Working to Attain Substantial Personal Restoration: Sublime Use of the Small Group Method

M.A. in Religious Studies Project Summary by Robert E. Mansur | r.mansur@hji.edu

Introduction

Transforming Community Life Through Vitalized Small Groups.

This thesis presents various methods that, taken together, can transform small group life within faith communities and vitalize that life to such an extent that small group life can become a key tool in bringing about the establishment of God’s Kingdom of Heaven on earth, a world of spiritual maturity and social well-being for all.

If this transformation is truly our aim, we must honestly examine whether our current methods can produce it.

Until now, various methods have been used for personal edification in the Unification Church, such as giving lectures to members and guests, reading, and discussion, etc. These methods have their advantages and have been a wonderful means of successfully transforming the lives of many. At the same time, they carry significant disadvantages, as they often fall short of being able to powerfully impact individuals in terms of personal life change.

Individuals we invite to church, to small groups, or religious seminars lead busy lives. They will naturally evaluate whether their time investment leads to meaningful personal impact. As educators, we must not disappoint our audience. We must verify that impactful life changes are occurring.

Personal transformation, as envisioned here, means developing the capacity to embody divine qualities, love, faith, generosity, forgiveness, and patience, in everyday life. Our relationship with God must become personal, direct, and substantial, as Rev. Moon and Jesus Christ modeled, not merely symbolic. We must be able to ask and communicate with God as they have, to find real peace in our own lives and in our relationships with others. The Divine Principle, authored by Hyo Won Eu under the direction of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, is the core 1 text of Unificationist theology. It emphasizes leading lives of love and joy and attaining harmony and prosperity in relationships, marriage, and material well-being (Eu, 2006).

As we shall see, small groups provide the support, encouragement and accountability needed to bring about this powerful transformation.

Why are small groups especially useful in bringing about transformation?

Many religious practitioners struggle to achieve good outcomes in their lives and have been unable to consistently reverse the four fallen natures as understood in Unification theology. That is to see and love from God’s viewpoint, maintain one’s position in relation to God and others, maintain the proper order of dominion, and multiply goodness rather than evil. (Eu, 2006, pp. 73–74) Fallen nature is primarily an emotional rather than a logical or reasonable choice of life (discussed later). As such, most individuals are strongly resistant to changing themselves; life change therefore requires especially powerful and engaging teaching methods to bring about change. Human beings, without the support of others, are seldom able to achieve substantial life change by themselves. Therefore, the best way for human beings to change is within community.

This thesis will show that while many have experienced wonderfully positive changes in their lives due to traditional church teaching methods, new, more powerful methods must be employed to affect greater numbers of adults and families in the church today and in the future. A small group applying the better practices proposed in this thesis would be an essential part of such a system. The small group setting incorporates two powerful qualities that make it perfect for human beings: 1) human beings’ natural desire to be with others–to socialize and be part of a group, and 2) the desire to participate–to take ownership, give to, and help others.

Unificationists, members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), are in a unique position to help transform small-group practices because of their 2 connection to Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Exposition of the Divine Principle, the primary theological text revealed through him. A small group that applies best practices, as discussed in this thesis, and is informed by the truth of God’s creation as presented in the Divine Principle, will become especially powerful.

Methods that integrate best practices in psychology and social interaction with theological insight are essential to achieving real change in contemporary society. Successful life changes and transformations are essential for creating a better world. The methods discussed here can provide guidance for good practices in small group life so that we have the training, structure, and support to allow individuals and families to create and prepare for this world.

What is a small group and what is its purpose?

Various authors have indicated that a small group should comprise no more than 12 to 15 individuals. Joel Comiskey has said, “After 15 persons, there is no longer an opportunity for people to know each other intimately. It’s a congregation, not a small group.” (Comiskey, 2021, p. 10). He defines a small group as “a group of people (3-15), who meet weekly outside the church building for the purpose of evangelism, community and spiritual growth with the goal of making disciples who make disciples that results in multiplication” (Comiskey, 2021, p. 10).

Some small groups within the church (hobby groups), may have formed for the purpose of meeting for service projects, social activities, hobbies, etc. In this thesis, however, we are focusing on small groups that serve the purposes of discipleship and evangelism. In many churches, individuals may belong to other groups such as hobby groups or other groups supporting ministry, but most of these individuals will belong to a core, home group that focuses on the above higher purpose. As we will find out later, Pastor David Yonggi Cho, John Wesley, and others rightly focus on this all-important core purpose for small groups. Certainly, small 3 groups should and could be involved in many social and hobby activities, but the groups we are talking about here will always focus on the higher goal of discipleship and evangelism.

Small groups in religious circles have become quite popular because they allow any member to become part of the ministry. Martin Luther, while not specifically referencing small groups, spoke of the “priesthood of all believers” or a “holy priesthood” where all members would have the opportunity to participate in ministry (Luther, 1520/1970).

In the small group, we seek to not only build up the character of those who are part of the small group, but also to provide the space, or “open chair” to invite new members to the groups. Often, small groups will literally leave an empty chair at their gatherings to remind themselves of the need to multiply.

Here is the point of the small group for Christians: 1) It is a place to facilitate growth for its members and to care for one another, and 2) It is a place to evangelize. These are essential points for any Christian small group to consider.

When organized optimally, small groups provide a secure holistic experience that can provide profound and essential benefits for their members. As Gladen aptly posits, “We firmly believe the key issue for small groups in the twenty-first century is health not numerical growth” (Gladen, 2013, p. 24). There is a common ideal within the small group community of developing good character through a life of faith and helping others to develop their own good lives of faith. I would add that the ideal small group should also be able to help an individual’s emotional health by giving them good coping and relationship skills and promoting all levels of spiritual, physical, financial, and emotional health. All of these ideals are fully achievable by applying the best life practices that are readily available with regard to truth (for example, using Rev. Moon’s Divine Principle), emotional health, and other areas of life such as education, good financial practices, small group life, etc.

Rick Warren writes, “We don’t expect each small group to do the same thing; we allow them to specialize” (Warren, 2008, p. 146). Pastor Warren allowed certain small groups at his church to reach out to people with different interests. However, the essential small group everyone should be a part of caters to the growth of the individual and evangelism. Steve Gladen, pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, clarifies this when he says, “Groups of people who meet around special interests or ministries of the church are strategic, but they are not trying to balance the five Biblical purposes (fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and worship) to create healthy individuals and groups. For example, while our greeter ministry groups are an important and strategic ministry of the church, these groups don’t generally focus on the health of the individual and group but on greeting people who come to our campus” (Gladen, 2013, p. 27). While a strategic small group certainly has value, being part of a core small group is essential to every member’s life in their church.

Overall goal of small groups

God’s desire is to reach everyone in this world. A well-developed system of small groups can be an essential part of creating a beautiful and fruitful world. Small groups have the amazing ability to use all church members most efficiently. As previously mentioned, the Protestant church (based on Luther’s writings) has wisely promulgated the doctrine of “the priesthood of all believers.” Widely believed to be based on 1 Peter 2:9, which states, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (New International 5 Version, 2011, 1 Peter 2:9). Similarly, Hak Ja Han, the wife of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, said in 2012:

Ultimately, the problems afflicting humanity can only be resolved through the worldview of ‘One family under God,’ in other words, a teaching based on true love, which my husband and I, the True Parents (a title Unificationists give to Rev. and Mrs. Moon who are a couple believed to embody the ideal for humanity), learned from Heaven and have championed and taught throughout our lives. This is because it is the only way for people to find the path toward peace and happiness. (Han, 2012, p. 959)

The ideal small group is not a contrived grouping of individuals and families, but is the natural, God-given will of God. Everyone should eventually be part of a tribe or small group because God ordained such a grouping for a healthy and happy life for everyone. Well-run small groups could provide the practical training and modeling which is required to substantially bring about, “One family under God.”

It is the well-structured small group, with well-coached leaders, who will most easily and efficiently train people for this ideal world, the realization of God’s Kingdom in human society. Heaven must have a means to come down to earth, and the small group is an extraordinarily efficient vehicle to accomplish that task.

How small groups fit into people’s lives and the church

A healthy small group and community can become an essential part of a believer’s life. It can provide support, accountability, and a means for growth that simply does not exist within other areas of human life. Certainly, we should all make sincere efforts in our prayer life, studies, meditation, discussions, public service, etc. However, only other human beings can provide us with the objective view that allows us to see ourselves in the most realistic light. Human beings are a fickle lot, and without small group support, real change and transformation in one’s life may escape all but the most capable human beings. John Wesley rightly pointed out, “The design of our meeting is to obey the command of God, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (Wesley, 1738). Wesley goes on to say:

To this end, we intend, – 1. To meet once a week, at the least. 2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason. 3. To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer. 4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting… (Wesley, 1738)

One area of concern is that relatively few believers belong to a small group or have any real motivation to be a part of one. In addition, in my own experience, I have also noted that it can be quite difficult to meet regularly as well. Reasons for this can often be traced to difficult personal problems and/or lack of clarity about the group’s purpose, activities, and educational methods.

My experience with my own small group is that while we often focus on meeting at a minimum of once a week, we have often met once, twice, and even up to three times a week as the need presented itself. The group found a strong need to meet at those times because we wanted to discuss an event we had attended together, wanted feedback on a church visitation, or simply had the need for more support and social interaction. In no case was there a sense of meeting excessively. When a group has a strong will, purpose, and structure, meetings are enjoyable for everyone involved. Small sacrifices were experienced, but we all agreed that additional meetings were a joyful blessing and most certainly not a curse. Despite the challenges involved, we all realize the value of incorporating small-group time into our lives. Thomas Walsh, a member of Wesley’s group, testified of the joy they experienced together:

‘Oh,’ … ‘how wonderfully did we experience the power and love of God, whenever we made prayer and supplication to Him! We had a heaven amongst us; a paradise within us! The Lord poured such peace and joy into our hearts, we were often so happy, that we did not know how to part. We lived as brethren, and strove together for ‘the hope of the gospel.’ We were of one heart and of one mind in the presence of God. And is not this the communion of saints?” (Telford, 1976, p. 30)

The individuals within such a well-run and organized small group should regularly experience such joy as a matter of course. Here, we see that Mr. Walsh and the other members of his discipleship group had ample motivation to attend their group. Their attendance was not obligatory but motivated by inner joy and rich camaraderie.

One’s life is truly meant to be of all-encompassing goodness as much as possible, and all activities are to be accountable to one’s neighbor on a weekly, if not daily, basis. This is truly meant to be a normal and healthy life for the individual. Without accountability to one’s neighbor, the Kingdom of Heaven is but a dream. It can never be a reality. Therefore, if one is to effect real change and transformation in their life, one should participate in some sort of small group activity.

What the results of an ideal small group would look like

The results expected from an ideal small group could be profound. Countless religious leaders have sought a better means of raising up their congregants, and while satisfactory results have come about, many religious people are disappointed by a world that seems far away from an ideal, beautiful world. Rev Moon has said:

Man has always yearned for the ideal and a life of everlasting happiness. If there had been no fall, human history could have started on the basis of happiness, and humans would have lived together with and served the one True God. Because of the fall, however, people have even questioned whether there might be such a thing as an untruthful or false God who created evil. (Moon, 1979).

Rev. Moon sadly reports that while people long for the ideal, they now often doubt whether that ideal is even possible or whether God exists. A small group provides the essential support and modeling that allows the individual to believe, see and experience that the ideal is possible. Rev Moon has said, “Where there is a will, there is always a way – especially if it is the will of God” (Moon, 2005). Thus, his words remind us that it is finally up to our determination whether we can create an ideal world. We cannot blame our situation or the environment. Therefore, a small group is an excellent means of restoring individuals who may be experiencing such difficulty.

The profound support and joy I’ve experienced in working with various small groups has shown me personally the great efficacy they have in creating a better life for myself and others.

The small group – strengthening Individuals and families

As stated above, the small group can provide additional power to individuals and couples to accomplish more. Families that practice small group life in a truly holistic way will experience more and more joy as they experience greater support and accountability in maturing themselves individually, as couples, and as families. Rev. Moon has often said that blessed families in the Unification Church are not meant to work on their own but are meant to work within trinities (Moon, 1958). In this context, the term blessed family (as understood within Unificationist theology) refers to a couple married through the Unification Church’s Holy Blessing Ceremony, which is regarded as a sacred union symbolizing God’s ideal for humanity. A trinity is a small group made up of three couples that support each other to carry out witnessing and other church activities together. In addition, Rev. Moon teaches that a tribal messiah is a member of the church who becomes the spiritual leader and savior of his hometown.

A small group at the home level is essential for success. Rev Moon has said, “The keys to the kingdom of heaven are the Home Church movement. In other words, we must establish tribes, and it is our mission through Home Church to present a model of the tribal system” (Moon, 2016, p. 5). Rev. Moon founded the Home Church movement to assign members of his church to various areas, usually 360 homes, and to love, serve and raise up the people who are living in that community.

Fundamentally, the results of a healthy home-based small group will be families that gain greater beauty and maturity, expressing love, harmony, and godly character, as they dwell naturally with other families in their community. Mutual support will also help reverse the problematic issues within families that have persisted since the Fall.

I believe there is a serious issue present in many faith communities today that calls for resolution. Too often, members equate spiritual life with attending a physical church building, listening to sermons, participating in seminars, and waiting for direction from religious leadership. While Rev. Sun Myung Moon, during his lifetime, utilized and valued church facilities, he also emphasized that the family itself is the primary place to practice faith, receive education, and serve others. When small groups are utilized effectively by the church, they become essential tools for realizing this vision of faith expressed in daily family and community life.

Any faith community becomes healthier when its members gain the skills and confidence to take personal responsibility for serving others and guiding families toward spiritual growth. This calling, however, is not without challenges. In my own small group, we have been active in many public efforts, yet we have also faced difficulties that tested our commitment. These experiences have taught me that patience, perseverance, and continual learning are essential for lasting success. Our team understands that we are pioneering a model for healthy small-group practice. We do this through prayer and consistent investment in our community, our guests, and one another.

Among our home group members was Rev. Demian Dunkley and his family, who at that time (in 2016) was serving as the Witnessing and Education Director for Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) in North America, later President of FFWPU (in 2018), and today is the Continental Director for FFWPU in North America. In 2016 he led the “We Can Do It!” workshops, which inspired members to collaborate in evangelism and witnessing through teamwork. Rev. Dunkley was widely respected for his ability to motivate others and to foster a culture of shared ownership within the church. Our small group shared that same spirit and sought to model how teamwork and shared purpose could strengthen both individuals and the wider community. I will share more details about our small group experience in Chapter 3.

The ideal small group is one in which our old, selfish character is removed, and a new, generous character is developed in every individual. This is the best and happiest way to live. Rev. Sun Myung Moon reminded members of the Unification Church countless times to “give and forget,” yet he also said, “The strict requirements of Jesus’ teaching are contrary to what we want to hear and in opposition to what we want to do” (Moon, 1979).

It may not feel natural at first to sacrifice for or love one’s enemy, or even one’s spiritual child, but once a person experiences the joy of their original mind, the God centered aspect of their original nature that longs to live according to God’s will, this lifestyle becomes increasingly natural. The great hope is that participating in a well-run small group can give every member of that group the support they need to become a genuinely happy and successful Christlike person. This, in turn, will bring immeasurable benefit to the entire world, as people gain the strength and ability to joyfully fulfill their responsibility in living according to God’s will.

Best Practices for Meeting Goals

Effective groups practice clear and realistic standards daily. Rev. Moon repeatedly emphasized building God’s Kingdom through consistent efforts, not vague ideals. By committing to best practices, accountability, generosity, prayer, and service, small groups can raise individuals, strengthen families, and have a profound influence on society.

While Rev. Moon speaks of returning to our “original nature” (Moon, 1982), in business, leaders often stress the value of best practices; the same principle applies to spiritual life. If we are to grow and prosper in this life, excuses and emotionalizing must give way to real practice. Whether we seek our original nature of goodness or seek healthy best practices in life, both point to the same truth: living according to God’s standards in concrete ways.

Healthy small groups depend on accountability, authority, objectivity, and guidance. These practices create transformed individuals, strong family units, and vibrant communities. As we move toward the future, we see how such groups can fulfill the hopes of Wesley, Luther, Rev. Moon, and others, offering not only personal growth but also a vision of a renewed church and society. This is not abstract theology but lived practice, grounded in everyday life.

Conclusion

This thesis demonstrates and clarifies why small groups are essential for human growth. While pastors have often had to cajole their members to join small groups, I hope this will no longer be necessary in the future. In the future, if one wants to become a happy, well-adjusted human being, they must be connected to a healthy larger entity. If one wishes to live in peace with others, one must first seek peace within themselves. If one wishes to obtain the substance of a spiritual life, rather than merely attain its symbols or image, then intentional and sustained practice is required. If one wishes to have ideal, happy relationships with their spouse, children, parents, peers, young and old, they must become a member of a small group.

This can only be done where good practices are applied, as mentioned in this thesis. Everyone wants to have a happy, substantial life, even criminals. How could anyone wish to continue living a life that only leads to regret and shame? No one. We must find substantial means to improve our lives. Until now, despite sincere and wonderful efforts going back 2,000 years, this desire for substance has often come up short.

Dr. Low clearly points to better small-group practices. He provides a logical framework for good emotional life practices, which could also be seen as an effort to create a clear model of what a true human being should be like. While Rev. Moon, Jesus Christ and other spiritual authorities have given clear words and guidance regarding our ideal character, Dr. Low points us to the fact that nearly everyone lacks the objectivity to apply those words and achieve an ideal character by themselves. I would argue that it is also nearly impossible to do so solely within the realm of couples. Husbands and wives alone lack the objectivity to help each other adequately without the possibility of a breakdown occurring. Within a healthy, well-led, well-coached small group, such a couple would be able to receive the help they need to grow quickly. This is why we should be using small groups or sponsorship/ coaching as a tool to educate and raise up human beings.

Within the alternative methodologies discussed in this thesis, we can see more of a scientific or psychological emphasis than the more religious practices of small groups in Christian churches. This is certainly evident in Dr. Abraham Lowe’s recovery international groups. The twelve-step program, on the other hand, while being a spiritual program, is also very practical and requires substance and accountability.

A quote from Albert Einstein (1879-1955) is enlightening, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” (Einstein, 1941) Einstein expressed that religion and science are complementary. One without the other is unhealthy. With pure science, we may understand the world, but we will not understand why we were created – our purpose.

Einstein’s quote encourages us to have rigorous honesty, accountability, and substance in science while at the same time allowing religion to show us why we need a relationship with our higher power, God. Without the connection to our creator, we have no moral compass to guide us into a truly happy life. We need both. When the world places excessive emphasis on science, it is unhealthy. When religion is not firmly grounded, it is no longer anchored in the truth and becomes unhealthy.

Certainly, great respect must be given to those who have invested so heavily in small group practices in Christian churches. Pastor Cho, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, and thousands of pastors throughout the world have practiced and experienced the power of small groups to scale up their care for members and ramp up evangelism. For the Unification Church, combining present small group best practices with Dr. Low’s and twelve-step methods and adding the power of the Divine Principle, will mean that the Unification Church will have best-in-class, world-beating tools to transform the world.

I would like to conclude with the hope that Rev. Moon has always advocated: “If there is unity among nations and the people of the world, then God’s love will surely abound in that. Again, I must say, there must be unity, and then God’s love will appear. Then God’s ideal will be realized.” (Moon, ca. 1973) Unity and peace in this world will be achieved as the substantial work of restoring men’s and women’s character takes place. The small group that I advocate for has the best hope of accomplishing that goal. As Plato has said, “Why, right here, stranger, is the first and best of all victories, the victory of oneself over oneself; … These things indicate that there is a war going on in us, ourselves against ourselves.” (Plato, as cited in Pangle, 1979, p. 5) It may not be a great comfort to know that despite the innumerable problems and frustrations we as individuals and a society bear, the real problem lies within ourselves, or as Dr. Low has said, within our inner environment (Low, 2014, p. 106-110). There is no need to look elsewhere. The entire exercise of trying to find problems outside ourselves misses the real problem. I hope this thesis shows clearly that the ideal small group environment now provides us with substantial tools to “conquer ourselves”, so we no longer need to struggle alone to solve our personal, couple, family, and societal problems. The ideal world that all Unificationists and all humankind hope for will finally be possible. This thesis is dedicated to the idea that what has until now been only hope can now become a substantial reality.

The author wishes for all people to experience the transformative joy of small group life. In our small group, our joy is truly multiplied, and when we experience rejection or encounter challenges, our pain is lessened when we live life together. I believe we are truly experiencing the joy that Rev. Moon wished for us as married couples. Centered on Rev. Moon’s speech given over 60 years earlier (Moon, 1958), our team is now truly finding the happiness of common success and fulfillment. All this is done in the accomplishment of His will.

It is also particularly inspiring to the author that I can share the tools of Rev. Moon’s Divine Principle with others. When I share the value of following the commandment “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17), I can do so because I am applying it in my own life and receiving its benefits. I can speak about my prayer life and its value, because it’s working for me. I can speak about the history of restoration because it has helped me understand my situation more clearly, and I share that knowledge with others. When discussing the various parts of the Divine Principle, the Principle of Creation, the Fall, and Restoration, I can do so from experience, not merely theory. What Rev. Sun Myung Moon taught us about a deeper understanding of God, has become part of my own spiritual life, moving my understanding of the Divine Principle beyond mere surface knowledge.

The author is profoundly grateful that I encountered a twelve-step program, for it has given me a new, more substantial life. If I had not encountered it, I could never testify to this life-changing personal experience, and for this, I am truly grateful to God. May this thesis and my future work be a blessing to others.