Groups ministries are foundational for discipleship in the local church, but groups ministry isn’t always simple and straightforward.
By Staff
Groups ministries are foundational for discipleship in the local church, so pastors and church leaders are passionate about getting this area of ministry right. But groups ministry isn’t always simple and straightforward. Here are 10 of the most common questions we’ve been hearing from pastors and groups ministry leaders and responses to help you lead a thriving ministry.
How do you promote groups to the congregation?
Around 2 in 5 worship attendees at the average church (44%) also typically participate in small groups, according to a Lifeway Research study. Growth happens in groups, so we must be intentional about creating a pathway for people to become involved in the church’s most important ministry. To give you some ideas for creating this movement, here are some strategies for encouraging people to step out of worship and take a step toward group life.
- Talk about groups often from the pulpit
- Promote your upcoming Bible studies
- Interview individuals and couples about group life
- Emphasize group involvement at your new members’ class
- Clearly present the options
- Have a well-staffed greeter center
Learn more: 6 Strategies for Moving Worship Service Attendees to Small Groups
Does limiting group size hinder relationships in the church?
No, the goal of limiting group size is to allow for increased depth of relationships among group members and ultimately more effective discipleship. Pastors and church leaders responsible for group ministry in their churches like to keep momentum going when groups are growing. So, instead of starting new groups from those larger ones, the tendency is to move groups into larger spaces so they can continue to grow.
On the surface, this may seem to be a good strategy, but it usually has short-term benefits. Larger groups come with their own set of unique challenges. And there are significant reasons to limit the size of groups.
Learn more: 5 Benefits of Limiting Group Size
What are churches doing regarding leadership development?
More than 1 in 3 (36%) churches say they do not provide any training for their small group leaders. Another 1 in 3 (34%) say they provide in-person training. More than 1 in 4 say books are available (28%). Fewer say only new leaders are trained when they start (14%) or video training is available (12%). One in 5 (21%) say they provide other training for ongoing adult Bible study leaders.
Yet training is a vital part of your church’s group ministry success. It’s time to make a commitment to support your group leaders by introducing a regular rhythm of training. There are seven key questions you need to ask to give your group leaders a training experience they’ll love and want more of.
- When will the training take place
- How long will the training last?
- Will all group leaders be together, or will they meet by age group?
- Who will lead the training?
- What will be the topic and theme of the training?
- How will you promote the training?
- Who will help you create a training event?
Learn more: 7 Questions for Creating a Training Event for Group Leaders
Are groups all Bible-related or do you see “interest” groups?
Almost half of leaders (45%) say their groups are organized by an interest in the topic being studied. Around 3 in 10 organize around age (31%), life stage (29%), and gender (28%). Another 22% have an affinity or shared interest, while 10% meet together because of their geographic location. Just 1 in 10 (10%) are organized based on an assignment by the pastor or elders. For some (11%), their church only has one class. Around 1 in 6 (17%) have some other organization method.
Learn more: 8 Strategies for Guiding People to the Right Group
Is there an ideal length of time for groups to meet for?
Almost 9 in 10 leaders (89%) say most group participants have been in the same group for at least two years. However, When Bible study groups have been together longer than two years, they tend to turn inward because the people in the group reach their relational capacity with other people in the group. When a new person or couple appears for Bible study, it’s often difficult for them to connect relationally with people in the group—those people already have all the connections and relationships they can handle.
New groups help solve this problem. People in newer groups have the relational capacity to welcome new people.
Learn more: 10 Reasons Your Church Needs to Start New Groups and 10 Best Times to Start New Groups
Why is it important to use a curriculum for your groups?
Shepherding and discipling means giving the church family what they need, not just what they want. And what they need is the whole counsel of God’s Word.
You must create a strategic plan of study and discipleship for the groups at your church that promotes biblical literacy. Educators call this scope and sequence. In the context of Bible study, the scope must be God’s Word—all of God’s Word. But the sequence can vary. There are three primary approaches churches take to the sequence of studies to encompass the whole of God’s Word: chronological and Christ-centered, book-by-book, and discipleship driven. Each offers a different scope and sequence, yet all three have a strong emphasis on studying the Bible and growing disciples.
Learn more: How to Increase Biblical Literacy in Your Church
How do you determine the right curriculum for your church’s groups ministry?
The decision about which curriculum to use in your church’s disciple-making process is highly important. There are at least seven things you should consider as you select a curriculum for your groups: doctrine, trustworthiness, options, leader resources, accessibility, training, and value.
Learn more: Choosing the Right Curriculum for Your Church’s Group Ministry
Should your groups be gender-specific or co-ed?
Your church likely has two kinds of groups—gender-specific and co-ed. When should these kinds of groups be used to make disciples? Are they mutually beneficial or mutually exclusive?
In normative-sized churches (those with around 60 people in worship) you may only have two groups for adults—a younger adult group and an older adult group (co-ed) or a men’s group and a women’s group (gender-specific). That’s perfectly fine. As churches grow by reaching new people, they may be able to offer gender-specific groups and co-ed groups simultaneously.
Learn more: Should Your Church Have Gender-Specific or Co-Ed Groups?
How do you identify new group leaders?
Looking for group leaders in your church can be like looking for Waldo. We know they’re out there, but they’re not always instantly recognizable. As a leader, it’s our job, privilege, and responsibility to discover new group leaders and infuse our group ministries with new people. But these potential leaders aren’t wearing hats, glasses, and red-and-white-striped shirts.
As a leader, it’s our job, privilege, and responsibility to discover new group leaders and infuse our group ministries with new people. Share on XThere are at least 13 places you can begin looking for new group leaders: substitute teachers; apprentice teachers; church membership list; discipleship class leaders; new member class participants; spiritual gifts study, workshop, or seminar; former group leaders; VBS group leaders; teachers by profession; returning college students; potential group leader class; ministry fair day; and recommendations from current teachers.
Learn more: 13 Places to Discover New Group Leaders
How do you promote beneficial conversations and connection among small group members?
If you lead a Bible study group, odds are you’ve got a “talker” in your midst. They love to hear themselves speak and they can dominate a group’s discussion, often hijacking the conversation away from other group members. Group leaders should take steps to proactively handle the tension caused by the talker in their group.
Learn more: 8 Tips for Handling the Talker in Your Small Group
For introverts, participating in a group Bible study can be hard work. Savvy group leaders know how to make introverts feel at home, and how to engage them in the Bible study and discussion time. Group leaders have a role to play in encouraging introverted group members to more fully engage in Bible study.
Learn more: 10 Ways to Engage Introverts in Your Bible Study Group
Let’s face it: Some people are harder than others to engage in Bible study groups. Seven of the hardest people to engage in groups are new members, people with little Bible knowledge, new parents, young adults, people who work on Sundays, people who’ve had a bad experience, and men. But churches can proactively help people in each of these categories take the next step into group life.
Learn more: 7 Hardest people to Engage in Groups—and What to Do About It
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
