Large Groups

**The following is courtesy of RUF Wake Forest CM John Bourgeois**

WHAT IS LARGE GROUP?

Large Group is our weekly public gathering on campus. At our weekly meeting we sing, pray, listen to a sermon from the Campus Minister (or a guest speaker). In all that we do we aim to extend the welcome of Christ to the campus that through what we do and how we do it, the Gospel of Jesus Christ might be made known to all who enter our doors.

From the RUF Philosophy of Ministry

A "large group" is easily defined by a gathering of 20-30 people. The question is how many people need to be in a room in order for the room to "feel" full. Once this amount has been reached, large group dynamics take over.

What purpose do large groups serve?

• Establishment of a non-threatening atmosphere (“non-pressure”) These meetings should have a "come and see" appeal to them.

• Preaching/teaching of God’s Word (“Thus says the Lord”) Large groups can sustain the ministry of proclamation. (if this seems archaic to you, note the rise in popularity of TED Talks, short, 20 min presentations on topics of interest. These are wildly popular and therefore the form is not alien to college students. We still want to have someone stand up and explain life to us.)

• Manifestation of transformed lives and God’s presence. Seeing how God is at work in the story of another college student is a BIG deal. Whether this happens through sharing personal testimonies or simply having time to get to know someone else in the group, hearing from another struggling person can be the spark to which many come to faith in large groups.

• Communication of and through an atmosphere of love, unity, and acceptance.

• Certain types of large group actives accomplish their purpose more effectively with greater numbers (e.g., Celebration- Praise). This does not necessarily mean, however, that such an activity cannot take place in a small group as well, just that there is a sense of these activities being more "natural" in larger contexts. 

The atmosphere at these meetings should be perceived as non-threatening by prospective attenders, fringe people, and the outside. Teaching students to avoid jargon during these meetings is almost impossible but necessary task. There should be a "preach it and they will come" mentality governing your preaching. If you are not asking the text of Scripture the questions that your students are asking, then they will not be back next week.

The goal in a healthy large group meeting is to manifest the following qualities (in addition to being non-threatening):

• transformed lives

• a sense of the presence of God manifest through his people ("how will they know they are loved if I don't love them," said one student.)

• willing to receive all others 

• holiness, righteousness, faith, hope

• sacrificial service to those in need

• awe of God and expectation that he is with his people and is actively at work on that campus.