Getting more people involved in leadership gives greater ownership.
by Life Together
Sunday school is one of the best places to begin building community in your church, but often Sunday school consists of star teachers—and few people end up in leadership as a result. This is the story of how one church moved from a soloist (the rock-star Sunday school teacher) mentality to a choir (a host of people providing leadership) philosophy of Sunday school ministry.
Don't let people fall through the cracks of your small group ministry.
Boyd Pelley
I love orange juice and we were out, so I stopped by our local grocery store and went to the freezer unit to grab a couple cans of concentrate. I walked up to the glass door and peered in. It was gone! What, no orange juice! We have a great grocery store, and I know that if I go back today, chances are there will be a full shelf of orange juice concentrate. Why? Because I know my grocery store chain ...
There are common issues that happen in nearly every group, but there are ways to avoid them.
Jon Weiner
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.
I usually ask new leaders what they fear the most about starting a small group. Invariably, they tell me that they fear hosting a group that experiences poor attendance. In other words, what happens if people do not show up? Even worse, what happens if they come the first time and then do not come back? Usually this fear is not justified. Many new leaders simply lack the confidence that God will use them in a great way! However, there are also a few things a leader can do to build consistent attendance for group life.
First, always meet in the same place and at the same time. This is vital for the first three months of group life. The reason is simple: group members need to get in the habit of meeting. Putting best intentions aside, people are very busy and many lead overloaded lives. Having a consistent time and place will help them incorporate small group into their routine. I give the illustration of a couple coming home from work. They rush to get the kids started on homework, and dinner is not ready. Then, they remember that group is meeting. The problem is that they have forgotten where the meeting is, or they have lost the map. At that moment, it is far too easy to simply say, "Let's blow it off tonight." You limit excuses with meeting consistently at the same time and place.
Secondly, leaders should communicate between the meetings to encourage community development and foster growth towards strong relationships. It has been said that more happens between group meetings than at the meeting itself. The more you communicate, either by voice or electronically, the stronger your group commitment will be. Also, encourage members to get together socially beyond the meeting date. This usually takes time to develop, but you must champion the idea if you ever want it to become normal in your group.
Three practical cures for a common small-group ailment
Mark Whelchel
Acommon frustration among small group leaders is getting groups started on time. It is not unusual to be five or ten minutes past the scheduled starting time while the leader stalls waiting for the arrival of the last few members.
The leader is left in limbo: he doesn't want to waste the time of the people who have already arrived, but he also doesn't want to be in the middle of prayer or study when ...
Develop the idea of small groups among your congregation.
Mike Shepherd
To Incubate: (Webster) — 1: to sit on (eggs) so as to hatch by the warmth of the body; also: to maintain (as an embryo or a chemically active system) under conditions favorable for hatching, development, or reaction 2: to cause (as an idea) to develop.
Now I know some of us sometimes feel like we are a mother hen with our small group leaders but this article is not about sitting on a nest. We ...
Some suggestions for increasing attendance, and adding new members, in your small group
The Small Group Network Community
Darryl's small group has been together for about 2 years. He has noticed that individual attendance has become sporadic and no one new has been to the group for a while.
What should Darryl do?
Darryl should step back and take a look at the vision, goals, and/or purpose of the group. Does it have any?
Is it a fellowship group only? If so, it will soon lose its enthusiasm, and only be another obligation in the members' lives.
Printer view of these results
