10 Benefits from a Thriving Small Group Ministry

I've copied a great article by Mark Howell from his blog (markhowelllive.com) about benefits from a thriving small group ministry. If your church is built upon Sunday morning Bible study groups, most of these benefits still apply. A growing number of churches I speak to are examining the possibility of providing dual tracks of Bible study (Sunday morning plus off campus). These benefits may help you in your decision making.

1.       Life-change happens best in small groups. You might have a killer weekend worship service with powerful teaching and inspiring worship, but you still need to know that “the optimal environment for life-change is a small group” because life-change happens best in circles, not rows.

2.       Small groups make churches personal.  Whether your church averages 150 or 1500, if I can slip into a back row and then leave without sharing life with a person…your church is too large to not incorporate a small group experience.  Yes, it’s still true that a certain kind of person or a particular stage in life makes a toe-in-the-water easier when you can be anonymous.  But the research is in.  The desire to find a few good friends is on the rise and loneliness is increasing.  

3.       Small groups provide a nearly unlimited leadership development pipeline.  What if I told you that your congregation and the crowd that joins you on special days like Easter or Christmas Eve is full of potential leaders?  In my experience, the same churches that tell me they’ve been praying for God to send workers for the harvest really just haven’t learned how to identify the  leaders God has already sent!  

4.       Off-campus small groups provide nearly unlimited space at optimum times.  Can’t afford to build?  Need to reach a much larger community than you could ever fit on campus at one time.  Homes, apartments, and coffee shops offer the space you need to have more adults in small groups than you have in your weekend services.  

5.        “Come over to my house” is a much easier invitation than “come with me to church.”   Off-campus small groups become increasingly more important as the transition to a post-Christian culture accelerates.  While there certainly was a time when an invitation to “come with me to church” was welcomed and even expected…those days are gone.  What remains?  ”Come over.”

6.       Small groups provide the best opportunity for one-anothering.  If you want to be known for the way you love one another…you need to emphasize being part of a small group.  The idea that I can receive or give the kind of personal care commanded in the one-anothers while isolating myself from others isn’t anchored in reality.  

7.        Small groups can provide a sense of family for many whose biological family lives far away.  Unlike generations past, it is increasingly more common for adults to find themselves living far away from their biological family.  Add the growing number of broken homes and dysfunctional families and you have a snapshot of the 21st century.  A small group, the right kind of small group experience can play a role in providing a sense of family.  

8.        I can ask questions in a small group.  Dialogue is one of the key ingredients of life-change.  If every spiritual experience I have is about listening, if it’s all about one-way communication…I’m going to miss one of the most important developmental aspects of a growing faith.  

9.        Small groups make it possible for more people to be cared for between Sundays.  Genuine care is demonstrated when my needs are known without a call to the church office.  A network of small groups provides the delivery system for that kind of care.  

10.    Small groups provide an ever expanding network for communication and impact.  This is a huge benefit!  There is a vast difference in the response to an announcement from the platform and a personal invitation.  When this network for communication and impact is activated, reach becomes exponential.

THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ….

FOR EDUCATION STAFF: 2014 GBACE Conference: Expanding Your Reach, staying connected in a changing culture - http://www.gbace.org/

FOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT: Ministry Grid - http://www.ministrygrid.com/?emid=PD-BSI-MinistryGrid-20131008

FOR MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT: Marriage Getaway, Destin, FL, February 14-16, 2014 - http://www.lifeway.com/Event/Adult-Event-Marriage-Getaways-Destin-FL?intcmp=LWMain-Event2-MarriageGetawayDestin-20131104

FOR VBS 2014: Agency D3 Preview Events locations - http://blog.lifeway.com/vbs2014v2/events/preview/

FOR VBS 2014: Georgia Jumpstarts and Clinic sites - http://gabaptistsundayschool.org/leadership/vbs-leadership/

FOR COLLEGIATE MINISTRY: 2014 Beach Reach - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/BeachReach?type=events&intcmp=BeachReachSearch-MTX-Button-Details-20130718

FOR STUDENT MINISTRY: Firsthand Faith by Ryan & Josh Shook - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/firsthand-faith-discovering-a-faith-of-your-own-leader-kit-P005559310

FOR STUDENT MINISTRY: D’Now resources - http://www.lifeway.com/n/merchandised-landing-page/DiscipleNow?intcmp=LifeWayStudents-MTX-Text-Dnow-20120906

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Connected: My Life in the Church by Thom Rainer (a great follow up to I Am a Church Member) - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/bible-studies-for-life-connected-my-life-in-the-church-group-leader-kit-P005672341

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Kingdom Agenda by Tony Evans - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/kingdom-agenda-living-life-gods-way-leader-kit-P005558791

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Honest to God by Robert Jeffress - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/bible-studies-for-life-honest-to-god-leader-kit-P005602631

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Let Hope In by Pete Wilson - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/bible-studies-for-life-let-hope-in-leader-kit-P005602635

FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Ever After by Vicki Courtney - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/Ever-After

FOR WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Sacred Secrets by Beth Moore - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/sacred-secrets-a-living-proof-live-experience-small-group-kit-P005474739

FOR MEN’S MINISTRY: Devotions for Men, audio CD - http://www.lifeway.com/Product/devotions-for-men-audio-cds-P005632528?emid=PD-BSI-DevotionsforMen-20131022

FOR MEN’S MINISTRY: Main Event 2014, August 1-2, 2014 featuring former President George W. Bush, $49 registration limited time offer - http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/The-Main-Event?type=events&intcmp=MensEvents-MTX-Text-TheMainEvent-20130815