Building the Church as Family of God: Evaluation of Small Christian Communities in Eastern Africa: Revised edition August 2020

Revised Version August 2020, Volume II

This book has gone through various editions or versions. The "First Version" was given as a paper on "Small Christian Communities in the AMECEA Region: An Evaluation of their Growth and Impact" at the 13th Interdisciplinary Theological Session on the theme "The Faculty of Theology of CUEA Celebrates the Golden Jubilee of AMECEA" at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya on 3 March, 2011. Many papers were presented at this conference covering the 50 years of AMECEA under three headings: Part I: "Deeper Evangelization. Part II: "Formation and Education." Part III: "Church Life, Organization and Structures." I specifically treated the topic of "Small Christian Communities" under Part III. Many pastoral leaders including the AMECEA bishops recommended the importance of a thorough critical evaluation and assessment of SCCs to learn from the past and to help plan for the future. This includes strategic follow-up.

This book systematically evaluates SCCs in the Catholic Church in Eastern Africa only. There are many varieties of small groups, small communities and church small groups/small group churches in the Christian Churches in Eastern Africa that can be classified as follows:

• Bible Study Groups, Caf? Churches, Fellowship Groups, Home Fellowship Groups, Small Fellowship Groups, House Cell Fellowships and House Churches in the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church.
• Home Group Fellowships Small Groups that operate like Fraternal Communities in the Baptist Church.
• Small Cell Groups in the Mormon Church and Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church.
• Cell Churches, Cell Groups, Devotional Groups, Fellowship (called Ushirika in Swahili) Groups, Home Cells, Home Churches, House Churches (Eglise de maison in French), House Fellowships, Prayer Circles and Spiritual Growth Groups in the Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches.
• District Groups and Fellowship Groups in the Presbyterian Church.
• Cells in the Methodist Church.
• Church Homes in the United Church of Christ.

The cornerstone of most of these small groups or small prayer groups is the Bible. Most common is weekly Bible Study following an organized reading and study plan. At times there is Bible Sharing and Bible Reflection. Devotional small groups are increasing. Fellowship is very important especially in the African context including emphasis on community building, singing and socializing together.