This isn’t a unique or original idea. In fact, you could say that Jesus organized the first message-based small group 2,000 years ago. Jesus pulled together a small group of people with a goal of seeing them transformed by the power of God.

That small group learned and applied God’s word together, discussed issues and challenges of life, prayed and cared for the other members of the group, and held each other accountable. God used that small group to transform their world…

We call that small group — the 12 disciples.

Jesus frequently ministered and taught large and mid-sized crowds of people. But we see in the gospels a unique teaching, training, and mentoring relationship that he seems to reserve for his small group — the 12 disciples.

Rather than merely teach them about faith – he demonstrated what faith is all about through hands-on training while they traveled in a boat during a violent storm.

In Matthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9 he sent the 12 out to minister to others, but not before he gathered that small group together for training and instructions.

In small group Jesus modeled prayer in Mark 14 and Luke 11. In fact, in Luke 11 Jesus calls his small group — his disciples —“blessed” because of the ministry of Jesus that they see modeled before them.

Jesus washed the feet of his small group – modeling service. Jesus used the discussions among his small group about “who was greatest among them” to teach them pointed lessons about what it means to be a servant.

In general, Jesus seems to have reserved much of his revelation about plans for his death and resurrection for this small group. His teaching about persistence in seeking God in Luke 11 and 18 seems reserved to the 12. As is his great commission in Matthew 28.

Did Jesus start the first message-based small group? Well some of this is a bit tongue-n-cheek, but we do see Jesus teaching the crowds and then further instructing his small group about that teaching.

Jesus frequently taught the crowds in parables, but he seems to reserve much of his explanation of the parables to his small group. In Mark 4 it says that after he finished teaching the crowds, “When he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.“ In Matthew 13 Jesus preaches a parable. Afterward Jesus is alone with his disciples and they ask him to explain his teaching to them, and he does.

In Matthew 15 the disciples ask Jesus to explain his teaching to them, and he asks them, “Are you still so dull?” The answer is, yes! In Mark 8 Jesus asks the disciples, “Do you still not understand?” The answer, no! They don’t.

We are like the disciples, often dull and not understanding — that’s why message-based small groups are so important. We get to roll up our sleeves and discuss how the weekend's message works out in real life.