“The meter is running buddy.”  That is what the driver said to me as I got into the taxi.  I thought it ironic that he did not ask me where we were going, but simply informed me that I had better hurry.  Every second seemed to become a dollar.  I was in a hurry.

Just how long does it take for a group to grow close? How many group meetings must happen before hearts are tuned in to one another? When does real community begin to happen? These are questions that are not often asked by group members, but often are asked by small group pastors. Why? Group maturity, growing towards community, signals a healthy group experience.

If there is one thing that is true about small groups, it is that there are some common issues that happen in almost every group. These can be relatively small in scope, or they can become group destroyers. However, all of them can be avoided with just a bit of planning.