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Small Groups

Small Groups. How will you use this universe growth engine to expand your core group?. Two Gathering Models. Healthy Church: Both. Large Group Worship. Small Groups. Form Follows Function. Interaction. What has been your best small group experience? Why?. Small Groups. Caring Capacity.

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Small Groups

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  1. Small Groups How will you use this universe growth engine to expand your core group?

  2. Two Gathering Models

  3. Healthy Church: Both Large Group Worship Small Groups

  4. Form Follows Function

  5. Interaction • What has been your best small group experience? • Why?

  6. Small Groups

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

  8. Early 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

  9. Fastest 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.

  10. Irony • 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.

  11. Church Health: Eight Essentials • Empowering Leadership • Gift Oriented Ministry • Passionate Spirituality • Functional Structures • Inspiring Worship • Holistic Small Groups • Need based Evangelism • Loving Relationships NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

  12. 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

  13. Leadership Issues

  14. Planter 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.

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

  16. Small Group Principles What Key Leaders Have Learned.

  17. Key Leaders & Books

  18. 1. 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 things • Celebration: Worship • Cell: Small groups

  19. 2. Connect The Two • Sermon based small groups • Sermon: Preparation • Cell: Application • Everybody has same background and operating off the same page Sermon Based Small Groups

  20. 3. 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.

  21. 4. Expectations • Think Friendship … Not Intimacy • New people don’t want intimacy, especially men • Want friendships that can lead to intimacy at their own pace

  22. 3. 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

  23. 4. Length • Traditional: 18 months to second coming of Jesus • Think short term … Not long term • Ideal: 10-12 weeks • Educational model • Start, End

  24. 5. 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

  25. 5. Leadership • Traditional: Expert bible teacher • Think Facilitator … Not Expert

  26. 6. 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

  27. 7. 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

  28. 8. 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.

  29. Implementation

  30. Prototype • Prenatal: 1st Trimester • You lead • Two apprentices • Rapid Reproduction • Prenatal: 2nd Trimester • Three Groups • 2D Leadership • Rapid Reproduction

  31. Modeling • 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

  32. Small Group Benchmarks • 40% Involvement: Low • 60% Involvement: Average • 80% Involvement: Healthy

  33. MAP: Small Groups Plan • When start? • When multiply? • How connected to sneak previews? • Potential leaders?

  34. The End

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