Do it. You don't need us. Find a time and
place, invite people, find a mutually agreeable topic, start, and pray. Jesus
will meet you there*, and the group will be a tremendous blessing to you and
those who attend**.
Depending on how well we know you, there are several ways that groups usually become acknowledged and recognized as “part of SREF”.
1. If you are a current member of SREF, which means you have been through the “Efree 101” class and have given your testimony to the Elders, start your small group and tell us about it. Find a time and place, decide on a topic, invite participants, and go. Send an email to one of the Elders or the small group coordinator (tlm82070@gmail.com) informing us of the particulars (leader(s), time, place, topic, leader contact info, and photo for the web page). So that the Elders can keep general tabs on the groups in our church, they ask that at least quarterly updates be given to the small group coordinator and/or elders (who's in?, what are you studying?, email will do).
2. If you are not a member but regularly attend SREF, which means the Elders know you pretty well, the procedure is basically the same as for members. Tell one of the Elders about your group and send an email to the small group coordinator informing him of the particulars. We consider “regular attenders” to be people to attend Sunday services once a month or so, and who would answer the question, “What church do you attend?” with SREF. The Elders know you pretty well if all of them would recognize you and know you by your first name. Again, quarterly updates are requested.
3. If you are new to SREF, or we do not know you very well,
we ask that you discuss your group and background with one of the Elders or the
small group coordinator (who will then discuss with the Elders). If the group's
leaders are Christians and the purpose of the group is in line with His
teachings, the group will be acknowledged as part of SREF. To discuss your
group, contact one of the Elders, or the small group coordinator to set up a
brief face-to-face meeting. All of the Elder's email addresses are listed on
the back of the bulletin every Sunday, and the small group coordinator's (
Keep in mind that the above are guidelines only,
and not hard and fast rules. As shepherds, our duty as Elders is to watch
over and protect the flock body as best we can, yet allow everyone the freedom
to grow and seek Jesus in their own way because everyone's path is different.
Our purpose in having these rather loose guidelines for small group leadership
is to make sure all groups are lead by committed Christians*** and that the
purpose of all groups are inline with SREF's values.
Ultimately, we need to be convinced that all groups are healthy for both
believers and non-believers to attend at both the onset and afterwards (thus
the quarterly updates). If, for some reason, the Elders begin to believe that a
group is unhealthy for any reason, all bets are off, guidelines or no, and, the
Elders will take whatever actions they deem appropriate.
*Principals established by Jesus in His ministry
with the Apostles.
**The early church established small groups, Acts 2.
***I Timothy 3