Called to transformation

Meeting in a large group

Hi and welcome to the fourth article in our Practical Discipleship series.

In the previous article, we looked at knowing God through engaging in prayer – how prayer is not just about asking for things but central to having a relationship with God that is close and personal.

In this article, we are moving to the second spoke of the discipleship wheel – growing – which is all about our calling to transformation, to growth in Christlikeness.

Sometimes we can get the idea that following Jesus is all about doing. But the being is even more important. We are called to be different, to be transformed. Who we are underlies everything we do.

So, before we move on to the doing part of discipleship, we will first explore the being part – our calling to transformation. To be disciples who are growing in spiritual maturity, into the image of Christ. We will explore this spoke of growing over the next two articles and explore two key practices that are foundational for growing in spiritual maturity – meeting in a large group and meeting in a small group. The reason for looking at them separately is that they offer important and different strengths for our growth as disciples.  

In this article then, we will explore the practice of meeting in a large group. And again, to do this, we will look at three aspects of meeting together in a large group – the what, the why and the how.

But before we dig into the practice of meeting together, let’s start by looking at transformation or growth. It may be part of our calling. But how does it happen?

How does transformation happen?

Our calling to transformation

As disciples, we are meant to grow. As followers of Jesus and children of God, it is in our DNA. But the question is - how does that growth happen? To part answer that question, let me tell you about a hobby of mine. I grow bonsais. In fact, I have a beautiful scarlet bougainvillea bonsai that is in flower right now. But it is 50 cm high. And it will always be 50 cm high. Why? Because every year I cut back the branches. And every few years I trim back the roots and put it back in the same small pot. It is not going anywhere.

But I have another scarlet bougainvillea. It grows along our back fence. It has been growing for 30 years and it is in deep, rich soil that gets plenty of water. Its roots can go as deep as they like. It is now 2 metres high and four metres long. In early summer, it fills with bright scarlet flowers and looks glorious.

What is the difference between the two plants? They are the same type of bougainvillea. They both have the same potential for growth. But one is trying to grow in a small pot and the other is in soil that is deep and rich.

God calls us to grow into something that is glorious. We are to be oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3). A person growing to be like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). There is nothing as majestic or beautiful as someone who is growing upwards into the image of Christ. But there is something that is necessary for us to grow into that beautiful likeness. We need to be planted in a soil where the roots can go down deep and feed on the water and nutrients that give us life.

Growth is a work of the Holy Spirit

How then can we send down deep roots? How can we be spiritual oaks rather than bonsais? There are several things that we can do. But before we look at what we can do, the first thing is to recognise that it is not just about us. It is a work of God through the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). Wherever we are in following Jesus, that process has already started. We are promised that we are being changed. We are being renewed in knowledge in the image of our creator (Colossians 3:10). Growth happens first and foremost because of God’s work in us.

That means that transformation is not a glorified self-improvement program. It is not a process of working out seven simple steps to becoming a better person. It is not making ourselves a better person by keeping a whole set of rules. As Paul points out in chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians, rules can only do a partial work. They do not change who we are deep down. When we follow Jesus, the promise is that we become new people, and Jesus lives in us (Galatians 2:20). And as Jesus lives in us by the Spirit, the Spirit bears fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). Real, deep change is more than making an effort to change ourselves. It is a work of the Spirit within us.

Growth is our work

Having said that, it does not mean that we do nothing. We also have our part to play in this work of transformation. Peter urges the church to “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” (2 Peter 5:17; 3:14) Paul similarly talks of training ourselves to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

The image that the Bible paints of a tree bearing fruit helps us to understand that balance of our work and God’s work. A tree does not “work” to produce the fruit. And the person looking after the tree can’t make fruit happen. Their only work is to make sure that the tree is nourished by good soil and water. Once that is happening, fruit will just happen. So also with us, the Holy Spirit is working in our life. But we do our bit when we put ourselves in an environment where those roots can go down deep.

How do we create that environment? How can we put roots down deep into the soil that will nurture us and feed us? One of the ways in which growth happens is through what we explored in our first article - through engaging with the Bible and engaging in prayer in a way that deepens our relationship with God. The Bible is described as being powerful and active (Hebrews 4:12), and as milk (1 Peter 2:2) or food that helps us grow (Hebrews 5:12).

We are promised that the person who delights in God’s word will be like a tree planted by streams of water that will flourish and grow (Psalm 1:1-3). As we grow in our understanding of God’s love and forgiveness and grace, that powerfully changes us. And as grow in our relationship with God, as we engage with the Bible and through prayer, God’s Spirit work within us (1 Corinthians 2:10-16; John 16:7-15).

Growth happens through suffering

Another important part of our growth is suffering. The Bible talks about suffering as one of the key means that God uses for our growth. Paul talks about “glorying in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3,4) James even talks about rejoicing in our suffering because “the testing of your faith produces perseverance” and perseverance leads to maturity (James 1:2-4). In Romans 8:28 we read “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What is part of that purpose? The answer is in the next verse, Romans 8:29 – “to be conformed to the image of his Son”. What is the promise in this verse? Not that following Jesus means that everything will be fine and that God will solve all our problems. But that God will use suffering to transform us into the image of Christ. That is God’s purpose for us and our calling. Not to be comfortable, but to be Christlike. When we place Christlikeness over our desire for comfort, we too can rejoice in suffering.

Growth happens in community

There is one more way that growth happens that we will look at here. And that is the church community. Although it is possible to do it alone, transformation happens best in community. Sometimes people have the idea that growth is between them and God. It is something they can do on their own. But the Bible has other ideas. We are urged to meet together and encourage each other (Hebrews 10:24-25). And one of the purposes of meeting together is to be equipped so that we grow into the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-16). Gathering together as a community has always been a core practice in the life of Jesus’ disciples and it is the one that we will explore in this article.

Let’s return then and look at the what, why and how of meeting as a large group.

What is meeting together in a large group?

First, let’s look at the what. What do we mean by meeting together in a large group? The first obvious question is - what is a large group? In answer to that, there is no set number that makes a group large. It has more to do with what happens in the group. A large group is usually what we think of as a church community. Traditionally, in a church community setting, the large group is the place where the word of God is taught, where people join together to pray and to worship. It is a place where people join together in the Lord’s supper, where new believers are welcomed in the act of baptism, and where people celebrate or mark significant events such as weddings and funerals.

The size of this group has varied over time and in different places. Sometimes it has been as small as twenty to thirty. But there are churches today where thousands gather for worship. So, a large group can vary in size. And it is usually marked by variety in the people who attend. But what brings them together is that they are seeking to be a community that comes together to worship God and to nurture and build each other up as followers of Jesus – to live out our calling to be transformed.

Why should I meet in a large group?

A place where I can grow in my relationship with God

If that is the what of a large group, what about the why? Why is it helpful or even important to be part of a church community?

First, the church community is a place where we grow to know God. In the previous couple of articles, we looked at how God calls us into a relationship with Him. And that engaging with the Bible and engaging in prayer are key practices in knowing God and growing in that relationship.

The church community is one of the chief places where we engage with the Bible and engage in prayer. We have people who have gifts of preaching and teaching. They have the skills and the responsibility to help us get to know God through the Bible (Ephesians 4:11-13). And it is a place where we pray together and pray for each other and for the needs of the world around us.

But as we saw, knowing God is much more than learning facts about God. It is great to have gifted teachers who can help us grow in our understanding of God. But knowing God is also about encountering God – of experiencing God in our hearts as well as in our heads. The church community is a place where we can do that. As we sing, as we celebrate communion, as we hear from people whose lives have been touched by God, as we hear stories of thanks and rejoicing, as we see people living faithfully and holding on to God through pain and suffering, our hearts are touched as well. The church community is not just a place where our minds are fed. It is also a place where God uses others to enlarge our hearts and help us deepen in our relationship with God.

A place of encouragement

Another important reason for meeting together as a large group is to be encouraged (Hebrews 10:24-25). For most of us, the Christian life has highs and lows. There are times when things are going well in our lives. We experience God’s blessing and have a taste of the freedom and peace and joy that God promises to those who give their lives to follow Jesus.

But there are also times when things are tough. When we are having a rough time in our work or facing illness or have lost someone dear to us. Christians also experience depression and anxiety and grief. We are not immune to these things. When we follow Jesus, we become part of a community that shares these times with us, who carry the burden with us (Galatians 6:2), who listen and care and offer practical support.

One of the greatest things that a church community offers is encouragement. It is being supported in a way that gives us courage to continue when things are tough. And it is not just about keeping us going when we are finding life tough. Encouragement is also about spurring us on further even when things are going well. When we seek to follow Jesus with all our heart, it is an adventure. But like any adventure, it can take us to unexpected places. It can push us out of our comfort zone to take on challenge and risk. And when we step out of our comfort zone, that can bring fear and anxiety. The church community can support us to take these steps of faith and give us the courage to live out the adventure that God is calling us to.

A place to serve and be served

But the church community is not just a place to be served and receive teaching and encouragement and care. One of the great things about the church community is that it is a place where we can give back. The large group is where we have an opportunity to express the love that grows from the work that God does in our lives (1 John 4:21). In fact, Jesus said the distinguishing feature of people living as a community of disciples would be love (John 13:34-35).

As well as being encouraged, we can also encourage others. And we can contribute in other ways. We can contribute by welcoming and making coffee and singing and the many other tasks that serve the needs of people in a church community. And it is not just the obvious up-front tasks. There is an opportunity to serve behind the scenes listening to, praying for and supporting the people we come across as we meet together. We may feel that we don’t have much to offer. But the Bible says that each one of us has a vital and important role in serving and building up one another (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

A place of transformation

And the final reason for meeting together as a large group is that it is vital for our growth. We have been given each other to help live out our calling to transformation. As we touched on earlier, in Ephesians 4, we see how we have been given each other to grow in knowledge and maturity. We learn that the end goal of being together and serving each other is to reach the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

If we are keen to live out our calling to grow, then it is crucial to be part of a community that plays their part in helping us do that. That suggests that as we start to follow Jesus, we find a community of likeminded disciples. A community where we are not just taught and helped to grow in knowledge. But a community that intentionally and actively supports and encourages us in our calling to transformation.

How does that growth happen in community? Within the body of the church, we have people who have been gifted by God that help with that process of transformation – pastors and teachers who can equip us with what we need to grow (Ephesians 4:11). And it is not just pastors and teachers and church leaders who help us grow. The Bible speaks of a vision where the whole community speaks the truth in love, and as it does, it grows and builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15,16).

We don’t form a church community just to be kind and care for each other, although that is great. And a church community is not just a place to come to because we feel welcomed and loved, although that is great too. One of the key things we do as a community is to support one another and help one another to live out our calling to transformation.

Why – bringing it all together

Bringing all of this together, let’s come back to the question of why it is helpful to meet as a large group - as a church community. It is a place where we can learn and grow in our understanding of God and worship Him. And it is a place where we can love, encourage and serve one another. But behind all these good things is one of the key purposes of the church community. That is to support, encourage and spur one another on in our calling to grow in spiritual maturity. Do we have a desire to grow in our relationship with God? Do we have a hunger to grow in spiritual maturity? Do we have a desire to be more like Christ? Our church community is God’s gift to us to help make those things happen.

How do we meet in a large group?

Meeting with the local church community

So, that is the what and the why. What about the how? How do we put meeting in a large group into practice?

In many ways, it is quite simple. It is just a matter of finding a community of believers who will help us to grow. That community will never be perfect. But they will be a community that have the same thing on their heart as we do – to grow in discipleship and spiritual maturity.

Ideally that is a local church. A local church makes it easier to part of the church community. It makes it easier to be part of what is going on, not just on Sundays, but during the rest of the week. And it makes it easier to form links with our local neighbourhood and to invite and welcome people into the church.

But there may be reasons not to attend a local church. If we feel that our local church is not a place where we will be supported to grow in discipleship, then it may be necessary to go elsewhere.

Whether you attend a local church or one a bit further away, make a commitment to attend regularly. It is unlikely that it will be possible to attend every week. But consistent and regular attendance is helpful for a couple of reasons. As we saw, the church is God’s gift to us for our growth as disciples. That means the more often we attend, the more likely it is that we will grow and deepen in our relationship with God. And the more often we attend, the more opportunity that gives us to build strong relationships with others and to experience the encouragement and support that community can provide.

Meeting with the wider church community

But, as well as our own church community, there are other ways that the church community can encourage us to grow in Christlikeness. When we start to follow Jesus, we become part of a wider church family. There is an even larger community than our local church. We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to hear from people around the world. We can listen to podcasts and watch videos of sermons and talks from gifted teachers from around the world.

And our wider church family is not just spread across the world – it goes back in time. We have Christian books such as biographies, devotional books and theological books. We have the amazing privilege to hear from brothers and sisters from throughout history. To hear their stories, to read their insights and to be encouraged by their words and lives. They are rich and deep soil to help us to grow in discipleship and spiritual maturity. They too can be our companions and encouragers in growing in Christlikeness.

It is great to have these wonderful resources from around the world and back in time. But wonderful as they are, they are no substitute for the local church. Meeting together is far, far more than an opportunity to hear the word of God explained. There is nothing like rubbing up against others in our church community to produce deep fruits of change. There is no perfect church. And it is not always easy. But flawed as they are, the local community are the people that God uses to draw us closer to Him and deepen in our walk with Him.

Summing up

To wrap up, in this article, we have explored the second spoke in our wheel - our calling to growth – to transformation. This change is God’s work, but it is also our work. Transformation happens as we grow in our relationship with God through engaging with the Bible and engaging in prayer. But one of the key means for growth given by God is the community of people who are following Jesus. It is a vital part of our growth in spiritual maturity and Christlikeness.