Primal R-B-I Groups

At our core, we are a relational people of God’s presence with His Word as revealed by His Spirit as our authority. God’s plan calls His people to something beyond ourselves. Since God is the original primal group of three, we gather together in primal groups of three or four for healthy training and transformation, and scatter to give it away to others. Like Jesus practiced, Paul explains these three essentials of small group dynamics to the three-week old believers in 1 Thessalonians.

Relational connection (1:6a,“You became imitators”): Young Christians need authentic, though imperfect, models of what this Christian life looks like embodied in real life (incarnational). We need to feel the total acceptance and candid honesty of Jesus through a flesh-&-blood person who can touch us with God’s love and joy, grace and peace. The Spirit of God equips us as we journey as closely knit “primal groups” on mission together. We learn as we candidly open ourselves up to know and to be known, sacrificially serving the best of others.

Biblical responsiveness (1:6b, “… you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit”). The Spirit uses both community and the Bible to mature us. We study in private to bring this fresh fruit to the community. And the more experienced come alongside to help the less experienced. Experiencing promised freedom comes through the pathway of knowing/doing His Word (the design of the “Compassions” facilitates this). Do the two-step with a Scriptural text in interactive, community-based learning. Ask “What? and “Now what?” What does it mean? Now what is my response to this revelation? Paul taught these young believers to be do-ers of the Word from the start. Spiritual experience arising out of the Word inspired by the Spirit connects faith to our whole lives. Tap into the variety of insights each unique person has. Now the Spirit teaches us to see the world and our lives more like God.

Intentional mutual-ministry (1:7, “the Lord’s message rang out…”): From day one, these young believers possessed an eager, joyous, almost happy-go-lucky expectancy as they put their faith into daily practice. We become disciples (learners) by obeying so we can make and multiply disciples by intentionally passing along to others whatever we have experienced. Like Jesus, they rested in the Father’s first-love, heard His voice and did it. The 1^st century church was intentionally busy about the “Family business,” a worshipping people in mission. Wherever these believers went, they told others about what they had experienced. This sense of Spirit-led spontaneity with intentionality frees us to “do for one what we would like to do for many,” passing on our small bit.

This is Reflection #34 in my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com