this restricted access nation. Some have just a few hundred believers in their fellowships. This is a deliberate shift in strategy on GCI part. This is because the bigger groups have increased their capacity in terms of resources and vision for missions and church planting. They have become “a viable church” in that they are self-governing, self-financing and self-propagating.

We consistently conduct three GCIs simultaneously up to six times a year. Each group will undergo six sessions, each of one week duration. Over 1000 A4 pages of notes would have been taught on completion of GCI.

Why are we sweating the small stuff or small groups? It is biblical as well as organic.

1. The Bible in Zech 4:10 says, “For who has despised the day of small things?”
2. The small can grow bigger given the right training and resources.
3. The small is an emerging organism and therefore dynamic. They are like a sponge. They absorb and hang on to every morsel of spiritual food you have to offer. They listen and act. It is not so for the jaded dinosaur.
4. The small are more focus on evangelism than tradition and structure.
5. The small has less “guanxi” or network that can provide them with resources and opportunities. They deserve GCI’s help.
6. Usually they send to us the best people to be trained. It is not so for the bigger groups. They are spoilt for choice.

We have just graduated one of these small groups in August 2005. It was a labor of love for GCI and an exercise of perseverance on the part of the students. This is the report we have received from this group. In February 2006 we have started a new class for this group.
· 1,000 were evangelized and heard a presentation of the gospel. 385 persons received salvation
· 8 cell groups were planted
· 75 persons are committed members of these cell groups
Another of these small groups has just finished the fifth session of GCI in January 2006. They will graduate in April 2006. Here is their report.
· 1 local church and 8 cell churches were planted
· 116 committed members and 30 children in the church and cell groups.