Oldal 40 [40]
OCR
DONÁT SÁMUEL GYURKÓ group containing 3-5 members, the band, which sometimes functioned as a confessional community, acting as a catalyst for personal faith experience and formation. Ihe class consisted of 12-15 members and was organized locally as a place to learn about Christian living. Ihe societies were larger worship communities where classes organized in one area held joint meetings, listened to preaching, and sang together. Two other types of groups were also established by the Methodists, the selected society, which served as a leaders’ training group, and the penitential band for individuals struggling with addictions and behavioral issues. Continuously practiced public preaching represented the form that most effectively reached the uneducated masses. The bands were those small groups where the proclaimed “message transitioned from printed text to living speech, from personal to communal, and from cognitive to emotional levels, transforming private matters into communal issues.”!! These groups focused on attuning each participant to the heart of Christ, meaning the group members experienced how much Christ loves them through the recognition of their own brokenness, thus becoming capable of change. The requirements of the groups were quite strict by today’s standards, but participation was voluntary. These were always gender-segregated groups, and they met at least once a week, although many gathered multiple times a week for personal accountability and encouragement. In these small discipleship groups, honesty, loyalty, and reliability were emphasized as core values.” Contemporary practice Today’s congregational practice is characterized by personal relationships; in general, there is a type of group functioning, and there is the worship community and some kind of public service or social presence. What is typically lacking in organized congregational practice is conscious, structured small discipleship groups of 3-5 people. In addition to one-on-one connections or connections on large community platforms, there is an opportunity to consciously promote small group connections for the purpose of building faith. This is what is missing in today’s congregational practice. A discipleship small group in congregational life is a small group that has a conscious goal of personal faith growth and spiritual formation." In these groups, the level of commitment and the boundary of inclusivity are determined by the personal decisions of the group members. Discipleship groups connect individuals into 1 David Hempton: Methodism: Empire ofthe Spirit. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2005, 79. 12 Gallaty: Rediscovering Discipleship. n.p.n. 13 Roger L. Walton: Disciples Together: Discipleship, Formation and Small Groups. SCM Press, London, England, 123. .38 +
