Q & A
Q & A Discussion: Sam O'Neal
In a church that has an effective small-groups ministry, what percentage of church members can you realistically expect to be active in groups?
| Topics: | Attendance, Goals, Growth, numerical, Roster, Tracking, Values |
| Filters: | Coach, Director, Pastor, Train |
| Purpose: | Discipleship |
| References: |  |
| Date Added: | July 13, 2009 |
This is a question that comes up often from pastors and church leaders, and there really is no "correct" response. Each church situation is unique, which means the desired goals and realistic expectations are going to be unique, as well.
But there is one principle/theory you should keep in mind when attempting to set a certain percentage point as a goal for small-group participation. It's called the "funnel concept," and I first heard about it through a seminar led by Larry Osborne. In many cases, the percentage of people joining small groups in a given church will be heavily influenced by the purpose of those groups. Basically, the more you are asking of each group member (in terms of dedication, depth, etc.), the fewer people you can expect to assimilate into groups.
For example, if the goal of your home groups is strictly fellowship (getting together for dinner, playing some games, talking), then you can realistically expect a high percentage of your church to participate—perhaps 70 or 80 percent. However, if your groups are designed for strong discipleship and accountability, including service projects and meaty biblical training, you might view assimilating 25 percent as a grand success.
For most churches, the expectations are somewhere in the middle—and the percentage of congregational attenders should correspond accordingly.
Like I said, the funnel idea is just one factor that goes into determining what percentage of group attendance should be a "win" for your church. And there are many exceptions. Saddleback Church, for example, famously has over 100 percent of their congregation participating in small groups. And those groups revolve around a pretty deep commitment, including regular opportunities for service, worship, and in-depth Bible study.
One more thing: you probably know this already, but transitioning a certain percentage of church members into group members should not be your final measure of success. Getting people into small groups is a worthy goal, but that's only a step on the ladder toward what you are ultimately striving for—spiritual formation. You want the people in your small groups to grow deeper in their love for God and others.
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I remember when I was a pastor over a Church of about 500 members, we used to have Home-Church Fellowship. We were able to carry along about eighty percent of the members, having more then thirty units. It was very effective. Now I have a new ministry of about fifty members (children inclusive), though we have not started small group ministry, bot used to have meetings in small group units, the interest rate is not for now encouraging, that has not give me the motivation to start the Home-Church Fellowship. Small group units should be all embracing, if not a hundred percent, it should be about 95%.
Best Church Practices: Small-Group Covenants
Use these sample forms or adapt them for the specific needs of your group.
Grow the Number of Small Groups in Your Church
Using addition and multiplication to expand your ministrysee more downloads
