SMALL GROUPS IN THE METHODIST TRADITION HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS, ANALYSES, AND PROPOSALS FOR BRAZIL

Abstract

This article explores the Methodist tradition of “small groups” as a foundational element of ecclesiology and faith practice. Drawing on the English experience of societies, classes, and bands, these groups are shown to have served as spaces for spiritual exchange, communal discipline, and mutual growth. In the United States, Episcopal Methodism preserved the classes longer but gradually replaced them with Sunday School, shifting emphasis from praxis to orthodoxy. In Brazil, Methodism arrived during the height of Sunday School, which became the central instrument of Christian education, while federations reinforced lay participation. The study also examines contemporary discipleship initiatives, ranging from catechetical and evangelistic approaches to pastoral and communal models, such as koinonia groups and mutual accountability groups. The findings affirm that small groups remain central to Methodist tradition, though continually reshaped, reflecting enduring tensions among currents that emphasize orthodoxy, praxis, or sanctification.