Comments on: How To Make Sure Your Small Group Ministry Fails: Part 2

By: How To Make Sure Your Small Group Ministry Fails (Part 2) at neoLeader

How To Make Sure Your Small Group Ministry Fails (Part 2) at neoLeader — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:27:17 +0000

[...] Link to original article in Uncategorized. Feed for this Entry Trackback Address [...]

By: fall back, spring best. « The Smallworld

fall back, spring best. « The Smallworld — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:32:16 +0000

[...] as a whole church, we fail to have a good small groups.” Fortunately, someone compiled two lists of great ways to make sure your small groups fail. Boy, people really think of everything these [...]

By: How To Make Sure Your Small Group Ministry Fails: Part 2 « Fellowship Small Groups

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:18:24 +0000

[...] Your Small Group Ministry Fails: Part 2 Posted on March 5, 2009 by iankayser Another good post from Craig Groeschel …here are five more ways ways to reduce the possibility of a successful [...]

By: Anne Jackson

Anne Jackson — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:30:33 +0000

I truly think each of us are designed a little differently. No matter how hard we tried to “make” a small group happen, it never was right for Chris or me.

But I look around at where we spend our time each week. There are certainly a small group of people whose lives are connected (even though they are not all members or attenders of the church I’m on staff at) and we truly do life together. These are my 3 am friends. We’d give everything for them and we know they’d give everything for us.

It’s not a church-ordained small group, but we see each other regularly, encourage each others’ walks, hold each other up, hold each other tightly. And I can’t think of any reason that’s doesn’t glorify God or accomplish the mission of what a “small group” ministry is set out to do.

By: Here’s what I did on 2009-03-04 | Jonathan Hopson

Here’s what I did on 2009-03-04 | Jonathan Hopson — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:03:04 +0000

[...] Shared a link on Google Reader. How To Make Sure Your Small Group Ministry Fails: Part 2 [...]

By: Ryan Throop

Ryan Throop — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:12:22 +0000

John… in terms of Sunday School and Wed. night ministries being the sacred cows of your church, challenge your people/leadership to look at the purpose of those ministries. You may just have to lead the way in that area. After all, sacred cows make the best burgers!

By: John Wright

John Wright — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:51:18 +0000

Conviction hurts. You’ve hit on most of the points that I’ve been wrestling with since we started “small group” ministry, and the replies nailed the rest. I put it in quotes because we’ve definitely jumped in to the shallow end, and I know it. So, rather than lament here, let me pose some questions in the hope one or more of you will get in touch with me. heh.

1) We started with the open market model of small groups. The idea was that there would be a diverse list of interests being covered. We are currently running two groups successfully (meaning people actually show up). I’m thinking either the model is messed up (no clear direction) or the fact that only our ankles are wet is the problem.

2) We decided on a 3 month on / 1 month off cycle for the groups. This gives everyone a chance to take a break and change groups when the next session starts. It also allows the leaders to take a session or two off or bow out completely if leading a group just isn’t for them. This sounds great on paper, but we’re in our second session and went from six active groups to two.

3) How many of you guys actually had a Sunday School / Wed. night ministry that you transitioned out of into the small group model? I have been feeling that these two things are our “bronze snakes”. This blog entry is helping confirm that notion.

That’ll do for now. Great post again, Craig.

By: Jared White

Jared White — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:20:30 +0000

Great series! I came to my church a few years ago right after a small groups program they launched imploded, and I always wondered what exactly had gone wrong. I’m happy to report the new program we launched last fall, of which I am one of the leaders, has so far avoided pretty much all of your warnings. And the result has been that the entire church is pumped and really excited about the spiritual growth and fellowship these groups have produced.

Thanks for the excellent thoughts Craig!

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:46:05 +0000

make sure the senior pastor makes fun of the groups, especially the names of the groups, from the pulpit. (really happened in a church)

By: Jared B

Jared B — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:12:14 +0000

Good stuff!

By: Katy Hodges

Katy Hodges — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:00:36 +0000

I work at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL in our Small Groups department. It is so good to see that this week the main focus of the blog is on Small Groups and their effectiveness. I believe in them 100% and know the life chnage that happens in these groups.

Hearing the “dont’s” can be more effective then hearing the “do’s”. We all need to be reminded of why we do small groups and keep our focus strong. Thanks LifeChurch.tv for your continued support and friendship!

By: Alan Stoddard

Alan Stoddard — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:54:01 +0000

WOW! You are not kidding with the “failure” idea. If a church or pastor agrees “life change” BEST happens in small groups, and churches have no venue to implement the implied principles from the points above, the implication is something huge is missing in any model of Sunday School or small groups.

I’m a fan of making small groups mandatory for membership, but know most churches can only “expect” it.

Staff members should be REQUIRED to be in a small group, even if you’re a Sunday School church. How can I know they are making disciples if all I see if programs and events? Church staff will be spiritually healthier if they are in groups as participants.

This small groups series is in your face. And I like it.

By: steve

steve — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:29:36 +0000

Any insight into small groups in small towns…where everybody knows everybody and is likely related :). There’s a tension between getting and staying with people for depth of relationship versus changing group dynamics by re-grouping on a regular basis.

By: Cliff P

Cliff P — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:46:09 +0000

Great thoughts…

My addition:
>As a leader, set the example by never going any deeper than what happened during your week.

By: Kyle P.

Kyle P. — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:24:17 +0000

Great points again, Craig.

Here’s a few more for which I am so thankful LC.tv DOESN’T do:
> Make sure to require seminary degrees for all small group leaders, or any other set of church-established “hoops” to jump through (i.e. Small Group Leader 101, 201, etc.).
> Make sure there is zero accountability for your small group leaders to the church leadership.
> Make sure to keep the church body in the dark about any amazing God story that came out of your small groups.
>Make sure each and every small group in your church looks, acts, and does ministry the same exact way.

By: Kendra Golden

Kendra Golden — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:03:18 +0000

Brent’s list made me laugh. is a “sad but true” way though. I’d also add:

Make sure you don’t build a structure for ongoing support, training, communication, and leadership development so that once leaders are trained initially they are cut loose.

Make sure you only tell small group leaders the bare minimum information about vision, future direction, and events coming up. They don’t need to know anything more than what’s in the bulletin and an occasional e-mail asking them to do even more.

By: Ryan Throop

Ryan Throop — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:01:06 +0000

#8 is a big deal. Many established churches like the idea of small groups, so they begin to add more to the plate of things to do by implementing small groups. Yet, small groups can not be one of many opportunities among a buffet of ministries. In order for small groups to be successful it must be an “all or nothing” mentality. They will never work unless they are THE ministry for authentic discipleship withing a church. For the established church, I would say that if you are considering small groups, something has to go…dare I say maybe Wednesday nights or Sunday nights (GASP!).

Craig, we’re about three weeks away from our official grand opening/launch at Elevate and thinking through the process of small groups. What would be some things that we definitely need to have on our radar as potential issues that may come up as we establish this ministry of small groups/discipleship?

By: Jeff Moore

Jeff Moore — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:34:35 +0000

#11) Make entry into groups difficult. Make it as hard as possible to find information about groups and their meeting times/locations. Don’t take into account that there are different kinds of people who want to find this information in different kinds of ways.

By: Patrick Moore

Patrick Moore — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:31:40 +0000

I would reiterate Brent’s comment on how to squash small groups: Make it a cliche. Make sure it’s the same 10 to 15 people who have been meeting in the same place for 10 years without allowing anyone new to join or especially develop new group leaders out of this group.

Been there done that. Doesn’t work. We continually encourage our group leaders to be looking for new leaders in their groups with hearts to serve in starting up more new groups. Working well so far.

PS…Craig, great to meet you at the One Day breakfast. I realize your busy and appreciate just a moment to meet face to face. Thanks to you, Andrew, Brian and the whole crew at LC.tv. You guys are a huge blessing to our Network church. Thanks!

By: Craig Groeschel

Craig Groeschel — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:10:48 +0000

Thanks, Kyle from down under!

Brent, Great additions to the discussion. Thank you.