Getting More People Into Small groups
Every church leader knows the importance of getting people into small group communities. Whether it’s called Sunday School, LifeGroups, home groups, small groups, fellowship communities or something else, participation is a critical factor in spiritual growth.
A 2013 survey from LifeWay Research shows how concerns about spiritual growth and small groups are well founded. When asked how many times per month they attend small classes or groups from their church, 41% of 2,930 protestant churchgoers said “zero times.” Another 12% of respondents indicated only once per month. That means more than half of people in our churches are in a small group one-quarter of the time or less.
Small Group Involvement is Important
This disconnect is bad for the family of faith. Paul’s use of a literal human body with eyes, ears, nose and the rest as an example of the church is helpful here. Even if a person is “connected” by membership, yet not connected by fellowship, is he or she truly a part? How can we connect people to a small group for genuine fellowship, Bible study and discipling with wisdom?
Four Practical Steps for Helping People See the Importance of Small Groups
- The pastor must talk about it. It holds true in almost every single church, that what the pastor emphasizes is considered most important. This may not be best, but it is accurate. As such, the senior or lead pastor must frequently stress the importance of small-group participation.
- It must be easy to get involved in a small group. If all groups are always closed, how can a new person get involved? If opportunities, times, room numbers, addresses and clear instructions are never provided in written or web formats, people do not know how to become involved. Set up a permanent table in the lobby or hallway with a knowledgeable person to answer questions. Have a dedicated Small Group FAQ page on your church website.
- Elevate the importance of small groups in your worship services. This can be done by having leader testimonies, member testimonies, or bringing entire groups onto the stage. The pastor should talk about his own group and his participation in it. Celebrate when new groups are started, and possibly have a commissioning time in the service for new leaders.
- Use a new small-group study to involve new people. One reason I am excited about Bible Studies for Life is it will help get and keep us on the same page. Consider using it as a means of re-launching or emphasizing the importance of small groups in your church. By nature, people tend to be drawn to something new. If everyone is starting at the same time, some of the awkwardness of joining is removed. Use a new, church-wide study to create an exciting sense of purpose and new people will respond.
Help your church body stay healthy by helping your people connect and grow in small groups.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church Northwest Arkansas
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Leading Millennials in the Family, Workplace, and Church
Today, RonnieFloyd.com welcomes guest writer, Dr. Nick Floyd. Dr. Floyd is a Teaching Pastor at Cross Church.
They’re influencing every facet of society. They’re making their mark on communities like never before. They’re dead set on changing the world. Who are these people? The Millennials. This group of young adults, born between 1980-2000, is the next generation looking to make a major impact on culture, the economy, and the moral make up of America. An increasing amount of information is being written and spoken about regarding this generation and the impact they are having and will have on the world. Thom and Jess Rainer recently put out a fascinating podcast on the Millennial generation, providing helpful information on this intriguing group.
But who are these iPhone obsessed people? And how in the world do parents, employers, coaches and pastors of millennials learn to lead them effectively? Millennials would cry that they are often misunderstood (as this New York Times piece shows). In order for us to effectively lead millennials, we must effectively understand them. I have a few confessions to make. I am a millennial (class of ’83). I lead a staff made up of several millennials who serve a church packed full of millennials.
Here are two things I have learned, as well as a few things I’m still learning as I seek to lead the millennials that God has put under my care.
They want to be heard. That doesn’t necessarily mean what they say has to be done, but they want to have an avenue of discussion. That may be with a boss or with a pastor. That can even be with a parent. I recently heard a dad explain this in dealing with his millennial child. When I grew up, when my parents said, “Because I said so,” I simply responded with obedience with no questions asked. This dad explained how his child does obey out of respect for him, but she really wants to know why. Now there is certainly a balance here, but this simple story does illustrate this powerful principle of being heard.
As a millennial, one of my biggest struggles is when I feel like there’s not an opportunity to express my opinion in the midst of the discussion. I believe many millennials are like me. It doesn’t mean we always have to be told yes, but it does mean we want to have a voice in the discussion. Are you giving the millennials under your care an opportunity to be heard?
They want to change the world. In former generations, you would likely only learn of those making a big impact through television, newspaper, or maybe even a magazine. With the new landscape of the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, and other technological advances – everybody knows who is doing something significant across the world – and they know it immediately. As a result, I believe there’s a growing dissatisfaction among millennials with the status quo. Now this is a slippery slope, and honestly a dangerous one. There’s something to be said about simple faithfulness wherever God places a person. Here’s where I think this provides both a challenge and an opportunity to employers.
The millennials that you lead know a lot about other places of the world, other businesses, and other churches. This means if they don’t feel like they are making a significant impact at your place, they know about a place where they can. In these cases, loyalty goes out the window in favor of making a big impact somewhere else. I’m not saying this is right, but I am saying this is reality in many cases. The challenge this brings is that it downplays loyalty and heightens the sense of the individual. The opportunity this brings is that as long as we continue to show millennials their value and the significant role they play, there’s a great chance they’ll stay. Are you showing the millennials under your care the opportunities they have to make a significant impact within your church, business, or family?
Finally, let me give a word to other millennials. May the words that mark us not be pride, disloyalty, and dissatisfaction. Instead, may the marks of godliness of humility, honor, and trust in where God has placed us reign in our lives. Let’s be humble and recognize we don’t know everything in the world there is to know. Let’s learn with humility. Let’s honor those who have given us opportunities, invested in us, and shown great confidence in us. Let’s trust the Lord. Let’s believe He has placed us where we’re at for a purpose. As Rick Warren says, “The grass is not always greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it.”
May faithfulness lead to greener grass.
Dr. Nick Floyd
Teaching Pastor, Cross Church
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.