As a new leader, I find that time commitments are really getting to be an issue for people in our church. How often should our groups meet, and how long should the group meetings last?

Even though time is quickly becoming our most important commodity, people need led, and remided of priorities and values. It is important as a new leader, and at the beginning of a group that the leader leads! Explain why you are requesting their time, "sell "others on the real value of spending time together, and make it worth their time, by having prayed, being prepared and rely on the Holy Spirit to build relationship and community.

A group gels quickest and develops caring community the best when it meets every week. Groups can meet twice a month or even monthly (though this is not suggested as it impairs caring) , if they meet weekly for the first 6-8 weeks to establish a foundation for the group. A group develops much more quickly (almost exponentially) when there is weekly group contact, and in-between group contact among the group members.

Your meeting will generally work best when kept to 1 1/2-2 hours in length. Some types of groups work well at 1 hour especially if determined by lunch hour or other scheduling issues. Groups should begin and end on time. You honor the group members by keeping on schedule. Do not allow a habitual late-comer to determine the starting time. Many groups work well with a soft and hard closing time. For example- if your group meets from 7:00-8:30, it is advisable to announce the meeting is officially done at 8:30, this allows those who need to leave to do so (the soft finish). The others in the group may stay to pray, fellowship and socialize then if agreeable to the host(ess), and the meeting should then finish and all leave at an agreed upon time (the hard finish).