Although there are no hard and fast rules for the size of group membership, many effective small groups are sized between 10 to 15 members. This ensures an environment that encourages trust and accountability within a reasonably sized group. Small group members know they can share both their joys and burdens with fellow believers who have grown with them spiritually over the years. Such meaningful intimacy is harder to achieve in the general church community that meets only on Sundays. It is also in a smaller group setting that we learn to pray for one another, and to show forgiveness and patience that result in spiritual growth and maturity. Such growth can impact that way we live and witness in other areas of our lives such as family, school and the work place.

Paul exhorted the Philippian church to, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4) If we cannot begin to practise this within a small group setting, it would be much harder to grapple with this in a larger church community setting. On the other hand, if we can grow in spiritual maturity in a small group setting, our relationships and testimony in the larger church community could be much improved as well. Questions for reflection: Am I part of a small group setting that encourages mutual trust and accountability? Am I progressively learning to be loving, patient, and forgiving within the context of the small group and beyond? Am I convinced that a small group setting encourages spiritual maturity and growth?