The Purpose of Small Groups

Josh on December 10th, 2009

Been doing some interesting thinking about the purpose of small groups – wondering if it is possible for us to use groups more strategically in the discipleship process. As it stands right now, they are 70% fellowship (adult life with student life, accountability, relationship) and 30% discipleship (Bible study).

Some of this happens organically now, but what if we mixed it up a bit and it looked like this:

Learn – 2-3x a month
A couple of weeks out of the month, the small group does significant and intentional Bible study. The leaders prepares a lesson selected from the materials provided/approved by the ministry, and concentrate on helping their students grow in Christian education and faith.

Grow – throughout the month
Throughout the month, the small group leader checks in on their students’ spiritual disciplines and holds them accountable to growing on their own. The idea here is to gently disciple students to a faith that they can take with them beyond high school. The leader looks for spiritual conversations and opportunities to challenge a student personally. Tons of resources are close at hand to help a student take a spiritual step forward.

Serve – 1x a month
One night a month the entire group spends time serving together. Care for one of the student’s teachers that lost a spouse recently, serve at a local shelter, help someone with yard work, adopt a city block, visit a home for the elderly. The ministry provide tons of options and ideas, but each group has the flexibility and freedom to create their own monthly service project.

Play - 1x a month
Take the night off! Pool party, lazer tag, pizza buffet, world series of poker marathon, sledding – whatever, it doesn’t really matter. Just something super fun and community - no agenda, just life on life happening.

Just thinking out loud. Your thoughts?

JG

Comments (2)

Matt at 8:51am December 10

We do the same thing and call it Care, Growth and Impact. We focus on care 20% of the time, growth 60% of the time and Impact 20% of the time. Care can be anything from just hanging out and having fun or visiting a sick member of the group. We also use this time as the entry point for nonbelieving students. Growth happens through study and discussion. Impact happens within the city and throughout the world via service trips.

steven at 9:01pm December 11

Right now our small groups meet every other Wednesday Night after praise and worship and is high in learning and discussion. The other two weeks the groups are encouraged to get together outside the church. However I am finding that this is not happening as much as I would like…even with my personal group.