People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
Small Groups and Growth
Groups provide the foundation and the cement for new persons in your church
by James W. Moss, Sr.
The most effective method of evangelism available to a local church is the intentional formation of new small groups. In fact, significant growth can't occur without the formation of new small groups. Many strategies of evangelism are being suggested today. If the strategy doesn't include the formation of new small groups, there won't be long-term growth.
Persons who'll become incorporated into the body must, first, have two friends in the church besides the pastor. The term friend implies much more than casual acquaintance. Second, they must become part of a face-to-face fellowship group. In this context, they'll be known by name, feel needed and wanted, and be missed if they're absent. This kind of bonding occurs most frequently in small groups.
Small group functions
Small groups have four significant purposes.
1. Evangelism. Christ is most effectively communicated through the context of a relationship. The building of relationships promotes the opportunity for conversion to occur.
2. Incorporation. Small groups are the bonding arm of the church. When people are both attending worship and participating in a small group, they've become incorporated participants of the body.
3. Fellowship. Our culture promotes loneliness. The church needs to provide fellowship opportunities. It is particularly helpful if food is provided.
4. Instruction. Worship doesn't provide sufficient instruction for needed spiritual growth. The opportunity to teach and impart knowledge comes through small groups.
Kinds of small groups
There are at least five different kind of small groups. Each of these groups has the same bonding power as any other.
1. Sunday school classes. One strength of Sunday school classes is that if many people—particularly boomers—are to be in worship and a small group, it must all happen on Sunday morning because you won't get them back a second time. In addition, Sunday school classes tend to live longer than other groups.
2. Care groups. The purpose of these groups is to have prayer and Bible study. The study is frequently the same as Sunday's sermon and will be prepared by the pastor. The care group leader provides the pastoral care for the group, thus the title—care group.
3. Support group. These people have like interests and needs. Examples would include parents of pre-school children, divorced persons, parents of adult children who have moved home, and 12-step groups.
4. Task groups. These groups exist to do something. Others could be designed to provide specific assistance. Mt. Holly men put roofs on two parishoners' homes. One church has a group that buys old used cars, fixes them up, and gives them to people who need cars but can't afford them.
5. Athletic teams. These can be used for outreach. I like the rule that half of each team must be from the unchurched world. Such a team might have to participate in a secular league.
Action Strategy
Begin small groups by following these eight steps.
1. Target a specific market for the new group. The rifle approach is recommended. Pastor John Marsh is starting a new class. When asked for whom the class is being formed, he replies, "It's for young marrieds under the age of 30, with children, who are currently unchurched, who already know someone in the church, and who live within 15 minutes of the building." That's focus! The more focused the target group, the more likely a group will be started.
2. Identify prospects for the new group. Identify sufficient prospects so that 20% of the list will make a viable group. If you want 10 in the group, you need 50 on the prospect list.
3. Recruit the best available teacher/leader. The teacher/leader must be able to relate to the people you're trying to reach. Many new classes/groups don't survive because the match isn't good.
4. Recruit an apprentice and a host/hostess. As soon as the teacher is recruited, that person needs to recruit an apprentice and a host/hostess. Notice the word apprentice. That person is being trained to be a teacher/leader. The teacher, apprentice, and host/hostess should be from different family units.
5. Select the curriculum. Very simple Bible studies could be used. Life situation studies could also be used.
6. Allow sufficient lead-time to develop the new class. Don't get in a hurry.
7. Design a program of promotion. Use a method called "six sticks." If you wish to get anybody anywhere, you must invite her six times. Invite all prospects a minimum of six consecutive weeks prior to the first class/group meeting.
8. Locate the most appropriate place for the new class/group to meet.
Hilltop church decided to begin a new young marrieds adult Sunday school class using the eight steps just described. They decided on a market. They identified prospects and recruited a teacher, apprentice, and hostess. They selected the curriculum. Sufficient lead-time was permitted. They developed a program of promotion. A location for the new class was established. This process took four months. Hilltop Church was averaging 80 in Sunday school when the new class began. In a short time, 38 new people were identified as new attenders at Hilltop because of the formation of this class: 20 adults who brought a total of 18 children with them. If needs have been properly assessed and homework completed, a class with eight to twelve new participants may begin. A number of classes and groups have begun using this format.
Good Books to Read:
 | James W. Moss, Sr., People Spots, 1993. |
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| Dale Galloway. 20/20 Vision. Scott Publishing. 1986. |
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| Palmer Becker. Called
to Care: A Training Manual for Small Group Leaders. Herald Press,
1993.
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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April 11, 2000. Volume 3, Issue 5. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.