Small GroupsSmall GroupsHow will you use this universe growth engine

to expand your core group?

Two Gathering Models Two Gathering Models

CoreSneak Preview

Sneak Preview

Sneak Preview

Sneak Preview

Sneak Preview

Small Group 1

Small Group 2

Small Group 3

Small Group 4

Small Group 5

Small Group 6

Healthy Church: BothHealthy Church: Both

Large Group Worship Small Groups

Form Follows FunctionForm Follows Function

Love God

Worship Bigger is Better

Love Others

Small Groups

Small = Intimacy

InteractionInteraction

• What has been your best small group experience?

• Why?

Small GroupsSmall Groups

Caring CapacityCaring Capacity

• Principle: No church outgrows it’s capacity to care for people.

Early Church CaringEarly Church Caring

• Great Commandment Foundation– Mt. 22, John 13:35 – know my disciple

• Acts Application– Acts 2,3,4,5,6,11- meeting needs

• Epistles: One Another's– Rom. 12:10- Devoted– Galatians 6:2- Bear burdens– Eph. 4:32- Be kind– I Thess. 5:11- Encourage– Twenty six “one another's”– Summary: I John 4

Fastest GrowingFastest Growing

• 100 Largest, Fastest Growing Churches

• Mega Trend: The most significant church growth event in the U.S. Church today and for decades to come is the explosion of small groups.

IronyIrony

• Most lay people don’t like to go to a large church.

• Misconception: Large churches grow because of great preaching, worship, and programming.

• Realty: They care for people better.

Church Health: Eight EssentialsChurch Health: Eight Essentials

1. Empowering Leadership

2. Gift Oriented Ministry

3. Passionate Spirituality

4. Functional Structures

5. Inspiring Worship

6. Holistic Small Groups

7. Need based Evangelism

8. Loving Relationships

NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

Care Organized?Care Organized?

• How caring is organized in a church dramatically impacts growth potential.

– Small Church Single leader: Pastor-Chaplin Caring capacity: 40-120 people

– Middle Size Church Multiple leaders (elders): Shepherding Plan Caring Capacity: 100-300 people

– Large Church Leadership: Pyramiding Pipeline Caring capacity: Unlimited

Leadership IssuesLeadership Issues

Planter ExpectationsPlanter Expectations

• I want my small groups to be …– Major vehicle of evangelism: Empty Chair– Primary tool of teaching: Bible Study– Source of spiritual formation: Life transformation– Method of leadership development: Apprentice– Our assimilation and caring ministry

I want small groups to answer all my church planting problems.

Small Group RealitySmall Group Reality

• Evangelism: 25%• Teaching: Not the best method or focus• Life Transformation: Mixed results• Leadership Development: Intentionality• Stickiness & Caring Factor: Awesome!

Small Group PrinciplesSmall Group PrinciplesWhat Key Leaders Have Learned.

Key Leaders & BooksKey Leaders & Books

1. Time Choices1. Time Choices

• Most adults will give you two time slots, if you ask for three, they will pick and choose.

• Eliminate competition

• We do two things1. Celebration: Worship

2. Cell: Small groups

2. Connect The Two2. Connect The Two

• Sermon based small groups1. Sermon: Preparation

2. Cell: Application

• Everybody has same background and operating off the same page

SermonBasedSmall

Groups

3. Connect to Ministry3. Connect to Ministry

• Worship team: That is your small group

• Children’s ministry: That is your small group

• Set up/take down: That is your small group.

4. Expectations4. Expectations

• Think Friendship … Not Intimacy

• New people don’t want intimacy, especially men

• Want friendships that can lead to intimacy at their own pace

3. Group Size3. Group Size

• Traditional: 5-10 people

• Think larger … not smaller

• Smaller group: >7– Harder to lead– Harder to grow– Weirdo factor

• Effective size: 12-15– Sign up number: 20

4. Length4. Length

• Traditional: 18 months to second coming of Jesus

• Think short term … Not long term

• Ideal: 10-12 weeks– Educational model– Start, End

5. Promotion5. Promotion

• Traditional: Open, you can join any time

• Think promotion months … Not on going sign up.

• Natural flow of calendar– September: School kick off– January: First of year– Easter: Spring break

5. Leadership5. Leadership

• Traditional: Expert bible teacher

• Think Facilitator … Not Expert

6. Training6. Training

• Traditional: Complicated, formal training

• Think informal: “Just in time training”– Train leaders: I don’t know– Grudem’s Theology– Call me, if you are stuck– Trust Holy Spirit

7. Multiplication7. Multiplication

• Traditional: Multiply by dividing. (2-4-8-16)

• Think Leader Multiplication … Not Group Multiplication

• Each leader: 2 Apprentices– You leave start new– Apprentice takes over existing

8. Open vs. Closed8. Open vs. Closed

• Open groups produce greatest numerical growth.

• Closed groups produce greatest spiritual growth.

• You need both. All groups become closed groups in 6-9 months.

• There will come a time when you will want to diversify and have a few high commitment groups.

ImplementationImplementation

PrototypePrototype

• Prenatal: 1st Trimester– You lead– Two apprentices– Rapid Reproduction

• Prenatal: 2nd Trimester– Three Groups– 2D Leadership– Rapid Reproduction

ModelingModeling

• Facilitating not lecturing– I don’t know. I will have to

check with my coach.

• Connect to sneak previews

• Show how apprenticing– I do, you watch– We do– You do, I watch

Small Group BenchmarksSmall Group Benchmarks

• 40% Involvement: Low• 60% Involvement: Average• 80% Involvement: Healthy

MAP: Small Groups PlanMAP: Small Groups Plan

1. When start?

2. When multiply?

3. How connected to sneak previews?

4. Potential leaders?

The EndThe End