Small Groups

It is always exciting to see a church launch their new small group ministry—lots of enthusiasm, groups starting, new leaders coming on board, a kind of "buzz" in the air. But what does it look like three to five years later? Now what? All the low hanging fruit has been plucked off the leadership tree, 50% of your church is still unconnected, and it seems like a lot more work to get the next 5 people into a group than it did to get the first 100! What's up with that?

First of all, building real, lasting community is hard. Second, the leadership pipeline soon begins to dry up. You realize that you can no longer rely on the "pic 'em and sic 'em" strategy that got you this far. Now you actually have to develop leaders. Third, you have exhausted the adult, home-based, group options for people. One size does not fit all—regardless of the model being employed or espoused in books you read. All this is hard work.

We just put our 19,000th person in a small group at Willow. (That's without duplication—people who are in more than one group). We had 18,400 a year ago, so we added only 600 people to groups…not very impressive for a church whose weekend attendance is around 17,000 (kids and adults). But that's the point. The last ten or twenty percent is much harder than the first fifty! In October 1994 we had about six thousand in groups—one year later we had ten thousand! We experienced 20%-40% growth in some early years. In the last couple years we have had three to four percent per year, which is 600-700 people or more per year despite fairly full services (a new facility opens in summer '04).

So how do you keep adding people to groups, while maintaining the growth you have already experienced? How do you connect the last 50%? It is not easy, and we have fought for every inch of territory we have gained. (For some reason the evil one is not thrilled with churches building biblically functioning communities). At first, groups are easy to start, but then it becomes difficult to sell the vision and keep gaining ground.

We know that it is harder in our twelvth year of this adventure to connect people and keep them engaged in a life-giving community than it was at the beginning. We have learned some things along the way, through many trials and failures. So here are some pointers for improving group involvement in your church. Several are discussed at length in The 7 Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry where Russ Robinson and I address barriers you will tend to face building a group-based ministry.

1. If the Senior Pastor and Elders don't get it—forget it. Churches where small group community is taught and practiced by the senior leadership have the credibility to cast vision and call others to join the adventure. If small groups are simply permitted, you get 20% involvement. If they are promoted, you may get 30%. If you have a Small Group Pastor, you might get 40%. But if you do not have a committed senior staff and lay leadership who live out the values and build ministry around it, you will never break that 40% barrier and sustain it.
   
   
2. Small group participation—not just "community"—is taught as a core value. We talk a lot about community here, but we know we have to link it to a real practical expression, to small groups. It has become equivalent with participation in worship services, baptism, evangelistic activity, prayer, preaching and other defining core values of the church. It is not an optional or "extra-credit" experience—it must be viewed as the norm.
   
   
3. You need a clearly defined connection process with accountability for results.You must ruthlessly evaluate and strategize just how you will get Harry—having a beer on his patio on Saturday—to connect to a little community. You will likely employ multiple contact points like neighborhood parties, special events, church services, and specialized small groups. But whatever you use, make sure your process accounts for the "handoffs" of a Harry from one step to the next, or he will slip through your fingers and get lost.
   
   
4. Use medium-sized groups to connect people and develop leaders. You cannot thrive on a large group-small group strategy alone. Groups of 20-50 should be used to connect people and identify potential leaders. These groups are ideal for leader development. Sub-group for at least 50% of the time so that people can really begin to connect and emerging leaders can begin to shepherd a few folks in a circle. You can observe leadership readiness and training needs in this setting.
   
   
5. You must have a qualified SG Point Person. Teaching about groups and listing them in your core values is not enough to move people to connection. It will take the concentrated effort of a person—paid or unpaid, at least 20-25 hours a week—to make this happen consistently. The point leader must be given spiritual authority to raise the small group value and implement a strategy. He/She must be a leader and team player, someone who knows how to build a structure, support it with systems, and identify priorities.
   
   
6. Gain consensus and clarity about what constitutes spiritual growth, and how group life contributes to the process. We just completed this process for our entire small group staff, just to be sure they know what it means to pursue full devotion to Christ and how a small group is essential to that process. They in turn will communicate it to their leaders. It may take weeks of discussions, but you must get this done. Revisit this often and communicate it regularly and creatively to everyone.
   
   
7. Link group life to participating membership in the church. Imagine a person saying, "I want to join your church but don't want to attend services," or "I don't want to be baptized or take communion, but want to be a member." You would have a problem with that kind of commitment. Anyone can join the broader community around Willow—saved, lost, committed, struggling, and rebellious; all are welcome. But when someone says, "I want to follow Christ fully and dedicate myself to this local church community (be a member)" then small group life should be expected as part of that involvement.
   
   
8. Connect seekers at their point of greatest need. Everyone needs a doctor now and then; some require time in the Emergency Room. Lost people who are broken, needy, desperate, and disconnected need places to receive intensive spiritual care. I could line up thousands—no exaggeration—of people who have connected here through recovery and support groups. Over 40% of attendees in these groups are non-Christians. Many find Christ in the process. Others move from that initial pain into a seeker group designed to focus on particular questions and issues as they explore faith in Christ.
   
   
9. nvite unconnected people to a simple "First Serve" experience. Many people would be intimidated coming to a home or neighborhood group. Some fear they will be "trapped" inside, forced to eat dried brownies and "share feelings" with people they hardly know. Yet they may have no hesitation going on an outing, feeding the poor, or working on a project. They relate best to people and feel connected when accomplishing a task, so help them discover an easy, meaningful service opportunity. Build a relationship with them and form a group around the experience.
   
   

Like you, we have good groups and bad ones, some that inspire and others that disappoint. But if you become increasingly focused, intensely prayerful, and evaluate your progress and failures with humility, I think you will find some creative ways to break through some barriers. Yes, it's hard and takes work. But remember, when there is no resistance, there's no need for a leader. Consider it job security!