Small Church

This project began as Jesus-centering therapy for the author. And along the way, a growing number of people have found some help, hope, and healing by joining together on this journey. So this page is here to help us find each other.

Imagine gracious spaces where people at different places along their spiritual journey are equally welcomed and engaged. From committed Christians to church dropouts, from agnostics to deconstructionists, from those of us who feel broken and in need of healing, to those of us who are just spiritually curious and open to new things - all we have in common is:

a) a desire to become our better selves, and

b) a hunch that the teachings of Jesus might help.

We don't have to share the belief that Jesus is the Son of God or the Saviour of the world to at least begin our journey with him as a spiritual teacher worth listening to. A focus on Jesus' teachings about love and life is our common ground in Small Church.

What if all the energy, effort, and money put into reaching UP to God was instead invested in reaching OUT to loving, serving, and honouring others. That's what Jesus stood for. Jesus introduces us to "religion tipped on its side".

The idea of "Small Church" is based on the belief that God speaks to us through the Bible and through one another (and a host of other ways, but let's start here for now). So creating gracious spaces for us to learn from Jesus and listen to each other is a great way to grow spiritually. It is our firm conviction that when we gather together, we all have something to learn and something to share.

The spirituality of Jesus is thoroughly relational. He believed we are made in the image and likeness of a God who is Community-In-Unity, an "us" (Genesis 1:26-27), so it is in relationships that we best discover and express our true selves. It is natural for the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit to move us toward others, undoing the divisiveness of sin.

Sin separates, love restores.

So we shouldn't be surprised that, as we draw closer to Jesus, relationships with others develop, mature, and strengthen. More and more people are expressing the deep desire for gentle, authentic, meaningful, and merciful "coal fire fellowship". More "small church" groups have started gathering, in person and online, to learn and love and live together, using the 1820 studies for personal reflection and group discussion.

We are calling these healing groups "small church", since the word "church" doesn't mean a religious or charitable institution, but an organic gathering of people with a shared purpose. And they are small, as in "wherever two or three are gathered" small (Matthew 18:20). Most small churches are anywhere between three and thirty members, meeting in a variety of ways: zoom, walk-&-talks, pubs, coffee shops, homes, etc.

If you and/or someone you know are feeling detached, like a coal away from the fire, feel free share this site with others and/or get in touch.

What is "Small Church"?

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells his disciples: “Wherever two or three gather in my name, I am there in the middle with them.” In short, "1820" is code for compassionate community, with Jesus in the middle of it all. (For more on this verse, see our first devotional study.)

Though God uses all sizes and styles of church, today many people struggle to fit into larger traditional churches where all the people face the same direction. The earliest churches were circle churches: participatory gatherings where everyone came ready to give and receive, to learn and to contribute (see 1 Corinthians 12-14 and 1 Peter 4:8-11).

A small church is a circle church: gatherings of believers small enough to be conversational. A small church might be a small group that is part of a larger traditional church or a smaller house church or even a few friends who meet together regularly in a pub or coffee shop. Whatever the format, we offer our 1820 material to be used freely, in individual study and even better in group discussion.

The 1820 material is researched and written first by one person, then submitted to several Small Churches for feedback, revision, and added input. In the end, this is both an individual's labour and a team effort.

Also note: Most of the studies on this site are too long and in-depth to be covered in one meeting / reading / discussion. Plan on breaking them down and taking your time.

May you experience true "coal fire fellowship".

How to Start a Small Church

STEP 1: Invite a friend or two (or more) to join you on this journey. You can invite as many people as still allows you to be conversational when you all get together. (And, if a group grows too large - say, twenty people in a house church - you can always break up into smaller sub-groups for discussion.)

STEP 2: Agree on a regular time and format to talk together. These times could be once a week or once a month or somewhere in between – in person, online, or on the phone. It’s up to you.

STEP 3: Decide between two approaches:

A. Prep for each conversation by reading the study notes and listed Bible passages ahead of time (one hour) then meet to discuss (one hour).

B. Just read through it all and discuss when you are together (two hours).

NOTE: Most of the 1820 studies are too in-depth to cover in one reading/meeting/discussion. Feel free to take your time and divide the reading over several sessions.

STEP 4: If you are currently part of a larger church, try not to compete or confuse. Make sure whatever you organize contributes to the unity and growth of your church. If you’re not a part of a larger church, you may find Small Church becomes your full church experience, or you may want to partner it with involvement in a larger local church.

STEP 5: Last but not least, stay connected! Sign up for updates so you never miss a new post. And let us know you’re out there by commenting on our blog posts. And do write us to share your ideas, encouragement, concerns, or questions at any time. We are growing and developing and always eager to hear your input.

That’s it, that’s all, there ain’t no more. Small Church is simple church.

Current Small Church Groups

In this area, most Small Church groups are closed to newcomers. But...

The Monday night group in Burlington is open and ready to welcome you. We start at 7:30 pm, though people arrive a few minutes before that.

This is a blended in person and online group and would be happy to have you join.

Get in touch for in person and/or zoom details.

Also, as we figure out how to maximize this site's capacity, we'll be adding group discussion capabilities here and on the mobile app. This is new and we're all learning together. Keep checking back for more information. For now, feel free to try this link and see if you can join our online discussion group.

And remember, all you need is one or two others who are willing to join you on this journey to START YOUR OWN SMALL CHURCH.

If you have any ideas, observations, or questions, please get in touch!