Most of us recognize small groups as vehicles of care and support. But do small groups contribute to a church’s outreach and numerical growth?
Not necessarily. In fact, small groups often can inhibit growth in two ways.
First, by failing to seek out non-Christians. Most small groups, in fact, aren’t open to non-Christians. As a result, they often divert considerable resources and energy away from evangelism. When small groups become the end rather than a means to the end, they distract a church from its disciple-making mission.
Second, by excluding new church attenders. In general, newcomers won’t feel welcome in groups that have been together for over two years–which describes 90 percent of small groups in churches today. The relationships that mean so much to those in the group inadvertently keep outsiders out. To make matters worse, when newcomers are excluded from one group, they seldom try a second, and they usually wander away from the church.
So should existing groups be dissolved or broken up? Only if you like pain.
Breaking up established, contented groups can disrupt the stability of the whole congregation. Long-term group members often see their group as the most meaningful part of their church life. Take away their groups, and you increase the level of dissatisfaction.
Still, small groups can reach and assimilate new people into the church family.
SMALL GROUP CHECKLIST
Here is a checklist to help your church reach new people through small groups.
1. Are you regularly starting new groups? Win Arn (Church Growth Ratio Book) suggests that an ideal ratio is seven groups for every one hundred members. Groups that have been around for two years or more typically become “saturated”–like a sponge that cannot hold another drop of water.
A saturated group cannot add new members unless someone else departs to make room for them. Since half of all groups become saturated after only one year, new groups are necessary to provide entry points for newcomers.
Some symptoms of a saturated group are:
* When it reaches eight or more (for a more intimate group that focuses on caring and sharing).
* When it reaches 15 or more (for a task-oriented group).
* When it reaches 35 or more (for a fellowship group).
* When it fills 85 percent of the room capacity on a regular basis.
* When it’s been together for two years without adding any newcomers.
2. Is at least one out of every four groups in your church open to outsiders? Are they planned and promoted for the unchurched? The success of these particular groups should be measured by how well they involve non-members. You can help them by giving as much attention and publicity to them as to any other groups or church programs.
3. Are you encouraging greater diversity among your groups? If people find only one kind of group available to them, the message they hear will be, “Take it or leave it.” But when you offer more choices to them, you’ll provide them with more ways for involvement. Usually, the more specific the group focus, the better. “Singles” is too general. “Single parents” is better. “Young, single parents” or “Young, working, single parents” improves it even more.
4. Do you evaluate your small groups annually? Your goal should be that 70 percent of your members, 90 percent of your new members, and 10 percent of the attending non-members be involved in small groups. Reach those goals, and small groups will be not only a vehicle of Christ’s love, they’ll also be a means of growing your church.
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W. Charles Arn, Church Growth, Inc. Monrovia, CA
Copyright (c) 1994 Christianity Today, Inc./LEADERSHIP Journal
Copyright © 1994 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
