Transcript Launching Small Group Ministry

Launching Small Group Ministry
Source: Carl George and Bill Donahue
The Original Small Group
 Jesus and the 12
 “Building a community to reach a
community”
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Not only gathering to build community,
to invite people into community
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The purpose of small groups is to gather,
develop/transform, and serve others (in
and beyond the group)
What does your church’s small
groups ministry look like?
 1. No groups
 2. Groups as a “program”
 3. Groups as a core value
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Permeates every aspect of
every part of church life
“With” or “Of” Small Groups?
 A Church “With” Groups
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Helps people find place in the
church
Get in a group through a
placement system
Joining a group is optional
Led by reactive shepherd
Meetings structured by
program, curriculum
Low monitoring of groups
Evangelism is possible in group
 A Church “Of” Groups
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Helps people build community
Groups invite people
Essential to growth
Led by proactive shepherd
Meetings structured by strategy
High monitoring of groups
Evangelism is group mandated
How to select a point leader
 “Who has empty space on plate?”
 “Divide and conquer” (each staffer
take a little piece)
 Or: by call and giftedness
A Better Way
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A). Who has characteristics desired?
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Spiritual gift of leadership, administration
Passion
Experience (have they built anything?)
Often not a paid staffer
B). What is their role?
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Banner-waver
Team-builder
How to choose a structure
 1. Define “span of care”
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No more than 1 leader to 12 participants
 2. Identify ministry roles
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What will shepherd/coach do?
Staff roles?
 3. Move toward ministry alignment
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How does this fit in with the core values of
the church?
Vs. federation of “silos”
How to Identify Group Leaders
 Affections – what do they love?
 Reputation – what do others say
about them?
 Experience – do they have
leadership track record in other
settings?
How to Launch some Groups
 1. Model group
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You have a leader and build a group
around that leader
 2. Turbo group
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You have a number of leaders and
you put them together in a sample
group to launch several groups
Make the expectation for
participation an exit after set time
Assessing and Refining Groups
 Are they …
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Gathering?
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Building FDFXs?
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Creating community
Producing Disciples
Deploying servants?
Phases in Development
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Discovering candidates
Orienting to role
Coaching and debriefing leaders
Training coaches
Developing Apprentices
 A pre-leadership place where
you can learn
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To be and to have apprentices
Creating apprenticeship
tradition in your church culture
 Use tool (ie. Find X Survey)
Pre-apprentice Behaviors
 Betray above-average interest in the
group
 Offer assignments
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Ie. Start group if 5 minutes late
 Offer core commitments
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Carl George “9 Commitments”
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#2-5 are “leader-maker” dimensions
800-936-2568 or www.metachurch.com
1. Connect
 “I will be available for debriefing
interviews with the church staff”
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Legitimates authority of church leader
Deputizes beyond personal charisma
Sets boundaries and expectations
through a covenant
2. Recruit
 “I will recruit my
replacement(s)/apprentices
before we begin meeting with
the group, and I will help them
develop the ability to lead.”
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Makes me part of leadership
development tradition/culture of
replicating myself via modeling
3. Invite
 “I will reach out between meetings,
cultivating both old and new
contacts.”
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The between-meeting job of keeping
group energy and focus
4. Prepare
 “I will prepare my mind and
heart for our meetings and
include our apprentice in the
process.”
5. Meet
 “I will conduct meetings that
encourage believers and accept
seekers.”
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Beyond “duty” and into
encouragement
6. Bring
 “I will bring group members
to worship for the church’s
weekend services.”
7. Serve
 “I will serve others with my
gifts, knowledge, time, energy,
and money, conscious that my
greatest influence may occur by
example.”
8. Win
 “I will make time to build
acquaintances with unbelievers,
serving them at their points of
struggle.”
9. Seek
 “I will meet regularly with
God in private prayer.”
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Teaches by example that life
with God is the highest value
Coaching Roles
 1. Develop leaders
 2. Provide pastoral care
 3. Support and expand ministry
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In huddles (modeling community),
group visits (affirming on site and
making observations) and one-onone visits with the group leader
Debriefing Leaders
 One-on-one monthly meetings
 Structured by prepared questions
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Carl George handout read verbatim
Offers excuse to surface tough issues
 Done with an eye toward developing
coaches (sideline) out of group leaders
(on field)
3-2-1 Coach Development
 3 chairs, 3 calls, 3 people present
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Coach/apprentice coach/group leader
 2 debriefing interviews, 2 hours (1 hour each)
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Coach does first one, apprentice #2
 1 reflection, coach to coach
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“how did your interview just now go?”
Conclusions
 To move from a church “with”
small groups to a church “of”
small groups, we have to make
build a culture of:
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Being purpose-driven
Apprenticing, coaching and
leadership development
Assessment and CQI
Launching Small Group Ministry
Dr. John P. Chandler
www.rasnet.org
Copy Right John P. Chandler, 2001