Small Groups

Here are ten ways that groups can plan their meeting schedules for a typical month.

Rain or Shine, We Meet All the Time

Comments: This schedule is most effective when a group is pursuing a "holistic" or balanced ministry agenda together. Because the group meets often, there is time to emphasize different things each week as needed (fellowship, Bible study, prayer, accountability, outreach, service, etc.). This schedule also works well when group members find it difficult to interact with each other outside of group gathering times.

Every Other Week, As Long As We Don't Miss

Comments: This schedule is used many times for groups who are going to be together for a longer period of time and who may experience frequent community with each other outside group gatherings. The down-side to this schedule is that if someone misses, it may be a month before they connect with each other again.

Once a Month, To Get the Job Done

Comments: This schedule is probably associated more with committee meetings than small groups, however, specialty small groups (task-based, support groups, etc.) may use this schedule, particularly if members have intentional regular community contact outside of group gathering times.Groups meeting on this schedule typically have extended time together when they do meet.

Mixed, Men, or Women, Can't Decide? Do Both

Comments: For the group who wants to have men-only and women-only time as well as have a mixed or couples group experience but not be in two separate groups, this arrangement works well.This schedule also can work well for groups who struggle with childcare every week because men/women-only weeks have built in childcare.

Every, Every-Other Week

Comments: A schedule that has advantages when your group is larger because it allows the large group to not lose connection, but has built-in smaller sub-group times for more open sharing, discipleship, or accountability. This schedule also can be used for groups that are in the process of multiplying (birthing a new group); it allows for the a group reunion every-other week and the new group to meet every-other week.

Every Week with a Focus Week

Comments: This schedule provides frequent whole group gatherings but gives one week of focus on a special group project like service, outreach, recreation, mission, leadership development, etc.

Every Week with a Purpose

Comments: Task-based groups that have ministry jobs to do associated with weekend worship services (greeters, childcare workers, etc.), may meet together for fellowship, discipleship, and prayer before or after their scheduled ministry task.The frequency associated with weekend worship services can encourage these groups to meet regularly, however, when they do meet they often have very limited time together for anything beyond their task.

Two Groups in One

Comments: If a group is large, they can meet together for part of their group time as a large group for teaching or worship, and then sub-group into several smaller groups for the remainder of the time for discussion and prayer.Can be applied to large home-based groups (sometimes called super-groups) or Sunday school classes or Adult Bible Fellowships. Also works well if you want to incorporate men-only and women-only time during group gatherings. In some cases there are time-restrictions with trying to have both larger and smaller sub-groups meeting on the same evening.

Split Personality Group

Comments: This group schedule allows groups to have two distinct focuses. For instance every-other week the group could meet as a closed group and focus on discipleship and accountability with one another. On the other weeks the group could meet as an open group and have a group focus on evangelism and service to those outside the group.Leadership groups can also have a similar format where one week they do discipleship and the next week they meet to focus on ministry business issues.

The More Groups the Better

Comments: Sometimes people are involved in more than one group. In some group ministry models (e.g. G-12, Groups of 12) individuals lead one group while being nurtured and supported in another group.Many of these systems are set up so you would attend both groups in the same week, while others might have you meet with each group on alternating weeks.

Regardless of what schedule you choose, your goal is to build the type of community in your group that reflects what we read in Scriptures like Acts 2:42-47.Of course, their meeting schedule was "daily!"