Small Groups: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever?

Over the last 40 years the use of small groups for building community and fostering spiritual growth has gained wide acceptance across North American churches of all sizes and theological persuasions. Indeed, the rapid growth of group life in churches has led observers to refer to the phenomenon as...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Christian education journal
Authors: Donahue, Bill (Author) ; Gowler, Charles (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Sage Publications 2014
In: Christian education journal
Further subjects:B small group movement
B Spiritual Growth
B Community
B cell groups
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Over the last 40 years the use of small groups for building community and fostering spiritual growth has gained wide acceptance across North American churches of all sizes and theological persuasions. Indeed, the rapid growth of group life in churches has led observers to refer to the phenomenon as the “small group movement” in church ministry. As the movement grew, a logical question arose: Are groups effective in making disciples and, if so, to what extent? Beginning with Robert Wuthnow's work in the 1990s, this article will discuss findings from key research efforts conducted with participants of church-based groups, assess the current state of the small group movement, and offer observations concerning the direction and focus of the movement for the years ahead.
ISSN:2378-525X
Contains:Enthalten in: Christian education journal
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/073989131401100110