Four Keys to Growing Small Groups

Most churches offer “small groups” of one kind or another – Sunday School classes, community groups, care groups, Bible studies, or interest groups. But not all small group ministries help people grow spiritually because many churches leave their small groups, once formed, to thrive or survive on their own.

Good churches, though, know that groups are both the gateway and the pathway to discipleship, and that both spiritual and numeric growth happens when small groups are fed and led well. 

Pastor, author, and small group specialist Jim Egli recently released his new research based on interviews with 1,140 small group leaders in 47 churches in the US. He analyzed four ways  small groups experience numeric growth:

• People visiting a small group
• People coming to Christ through the influence of a group
• People joining a group
• New leaders and new groups sent out of a group

Then he identified four small group behaviors that drive these four types of group growth:

1.        Pray: The prayer life of the leader. Leaders who consistently take time with God and pray for their members, their unreached friends, and their group meetings see more people come to Christ.

2.       Reach: Groups with an outward focus, those seeking to grow their group and reach people unconnected to Christ and his body, see more results on all four growth measures.

3.       Care: Groups that experience caring relationships between members, sharing meals together and supporting each other in times of need, have more people join their group.

4.      Empower: Leaders who don’t do everything themselves—who involve their members in things like hosting, leading the study, leading worship and prayer times—see their groups excel in all four types of group growth.

 
Egli points out that “the two factors that are particularly important are empowering others and cultivating an outward focus. Both of these factors accelerate all four growth areas. Empowering others shows an especially strong impact.”
 

He concludes from his research that the best thing small group leaders can do to influence group growth is – “Quit doing everything yourself and think about how to involve each of your member in ministry activities, outreach, and leadership roles!”

Good advice, we think. Read Egli’s blog about his latest research finding here. Then, check out his site under the small group resources tab for ideas on how to develop any of the four small group growth behaviors.