Small
Group FAQs
If you would like to add small groups to the flexible
roster of discipleship methods in your church, there are several
issues regarding small groups you will need to address. Here are
some frequently asked questions to use as a reference tool for your
development.
1. How Many People Should Be in Each Group?
Small-group experts agree the ideal
size group should be 3 to 15. Remember,
Jesus Himself chose twelve to be a part of the small group He led.
As the group gets larger than 10-12, group dynamics change. The
larger the group, the easier it becomes for a quiet person to hide
in a spiritual and emotional sense. The larger the group, the more
difficult it becomes to nurture each person.
2. What Will Be the Makeup of the Membership?
Will the group be made up of people that are all about the same
age?
What about education levels? Socioeconomic status? Men/women only,
or couples? Most people like to be with others like themselves.
Commonality promotes closer relationships and quicker group development.
3. Will the Group(s) Be Open or Closed Groups?
Simply put, an open group is open to new members coming into the
life of the group at any time. A closed group intentionally closes
membership to new members at some point in the group’s development;
typically early in the development. Both types have strengths and
weaknesses. Open groups allow for quicker assimilation of new people.
Closed groups allow for more intimate relationships
and higher accountability.
To glean from the strengths of both types of groups you could consider
doing a combination. The group may remain open for the first six
weeks or so of the group’s life then close the group for a
period of time (maybe 12 months or so). Then open the group again
for some to leave and new people to come in. Remember a permanently
closed group will eventually stagnate as does any system that closes.
4. How Long Should a Group Remain
a Group?
Here again the options are numerous and they depend on your goals
and situation. Groups can remain as a group from several weeks to
a year or more. Naturally the longer a group meets the deeper the
relationships get and the higher the accountability becomes. However,
most people do not want to be a part of group that has unstated
limits. At the end of the time decided upon, the group may dissolve
and members become a part of other groups or the groups could form
an additional group through an intentional multiplication process.
5. How Often Do the Groups Meet?
Ideally groups would meet on a weekly basis. It is difficult
to build the relationships and accountability desired if a group
meets less frequently. But once again, there are options. Most small-group
experts agree that less than every two weeks is not sufficient for
impact on individual lives.
6. What Should the Schedule Be for Small
Groups and Where Should They Meet?
One of the strengths of small groups is their flexibility as to
when and where they should meet. The simple answer here is wherever
and whenever agreed upon by the group members. Transformational
discipleship is a 24/7 ministry. Member homes make great locations
for group meetings. An open group also creates another entry point
into the life of the church as unchurched people are invited to
be a part of the group.
7. What About Leadership for the Groups?
Leadership is the key to a successful small-group ministry. Most
churches that are successful with small groups have come to understand
the strength of an apprentice process. Each group has at least one
apprentice that is in training to lead a new group. This apprentice
may be given some basic training to understand the philosophy of
that particular church’s small-group ministry as well as group
dynamics. He or she is then given some leadership responsibilities
by the leader of the group they are a part of. After beginning their
own small group, all leaders take part in some type of ongoing on-the-job
training.
8. What About the Children?
Churches handle this challenge in a number of ways. The
group may decide to rotate with different members taking turns watching
the children in another room of the home in which they meet. The
group members may pitch in and bring in someone from outside the
group to watch the children in another room of the house in which
they meet. Some groups might decide to trade off with other groups.
Group 1 watches the children of Group 2 on Tuesdays and Group 2
watches the children of Group 1 on Thursdays. Again, the options
are numerous.
9. What About Starting New Groups?
Hopefully most of the groups that form see themselves expanding
and starting new groups right from the start. An existing group
starts a new group by sending out either the leader or the apprentice
to begin the new group. Several of the members of the existing group
could go with the leader or apprentice to allow room for new members
in the old group. This keeps the system open and allows new members
to be a part of the small groups, thus eliminating stagnation. New
groups can also be started as new leaders are trained. The new leader
would want to find an apprentice as soon as possible in the process.
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