Session 8: Building an Exemplary LifeGroup

     I wouldn’t blame you if chapter 8 is your least favorite chapter in this book as it is mostly historical, but as I have been saying, don’t read just for information but also for inspiration.

When you read the Bible, does it make you think of things that God is speaking to you that you really don’t see in the text? I think that was true for me not only in the Bible, but also in chapter 8.

Click here for a video teaching on this session.

The first quote from “Building a Standard Sunday School” was like that. On the question of being “In the Field or From the Office?” 

I remember being in my first pastoring ministry and I was a husband, a father, a student in seminary, a pastor of a small church in Whitt Texas, and working for a newspaper. When I was at church out on visitation, I felt badly that I was not at home. When I was home, I felt badly that I was not spending enough time studying. When I was at school, I was thinking I needed to be at my job at the Fort Worth Star Telegram, bringing in more of a paycheck. 

And you guessed it, when I was at my job, I was thinking I should be preparing for a sermon or visiting someone in need. That cycle was almost comical.

You probably have felt that way that the call of God in our ministries is sometimes a never ending task. But the truth is, some day there will be an end to our ministry and the question is, are we preparing someone to fill our shoes.

That problem is found in the opening quote of Chapter 7:

“Perhaps the most difficult question constantly facing the department [of Sunday School Administration] is the balancing of time between office promotion and field work.”

The dilemma for you as teachers is should you

a)         Be teaching a good lesson or

b)         Be developing good leaders

That balance is like me being a pastor, a husband, a father, a student, an employee. I fully relate with your work as a LifeGroup leader and commend you for what you do.

That actually was why I came up with the POINT strategy of having at least five different people to serve as POINT men and POINT women for Prayer, Outreach, InReach, Need-meeting, and Teaching.

I had a current leader send in who was in charge of each of those ministries. Who was the POINT People? It was Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher, and Spouse of the teacher.

Administratively, Chapter 8 says that we need DEVELOP a system for training Sunday School officers.

You can skip over the Enlargement campaigns; Large Conferences and Clinics; Superintendents’ meetings; Free literature; A monthly publication; and Emphasizing the Standards.

They are all historically interesting for its information, but it’s not practical for today. But in reading through the information, what is our inspiration?

We should be strategic. The standards offered a strategy for its time. What is the strategy of LifeGroups for our time? What is God calling you to do for your LifeGroup now and how do you balance developing a good lesson with developing good leaders, all the while developing a good life at home and at your jobs?

This chapter inspired me develop a network within our association, of others in our 90 plus churches, of what they are doing that we should do.

Our churches are not in competition with other churches. I just spoke to a FBC member who is going to another sister church in Bell county and in fact in our city. I told her to go with our blessings but be a good spy while she is there, and send us back good intel information.

I didn’t really say that, but I don’t get out much to visit other churches. I think we should, not so we can defect to other churches, but so that we can positively affect our own ministries with good ideas and strategies from other churches.

Historically, only five percent of churches in any year met the standards Flake set out. But I think that as we reach for something that is a difficult standard is how we grow.

That’s why Jesus said “Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” God’s standard of excellence is perfection and though we will never reach sinless perfection, our response is to try and reach for the stars.

And when we fail, we should seek forgiveness but never settle “for give-up-ness”. In other words, just because we not achieve our goals, keep setting the standards high and work towards them.

The same is true in seeking to improve our Sunday Schools and Life Groups.

When we lose a person who transfers to another church, it behooves us to look to ourselves. If our preschool, children, or youth numbers are down, we should remember that we as leaders in our adult classes should look to ourselves and ask ourselves “Are we doing all we can to train our students to reach out to other students?"

Are we training our parents to raise their children and youth to want to grow so that our church will have a preschool, children and youth atmosphere of wanting to grow spiritually.

I am not talking now numerically but spiritually. Is your teaching impacting your class to the degree that your students and the families of your class members are growing in their ministry.

Not merely academically. Not intellectually. And teachers watch out now, I am going to step on toes. Listen to me.

Is it for your own ego that you are teaching? Do you relish the accolades from your class members who lavish praise on you “Wow great lesson”?

Do you beam with sinful pride when you hear your class members say, “Oh come to our class, we have the best teacher!” and yet, and yet, week after week, they come and listen and laud your lessons, yet never listen and lead another to salvation.

Jay Vernon McGee today is preaching through the woes of Jesus found in Matthew.

6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Like I said at the beginning, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought this section was the least practical in information, but for inspiration, the goal for us to look for doing more than simply getting through the lesson, but getting the lesson through should be the measure of our success.

Is our church (and is the largest organize ministry of our church -- the adult Sunday School LifeGroup ministry--) is it organized to meet and exceed the standards that God has set for our times?

Not for Flake's Time. Not for First Baptist, Nashville. For FBC Killeen!

If our church succeeds in providing enough preschool teachers;

If our church succeeds in providing enough children and youth leaders;

If our church succeeds in reaching the unreachable standard of perfection in providing homes which are growing and thriving in ministry;

And if we succeed in reaching people and yes teaching people and also in serving people and ministering to people, all because of our LifeGroup ministry;

Then you may not get the accolades of being a dynamic teacher; you may not have a book written about you 100 years from now how you brought an entire denomination back from a pandemic; but if you succeed in developing your class to be doing what God has for this time and this location and this setting and this class room for this church;

Then, you will undoubtedly hear from our Lord and Savior, WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, ENTER INTO YOUR REST.

And that, my friends, will be a far better blessing than being called Rabbi and Teacher in the marketplace.

My final question to you teacher is:

What is YOUR STANDARD of success in your classroom?

Blessings to you

Session 7: Summary of Go After People

Chapter 7: Go After People is go after people and the chapter is written by Allan Taylor a former football coach and former education minister at Woodstock Baptist Church. Taylor quotes Arthur Flake as saying Flake was Like a fiery football coach, admonishing the leaders of his day, “Prepare the Sunday school to go into action to reach the people. It is time to quit quibbling and dillydallying and get out into the homes and places of business and urge the people to join the Sunday School and attend the services of worship … Every Sunday school should observe a regular visitation program. Nothing else will take its place.” That not only spoke true in Flake’s day but today as well.

In this final step of Flake’s Formula, Taylor writes

The purpose of Flake’s previous four steps was to set-up the fifth and final step—reaching people. The first four steps prepared the church for those they were about to receive. These steps are unnecessary if there is no fifth step. Churches who have practiced all five steps have found Sunday School to be vibrant, growing, and effective in reaching new people. Flake’s Formula postures the church to be more aggressive in evangelism.

Evangelism in Today’s Sunday School

1. Sunday School is the largest organization in the church. 

2. Sunday School meets at “prime time.” 

3. Sunday School is age graded. 

Who in the church will be most effective reaching millennials? Answer: millennials! Who in the church will be most effective reaching baby boomers? Baby boomers! Who in the church will be most effective reaching high schoolers? You guessed it! … high schoolers.

4. Sunday School is for all ages of people. 

5. Sunday School assimilates new people. We reach and keep people? With relationships. We don’t reach people we don’t know and we seldom reach people we barely know. But we can reach people when we have developed some relationship with them.

6. Sunday School is an open group.  The hardest time to attend church is the first time, and so it is with Sunday School. The most difficult time to attend is the first time. in “big church” we can hide as we blend in with the crowd but you can’t do that in a small group. Don’t become a closed group. Reach people

7. Sunday School affords everyone an opportunity to get involved.  Everyone of your class members can and should be involved in winning people to Jesus.

Then Taylor writes about Six Essentials for an Evangelistic Sunday School

1. An evangelistic Sunday School must have the example of an evangelistic pastor.  Leading by example is the greatest form of leadership. The challenge of pastoring has never been more difficult and stressful. Pastors above all the church activities must be intensely focused on seeing people saved. It is so encouraging for me to see nearly a dozen people joining me on visitation. But it is even more encouraging whenever I hear about classes leading other people to the Lord.

2. An evangelistic Sunday School must have a clearly defined vision for evangelism. We have to keep “The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing.”

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)

• “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
• “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work [of salvation].” (John 4:34)
• “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10)

• “I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:4)
• “… He said, ‘It is finished.’” (John 19:30)

3. An evangelistic Sunday School must enlist teachers and leaders in alignment with this vision. Coach Taylor asked, “How can we expect to move the evangelistic ball down the field when the quarterback won’t call the play? Show me an evangelistic Sunday School group and I will show you an evangelistic group leader. How do we build an evangelistic Sunday School? One group at a time. How do we build evangelistic groups? One leader at a time.

4. An evangelistic Sunday School must have outreach leaders.  If outreach is important to the church then the church needs outreach leaders. Someone has to lead the charge, organize the effort, and execute the necessary details. Then taylor says this “Every adult group and every preschool, children, and student ministry should have an outreach leader if they are serious about going after people.”

The Outreach Leader Job Description

• Be a personal witness.
• Lead the class/department in the outreach/evangelism strategy.
• Train class members to share the gospel.
• Train class members to share their testimonies.
• Train class members in the outreach/evangelism strategy.
• Once a month, enlist a member to briefly share a testimony in class of his or her salvation or a witnessing experience.
• Keep the class/department Prospect Book updated.

5. An evangelistic Sunday School must have prospects. If

He then lists ways we can collect a list of prospects for our group I won’t read that but go to page 81 in the book and see the 10 ways he lists but we will add another and that is new movers.

6. An evangelistic Sunday School must have an intentional outreach strategy.  When we are intentional we are purposeful; we are strategic; we are resolved; we are decisive; we are focused; and we are determined. It’s time we get intentional again!

Taylor talks about MTV and no not a cable channel

To “go after people” was the chief aim of Jesus and the early church. It is to be the chief aim of the Sunday School.

“Christ’s mission to this world was to win souls; that was the purpose of his coming. The Apostle Paul said, ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,’ and should not we also in all our Sunday schools have this as our supreme aim?” ⁶²

May we, too, Go After People!

Session 6: Provide Space and Resources for Sunday School

 

Arthur Flake was an early innovator in
Sunday School management. His "formula"
has been around for 100 years and is the
inspiration of this series.
To watch a video podcast on this series,
click here 

   To be honest (don’t you just love that phrase?), I thought this chapter on “Provide Space and Resources” was going to be difficult, and not relevant to us at FBC Killeen.

   But when I thought about providing enough room to teach, reach and serve, two verses immediately popped into my mind, both occurring early in the gospels, the first occurring early in Jesus life and the other occurring early in his ministry.

   The first being found in Luke 2:7 which reads, “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

   The second verse that came to mind comes early in the first gospel to be written, Mark chapter 2 verse 2, “Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.”

   No room for the Infant Christ and no room for Christ to preach the Word was met with innovative solutions. The first thing I thought of was “Look how creative the solutions were.” They laid the Word in a feeding trough, and they sacrificed a roof to get the paralyzed man into the room. He came for healing, but Jesus used this problem to teach a marvelous parable that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins.

   Obviously, providing enough room and tools for the Prayer, Outreach, Inreach, Need-meeting and Teaching ministries of our LifeGroups is crucial. Always has been and always will be.

To watch video teachings on this series, go to bit.ly/FBCKFlake 

   About ten years ago, we were bulging at the seams, with classes meeting in offices, in robe rooms, in workrooms of the church.

   Fortunately or unfortunately, that is not the case currently at our church. Before, not having enough space was a good problem to have, and now having more than enough space is again a good problem to have, but both are still problems that need to be addressed and resolved.

   Chapter 6 included a section about Expensive “Space Killers” including large objects like tables in the room. In other cases, it may not be tables, but empty space in the room, caused by large circles so everyone can see everyone but nothing but empty space in the middle.

   Alan admits that tables are convenient for holding personal items like Bibles, coffee, curriculum, etc. but when space is a premium, the $125 to $250 per square foot can get expensive.

   When we run out of space again (and I hope we will), then we can start talking about how effective and efficient large circles and convenient tables may or may not be.

   What I think is a “good problem to have” is that we have space to make more classes. That ties into the last lesson of enlist workers, not only for adults but for preschool, children, and youth as well.

   The locations of our classrooms right now are good, I believe. Having classrooms for young adults near the children and preschool area is also a convenient and necessary thing to have.

   Having classrooms near the entrance and worship center for our handicapped is also a convenient and necessary thing to have.

   We are currently looking at building a family life center, or what Alan calls a gymnasium, is also a way to free up more space for when we get through covid. I do believe we will grow as the pandemic ends.

   We have done many of the things suggested such as having Multiple Sunday School Hours So that there is no need for Off-Campus Options for Space.

   But let me again encourage you as teachers to encourage your class to put creative ideas into the minds of your classes. Just as they used mangers for a baby bed and a torn off roof for a handicapped entrance, let’s challenge our classes to be creative and possibly hold off campus small groups and home groups.

   I also liked the section of seeing our church through the Eyes of a Guest

   That’s why we need greeters at the doors, and plenty of signs directing people where things are.

   I think most can figure it out but look around and see how our building can be more “guest friendly”

   I will also say this about parking. Please try to avoid parking in our Guest Parking and do not at all park in the six “First-time Guest Parking” spots. Reserve guest parking for guests and first-time guest parking for first-time guests (makes sense, right?).

   I am glad we have plenty of spaces for both new and expecting mothers as well as “solo” moms in the back.

   Finally, there was a great line in the material where Alan says the following:

   One of the most important resources a church can place in the hands of members and guests: a study guide that is used by the group to study the Bible systematically. Christian educators are often asked by Sunday School teachers, “Why do we need to use curriculum in our class? Why can’t we just study the Bible?” Arthur Flake identified three benefits of using “lesson literature,” or what we might call ongoing curriculum today. These benefits were having a plan of Bible study, possessing a system of Bible study helps, and provides a vehicle for applying the Bible study to life.

   Ken Braddy is also quoted as saying classes using material like we do from Lifeway is important because:

   # 1. Our goal is to make disciples. Quarterly study guides give content for your class members to read in between attending group studies. They can learn even when they are not present. It encourages daily bible study times.

   # 2. the content is trustworthy. I heard yesterday that someone a church leader openly questioned a theologically sound Biblical truth that has been historically held for nearly 2,000 years. In this day where cults and false teaching are rising, where the internet openly posts theologically unsound and untrue doctrine, we can no longer trust that our class members are going to hold to sound Biblical teachings. All of our material needs to be closely examined to maintain doctrinal integrity.

   # 3. Almost all LifeWay writers are strong in their theology AND

   # 4. The editors are who work on the Sunday School curriculum serve in local churches. They are, like you and me, people “in the trenches” each week.

   # 5. Our material is affordable. When we go off-script (like we do in the summer), the materials we use can get quite expensive. But a class of ten students with all the teaching material we provide including Personal Study Guides only costs a total of $70 for 90 days!

   # 6. We have options. One material studies the Bible book-by-book. A second material tackles topics, and the third material from Lifeway goes through the Bible chronologically. And there are even more options for resources from our state and national Sunday School organizations.

   #7. We need to keep our guests in focus. With enough books for them (some of whom are without a strong church background), guests and new LifeGroup members can have a guide and be ready for class discussions.

   # 8. Our material is balanced. Believe it or not, the curriculum has a “scope and sequence.” That is, it has an organized, systemized study plan that covers a wide variety of topics, not just whatever the “flavor of the moment” is. When group leaders prepare their own studies, they often gravitate to pet topics and favored doctrines in the Bible, which is fine on occasions, but does not offer a wide variety of balanced topics.

   I got in trouble Sunday when I mentioned a certain description of one of our classes. I did not mean to offend, so it was good to read this chapter and at least let someone else say some of the things that I have said for years. I will be glad to let that writer take the heat!

   From mangers to taking off the roof, let’s think creatively how we can use our rooms and materials in the best way.

  

Flake's Formula for a Disciple-making Ministry, Part 3

Whether it is a class, a church, or a ministry, if we want our organizations to grow, we are going to have to do what Jesus and the Apostle Paul exemplified, and that is to disciple a disciple-maker, or as Arthur Flake said, Enlist and Train Leadership.

To watch a video podcast on this series, click here 

CHAPTER 5: Enlist and Train Leadership

Flake had a Driver

  1. We need to ENLIST the leaders

  It may be true that some are naturally gifted as teachers or professionally trained as teaching or even through the spiritual gifts are supernaturally endowed with the ability to teach. This is not always the case or even the norm. Group leaders tend to do what they are trained to do.

  Training is the driver that results in good teaching, good leadership, good administration, and effective Bible study groups.

·         Congregations providing at least four training sessions a year had more than 13 percent in attendance over four years and

·         those that provided no training declined by an average of 2 percent during the those four years.

  Ephesians 4:11-12 that: “… he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.”

  2 Timothy 1:6, Paul instructed Timothy to “rekindle the gift of God which is in you.”

  In the second chapter he spoke of teaching skills when he said, “Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness,” (2 Timothy 2:15-16).

  In chapter 3, he reminded Timothy that, “All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work,” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

  In chapter 4, Paul challenged Timothy with the words, “Exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry,” (2 Timothy 4:5).

  2. Evaluate Your Training

  Steve Parr writes in chapter 5

  Evaluation is essential, not expensive but it does require us to be intentional in enlisting and evaluating how we are growing future leaders and teachers in our classes.

  3. Enhance your skills

  Most of you are experienced, educated, endowed teachers, but all of us need to enhance our skills of teaching. That’s why you’ll hear me say Good Teachers are good learners and good leaders are good readers. No that is not unique with me but it is more than a catchy phrase. It is a the truth, as we saw Paul’s admonition to Timothy.

  Saul the persecuter of the church himself took years more than a decade of training before he became the Apostle Paul. from

  Look for leaders and teachers and encourage them by demonstrating that you yourselves need to be continually trained in learning to be a better leader.

  If every teacher that we had would have one teacher in training, we would be better prepared as a church for what I call “scary growth”. In fact, I would not be surprised that God is not using this pandemic to get us prepared for a great outpouring of his spirit. People are searching for answers and they are not found in our media, politics, schools, or anywhere in the world except  in the church which is founded on the preaching, teaching and reaching of the word of God.

  4. Educate and EXEMPLIFY.

  What is a good Systematic Plan for learning to teach and training our teachers, both present and future?

  Two excellent resources I have used over the years is Dr. Howard Hendricks “7 laws of the Teacher” and Bruce Wilkinson’s “7 Laws of the Learner”.

  Both books can be ordered by our church if you would read and implement them, that would be a great resource for your equipping ministry.

  Steve writes, “Should we meet weekly, monthly, or quarterly? We should start where we are, but be careful not to overwhelm leaders with initial plans. We might begin with a few gatherings this year and increase the frequency based on our church’s unique culture. Here are several options that we can mix and match to create a customizable plan to equip our leaders, and I will follow with how to build in accountability.”

  On page 59, we see 10 different ways we can educate and equip you and your prospective disciples.

  1. The On-Site Launch

  2. The Off-Site Conference

  3. The Banquet

  4. The Breakfast/Lunch Option

  5. The Standard: Plan quarterly, bi-monthly, or monthly training sessions for the volunteers.

  6. The Proxy: Purchase a book for all leaders, ask them to read it, and organize discussion groups to follow up.

  7. The 24/7 option: Let me give you some good resources that you can have online right now (in addition to …. *ahem*… my videos).

  If you go to sampsonresources.com/streaming you can find several online resources. (passcode is 5963SAP)

  Also at RightNow media, you also have thousands of resources at your fingertips of your keyboard to watch. Go to www.fbckilleen.com/rightnow to register.

  8. The Quick Pitch

  9. The Marathon

  10. The Retreat

  5. Expectation.

I want to hold you all accountable and responsible to study to show yourselves approved workmen and workwomen in the Word. My expectation of you as teachers and discipling of teachers is to first train yourselves, and second through a covenant teach another class member, and then third acknowledge through tangible ways of sincere appreciation and recognition.

  Remember that those who lead the groups in our churches are volunteers. They are not looking for financial reimbursement, but the currency of appreciation will go a long way toward inspiring each person to participate in the training that we suggest or provide.

  Enlist and train the workers is step 3 of Flake’s formula and I ask you this final question: If God were to call you away or call you home tomorrow, would your ministry carry on because you have been faithful to mentor and disciple at least one person in your class.

  Thanks and blessings in Him

* Please note: I could not think of Mark Devall’s first name on the video and I apologize. The only name that came to mind was ROBERT Duvall!!*

 

Flake's Formula for Disciple-making (Part 2): Enlarge Your Organization

 Following the Spanish flu of 1919, Belton native Arthur Flake developed a strategy for growing our denomination’s Sunday School ministry. The following is part 2 of that strategy: Enlarge the Organization.

Watch my video for our LifeGroups by clicking here. 

To see the entire video series, go to bit.ly/FBCKFlake

    Does God want the ministry at FBC Killeen to grow? Of course He does. Killeen and the surrounding community are growing and quite frankly our church has room for many more preschoolers, children, teens, and adults.

    In an obscure passage of 1 Chronicles 4:9, amid a mind-numbing list of genealogy, Jabez was recorded as praying, “Oh, that You would bless me INDEED, and ENLARGE MY TERRITORY…” The Bible said God granted his request.

    Job 8:7 says, “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.”

    In the book of Acts, God first added (Acts 2:41, “God added to their number”; Acts 2:47, “God added to the church”; Acts 5:14 “believers were added to the Lord”. Then God went from addition to multiplication in Acts 6:1 and verse 7 “when the number of disciples multiplied”; and again in Acts 9:31, “they were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”

    God indeed wants to grow our ministry. Sometimes, like with Gideon, God grows by subtraction. In Judges 7:2, God said, “you have too many,” and he cut down the army, but God subtracted so that they could GROW. Again and again in our history, FBC Killeen has birthed new churches and still God grew this church.

    Many people quote Romans 8:28, but the verse after that is also a good verse. God conforms us “to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

    The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) calls us to make disciples of all nations. In Killeen, the world is coming to us!

    Leadership author and former pastor John Maxwell reminds us that every leader has a “lid”, a maximum limit that he or she can grow an organization. However, God has no “lid”, no limits. By starting new units and classes and ministries and churches, we can grow.

   Enlarge your vision for your ministry in His church.

   Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”

    Let us pray and then do the watering and planting to see God grow His church.

    The book Building a Disciple-making Ministry highlights this concept with the event of Elisha, the widow, her sons, her neighbors, a jar of oil, and "not a few" empty containers. Essentially, the event is a parable to us today that if we want for God to move through us, especially to "enlarge our organization," then we better prepare ourselves to grow.

    The author concludes this chapter with ”How-to” Enlarge the Organization. The following is a direct lifting from that chapter. 

Arthur Flake understood one of the most important actions a Sunday School could take is to start new groups. New groups reach new people, develop new leaders, make more disciples, and allow more people to exercise their spiritual gifts leading to greater spiritual maturity. New groups grow faster and tend to be more evangelistic than existing groups.

Churches that regularly start new groups in addition to the ones they already have almost always experience growth. Any church, regardless of its size, location, or ethnicity, can start new groups. Starting new groups requires a catalyst. Perhaps you are that catalyst. Do you have a passion for reaching new people, and are you willing to do the work it takes to make it happen? Here are steps to start a new group:

• Identify the target for the group. Who is the new group intended to reach? Young Adults? Single Parents? Students? Children? Preschoolers? Parents with preschoolers? What segment of your congregation or community does not “fit” with existing small groups? Is there an age span that is too wide? Who attends worship but does not have a group that is designed for them?
• Select curriculum that the group will study. Curriculum provides doctrinal accountability for the teacher, as well as saving him or her time in preparation. Curriculum also gives group members a resource they can study between group meetings.
• Enlist people to help start the new group. Enlist people from other classes that fit the target audience of the new group. It’s easier to start a group with a few friends who are willing to come together and provide energy and synergy to the new work. Start with at least three people who will serve as the core of the new group—the Bible study leader, someone responsible for reaching new people, and someone responsible for helping the new group engage in serving others.
• Develop a list of prospects for the new group. Develop a list with contact information of potential members for the new group. Make contact with these prospects, inviting them to participate in this new group.
• Select the starting date. Choose a date to start the new group. New groups can start at any time but most churches have discovered that new groups launch better in high growth times such as fall and at the beginning of a new year.
• Choose a time and location or room where the group will meet.
• Train the core team. Share your expectations for the new group. Let the leaders know you expect them to attend training opportunities you provide throughout the year. Help the group set goals for the number and frequency of fellowships and ministry projects they’ll undertake each quarter. And be sure to talk about your expectations that the group will grow and ultimately “franchise” itself by starting a new group of its own.
• Focus on relationships early in the process. Plan and conduct a fellowship or interest party. Many people interested in a new group are looking to make new friends. Offer a fellowship before the start of the new group and invite as many potential participants as possible. Share about the new group and invite prospective group members to attend.
• Start. Make sure everything is ready. Arrive early and verify the room/space is ready to go. Be prepared to teach and lead the best lesson you possibly can. Allow time for fellowship and prayer.
• Evaluate, encourage, and celebrate. Evaluate the process, encourage your group, and celebrate as new people join. Follow up frequently with guests and work to build relationships with people. Encourage the group to plan fellowships and ministry projects.