A Rule of Life for Small Groups by Steven W. Manskar Introduction In the life of every small group there needs to be a process of accountability. This helps keep the members focused on their mission and on tending to their personal relationship with God. Small-group accountability is simply giving an account of what you have done and not done to build up the body of Christ and to grow in holiness of heart and life. A Rule of Life Our United Methodist heritage gives some fruitful help here. In the early small groups, known as classes and bands, the Methodists "watched over one another in love."Ó Their life together was guided by the General Rules given to the United Societies by John Wesley. The General Rules are simply a Methodist rule of life. The General Rules served as a rule of life because they guided the Methodists in their corporate life together and in their personal growth in faith and love. This Methodist rule of life was general because it allowed for the diverse personalities, needs, and spiritual maturity of the members of the class meeting. It was a rule because it was a guide to help the Methodists orient their corporate and individual lives toward Christ and his life in the world. It was like a compass that helps keep a traveler on course to his or her destination. For the Methodists, the destination was holiness of heart and life. The General Rules are very simple: Do no harm by avoiding evil of every kind; especially that which is most generally practiced. Do good as often as you can to as many as you can. Practice the means of grace: Private and family prayer Regular worship attendance Bible reading and study The Lord's Supper Fasting or abstinence United Methodist Book of Discipline, paragraphs 69-72) This is basic Christianity. The General Rules help people grow in holiness of heart and life by following the teachings of Jesus Christ as he summarized them in Matthew 22:34-40 and John 13:34-35. They help disciples keep a balance between what Wesley called "works of piety" (loving God) and "works of mercy" (loving your neighbor as yourself). Works of piety are the instituted means of grace, spiritual disciplines that Jesus practiced himself: prayer, worship, Bible study, and fasting. They are practices that are needed to nurture our personal relationship with God. These means of grace are where we regularly make ourselves available to God and the power of the Holy Spirit. They open our hearts and minds to the movement of grace in the world around us. Works of mercy are those actions we do to love our neighbor. They are acts of compassion, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the grieving, visiting the sick and the prisoner (Matthew 25:34-40). And they are acts of justice, such as writing letters to elected representatives on issues affecting our community, nation, and the world. The balance provided by the General Rules helps Christians grow in their relationship with God and to mature in their walk with Christ. They make up a rule of life that gives us what we need to "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). To learn more, check out these resources (available from Discipleship Resources, 1-800-685-4370, http://www.discipleshipresources.org): Accountable Discipleship: Living in God's Household by Steven W. Manskar. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2000. Guide for Covenant Discipleship Groups by Gayle Turner Watson. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2000. Cultivating Christian Community by Thomas R. Hawkins. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2001. Creer, amar, obedecer by Marigene Chamberlain. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2001. Guide for Class Leaders by Grace Bradford. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1999. Steven W. Manskar (smanskar@gbod.org) is a director of accountable discipleship for the General Board of Disciplehsip. Please see New Resources for Small-Group Ministries in this newsletter.

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