Great Commission, Small Beginnings

In 1968, the Lord used one woman’s simple desire for deeper Christian fellowship to begin an evangelistic home group movement here at The Chapel.

And who was that woman?

Sue Burnham, Pastor Dave Burnham’s wife, had been longing to study God’s Word deeply with others in an intimate atmosphere apart from the Sunday morning service. She began reaching out to other women and enlisted their help to open their homes for women’s or couples’ Bible studies in their neighborhoods. Before long, close relationships and friendships grew among people in the studies.

Because Pastor Dave Burnham had a burden for evangelism, the focus of the home Bible studies shifted to emphasize reaching the lost. Church members began to invite neighbors, friends and family members to join their groups. Studies met in hospitals, country clubs and schools.

As this Bible study group movement grew, more people came to Christ and the church grew in numbers. Other churches and even the media noticed and inquired into the methods The Chapel was using to grow the church. Many requested training and materials written by Dave and Sue, which Moody and Tyndale House Publishers adapted and sold to other ministries and individuals. In time, more than 100 different small groups were meeting all over Akron.

Sometimes the Great Commission begins with simple steps, simple obedience. For Sue Burnham, stepping out in a God-given desire for biblical fellowship blossomed into a much bigger evangelistic movement for the church than she, or Dave, could have imagined.

As we consider our spheres of influence and our unsaved family and friends, be encouraged that God can do great things through our simple steps of obedience, faith and love for our neighbors.