Why should church be set up with pastors as the leaders with their leadership as opposed to small groups where you can hold them to more accountability, and likewise they can know you personally and hold you accountable?
Moreoever if we look at Old Testament Israel as an example of church - which indeed it was - then we see a unity of a rather large group of individuals at a service. God's Word supports the existence of the church, small and large alike, with leadership as designed by God's Word.
Although the church meets in a building, it is more than a building. It is also more than an organization of elders and deacons and those that serve (as well as those that unfortunately don't). It is also a living organism with Christ as its head (Eph. 5:23). We, his children, his servants, are "members of his body" (Eph. 5:22-33). It should also be noted that the visible church also contains unregenerate members.
Fourth, small groups may exist within the church. However, at times they can become cliquish and can destroy church unity and pose problems, therefore needing careful oversight. In the Corinthian church it was "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ" (1 Cor. 1:12). Church history also records there were some small groups/churches that splintered off into heretical groups (for example Marcion, who taught that the God of the Old Testament was not the true God but rather the true and higher God had been revealed only with Jesus Christ). Though small groups are not mandated by Scripture, they can work well, but still must be monitored by those who are experienced and taught in the faith. Paul gives us instruction regarding this:
Eph 4:11-16 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.Finally, God calls for church discipline (Matt. 18:15-20; Gal 6:1-6). It has been my experience that the great majority of churches today neglect this part of God's teaching. Some do not entertain it as they fear they may lose members, failing to understand that, if God is indeed sovereign, their garden may actually produce more fruit if they got rid of some of the weeds (every garden needs weeding, even the initial one at creation). Additionally, nowhere does it say that a church needs to be large. Actually, in some instances, losing members is a sort of a revival as the peace of God may reside among the remaining membership. Additionally, since a small group does not have any "specific biblical authority" to enforce discipline (as the church does), it is doubtful, if one is following scripture, it could more effectively do what God has prescribed the church should do (Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; Gal. 6:1-6). When the church takes its proper ownership of church discipline, it will begin to see revival within its own ranks.
Dr. Joseph R. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the Theological Editor at Third Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill).