In Andy Stanley's book, Creating Community, he list six essentials (or six priorities) for small group leaders. He says that if leaders will implement these six they will be extremely effective in leading their groups. What are the six? They are:
1. Think Life-change. When it comes to group format, activities, and study material always think Life-change. Group leaders should strive to create an environment where participants experience authentic community and spiritual growth.
2. Cultivate Relationships. Stanley says that relationships are like bank accounts: they don't just happen. Plan activities that will intentionally build relationships (eating meals together, doing service projects together, praying together, etc...).
3. Promote Participation. Leaders navigate and find ways to involve others. Find ways include others through assigning tasks and asking open-ended questions.
4. Replace Yourself. Good leaders look ahead to the future by apprenticing someone else. This is not just an assistant, but a future leader of your group or another one.
5. Provide Care. In a lot of ways you act as the shepherd of your group. When tragedy strikes, surgeries are scheduled, financial struggles hit, etc... group leaders spring into action.
6. Multiply Influence. This may be the most difficult, but can also be the most rewarding. If a group leader can get his/her group to see the big picture about the benefits of mulitplying it can be a wonderful thing. A group that has 20 members has a hard time growing anymore, but if that group breaks up into two groups of 10, each group has an opportunity to add 10 more people. By multiplying you just increased your chances of doubling the number from the original group.
What do you think about these 6 essentials?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Life-Cycle
I received this email regarding the questions I posed in the first post of this blog:
In reflecting on our Life Group there has been constant change. I count 10 people who used to be in the group that are no longer in it. They moved, died, or moved to another group. On the other hand, we have 8 people who were not originally in the group but who are in it now. Of the total group, there are only 6 people who have been continuously in the group. I think you would find this is true of other groups as well. My point is that groups just naturally go through a process of change without change having to be forced. I remember many (probably 20) years ago we purposely pushed to reconstitute the groups in order to promote broader acquaintanceship among members. People resisted and resented the effort and it fell through. Probably a better approach would be to work toward getting everybody into a group, and do some diagnosis and prescription so they got into a group that would do the most to promote their spiritual growth.
I like this response. Basically, this person is saying that LIFE Groups have their own life-cycle. We don't have to create one for them. What are your responses this observation?
In reflecting on our Life Group there has been constant change. I count 10 people who used to be in the group that are no longer in it. They moved, died, or moved to another group. On the other hand, we have 8 people who were not originally in the group but who are in it now. Of the total group, there are only 6 people who have been continuously in the group. I think you would find this is true of other groups as well. My point is that groups just naturally go through a process of change without change having to be forced. I remember many (probably 20) years ago we purposely pushed to reconstitute the groups in order to promote broader acquaintanceship among members. People resisted and resented the effort and it fell through. Probably a better approach would be to work toward getting everybody into a group, and do some diagnosis and prescription so they got into a group that would do the most to promote their spiritual growth.
I like this response. Basically, this person is saying that LIFE Groups have their own life-cycle. We don't have to create one for them. What are your responses this observation?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Comments
I should have checked the settings for the comments before I started the blog. I had a few of you tell me it was difficult to leave me a comment. I have now changed the settings so that it can be easier to leave comments.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Too Short, Too Long, Just Right?
Last night in our LIFE Group Leader meeting we discussed the apparent conflict in our LIFE Group purposes. LIFE Groups are to be a place where people in the church can build stronger relationships with other people in the church (basically, get to know each other better). LIFE Groups are also intended to be a place where spiritual growth and maturity take place. Let me explain the conflict I see in these two different purposes...
To truly use LIFE Groups in a way that allows people in the church to get to know others in the church better we need to be sure that groups are mixing each year. We encourage people to change groups from year to year. That way you don't get so comfortable with one group that you refuse to branch out and meet others in another group. If you have ever been in one particular group for a considerable amount of time (3 years or more), then you know how hard it is to leave that group for another. So to accomplish purpose #1 we need to have a short-term group model.
This conflicts with purpose #2 - greater spiritual growth and maturity. It takes longer than a year for a group to truly gel with one another to the point that they will take off the mask and be truly open and honest. It takes this kind of openness and honesty to truly start growing spiritually. I've heard many people say it takes 3 or 4 months just for them to start feeling comfortable with a new group. One person said that he basically feels the need to show up with a smile for the first few months even if he isn't happy, just because he doesn't feel close enough to the group to show his true feelings. I understand his feelings. It is hard to grow when you can't be yourself. I believe simple Bible study is beneficial, but Bible study in the midst of relationships truly leads one to spiritual maturity. But this only takes place over time. The short-term group model hinders this kind of growth.
The question I have for you is, "How do we balance this out?" One person suggested at the meeting that we have a group model that changes up groups every two years instead of one. That may work. North Point Community Church in Atlanta uses a model like this. You can read about their model in the book Creating Community by Andy Stanley. What are some other options?
To truly use LIFE Groups in a way that allows people in the church to get to know others in the church better we need to be sure that groups are mixing each year. We encourage people to change groups from year to year. That way you don't get so comfortable with one group that you refuse to branch out and meet others in another group. If you have ever been in one particular group for a considerable amount of time (3 years or more), then you know how hard it is to leave that group for another. So to accomplish purpose #1 we need to have a short-term group model.
This conflicts with purpose #2 - greater spiritual growth and maturity. It takes longer than a year for a group to truly gel with one another to the point that they will take off the mask and be truly open and honest. It takes this kind of openness and honesty to truly start growing spiritually. I've heard many people say it takes 3 or 4 months just for them to start feeling comfortable with a new group. One person said that he basically feels the need to show up with a smile for the first few months even if he isn't happy, just because he doesn't feel close enough to the group to show his true feelings. I understand his feelings. It is hard to grow when you can't be yourself. I believe simple Bible study is beneficial, but Bible study in the midst of relationships truly leads one to spiritual maturity. But this only takes place over time. The short-term group model hinders this kind of growth.
The question I have for you is, "How do we balance this out?" One person suggested at the meeting that we have a group model that changes up groups every two years instead of one. That may work. North Point Community Church in Atlanta uses a model like this. You can read about their model in the book Creating Community by Andy Stanley. What are some other options?
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