8
christian counseling today
Vol. 20 no. 4
W
e were created
in
relationship,
through
relationship and
for
relationship. When God
said, “It is not good for the man to be
alone…” (Genesis 2:18), the implication
is we were formed in such a manner that
we require human contact to comple-
ment our walk with the Creator. Our
God-given DNA continually seeks to
fulfill a need for belonging, connection,
fellowship and community. Therein lies
the power and influence of the small
group experience—be it familial, social
or therapeutic. Such is the transforma-
tive potential of small groups… and
because of this tangible reality, the edito-
rial team chose to focus an entire issue
on the subject.
Small group formats are offered
in many varieties (e.g., task groups,
teaching/psychoeducational groups,
growth groups, support groups and
therapy groups). Likewise, activities
that take place within a group cover
several domains, including the giving
of information (what you should
know
),
encouraging discussion (what you
should
think
), facilitating process (what
you should
feel
), and planning action
(what you should
do
). To what degree
these domains are emphasized depends,
by in large, on the type of group that is
being facilitated, as well as the specific
goals and purpose of the group.
Although the rise of group expe-
riences evolved primarily during
the aftermath of the 1960’s cultural
revolution (rampant drug use and experi-
mentation, the VietnamWar, a lowering
of sexual standards, etc.), overall, the
Church has embraced the concept and
efficacy of this practical resource along
with its proven track record. Perhaps
the response is due, in part, to their
supportive nature and the increased
potential for loving accountability.
However, for some people of faith,
a certain measure of skepticism still
remains, especially if there is a perceived
abdication of personal responsibility for
one’s behaviors and choices.
In spite of strong evidence within
the research literature, there are several
myths that still exist when considering
the small group approach.
n
Groups are for everyone—some
individuals are too fragile or have
personalities and/or behavioral
profiles that are too disruptive to the
process.
n
Working out one’s problems in
group will automatically solve all
other relationship problems—the
transfer of learning outside of the
group is certainly possible, but not
necessarily automatic.
n
The goal of groups is that members
will leave feeling close and loving
toward one another—this is not
always true of life in general and,
while a sense of support is often very
real, other factors, such as transfer-
ence, can cause conflicts.
n
Groups are primarily places where
people are attacked and their
defenses worn down—honesty and
transparency increase trust and cohe-
sion and a competent facilitator
ensures the safety and well-being of
members.
n
Groups just “tell” people how to
be—feedback and accountability are
strong factors in a healthy group,
but each member is challenged to
take personal ownership of his/her
thoughts, feelings and actions.
n
Only people who are emotionally
disturbed join groups—pain, grief,
loss, failure and brokenness are all
common to the human condition
and often mediated by supportive
relationships.
n
Groups are artificial and unreal—
this occurs only to the degree that
facilitators and members allow and
foster these dynamics.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 states, “Two
are better than one because they have
a good return for their labor. For if
either of them falls, the one will lift
There’s Nothing Small About Groups
from the e-team
Our God-given DNA continually seeks to fulfill a need for
belonging, connection, fellowship and community.
