Like most pastors, I learned early on that if my preaching was to be powerful, it had to be memorable. I tried lots of tactics over the years, but nothing increased the memorability and life-changing impact of my messages as much as the simple act of connecting our small group studies with the weekend message.

We recognize the power of alignment whenever a group of people is willing to divest themselves of self-determined outcomes and invest their talents, will, and energy in a common direction to accomplish a common goal.  If your goal is to make disciples that multiply ministry through relationships, then you will want to harness the power of alignment in your church.  This does not necessarily mean that everyone attending your church on Sundays will be forever locked into a sermon-based small group series similar to the 40 Days of Purpose by Rick Warren. 

Too many church dwellers figure that an hour a week in a worship service will eventually turn them into a spiritual dynamo, or at least a strong believer. They are often disappointed when they realize the truth that our spiritual life needs to be holistic. Connecting the weekend message to a spiritual community and to our personal devotions has exponential power much like a great workout routine matched with a healthy diet. An all-church (or campaign) emphasis is like that. It combines the intensity of the weekend message with the small group. There are three significant advantages to an all-church emphasis. 

Information overload - that is the world we are living in!  It is happening in the church as well.  Our children have their curriculum; our teens are doing something else; the message is on one topic; our personal devotions often on yet another; and then our small group is doing an entirely different topic or book of the Bible!   There is too much information and no time or opportunity to meditate on it, to discuss with others, or to apply all the topics at hand.

Many churches are developing small group curriculum or agendas based around the weekly worship service teaching.  The teaching pastor or other staff take the teaching and develop questions, video, or other tools that can be used in small groups that week. That type of system can be very effective at bringing a sense of unity to the church as a whole, and can also help small groups develop consistent healthy practices.

Interestingly enough, I do not know of one church that does not have small groups in one form or another. Many of them do not have a declared small group ministry, but people will get into small groups regardless of whether or not small groups is an official ministry. People naturally and automatically seek out relationships.

If you have been a member of a church leadership team, whether a staff team, a governing board, or a ministry leadership team, you know that it is not untypical for these leadership groups to have a different "feel" than your mid-week small group. The type of Biblical relational community that is emphasized in your mid-week small group may or may not be present in your leadership group.