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03/28/16

Closing the Back Door:  Engaging Your Membership Through Small Group Ministry

"If your church doubled in size tomorrow, could your people still get their needs met in your present care system? Are your small groups a strategic part of your church?" - Small Groups with Purpose by Steve Gladen and Rick Warren

I was attending a regional workshop last week when I saw a woman enter the room who had attended one of my events several years prior. At the break, I said hello and asked how things were going at her church.

Her response was not unique. It echoes a common cry that is present in many of our churches. She replied:

"You know I LOVE our minister. The messages are always great. But honestly, I haven't attended many services in the past few years. I don't feel connected to anyone there. No one knows about me or what's happening in my life."

The look in her eye told me that she WANTED to be a part. But something was missing.

Just as the break was ending, she confided in me, "I suspect, if I never attended on Sunday again, no one would even notice."

Closing the Back Door

As I talk with ministers, many express a need for "closing the back door."

"We have plenty of newcomers," I hear, "but they don't seem to stick around very long."

The Sunday message is great. The music team is dynamic. The kids are having fun. So why the revolving door? What is the missing piece?

Providing spiritual education is not enough. People are now one YouTube video away from profound spiritual teachings from modern spiritual masters.

Inspiring and uplifting music is great, but for many it is not a sufficient motivator when the alarm goes off Sunday morning. If the kids aren't waking up each weekend begging to go to church, it's very easy to let attendance slide. After all, who's going to notice?

Engaging Members through Small Group Ministry

What if the REAL reason people seek a spiritual community is because they are looking for CONNECTION with people who are in a similar place in life, and they need SUPPORT in applying the principles we teach each Sunday? What if people need to contribute to each other in order to know their presence makes a difference? If this is true, what is your ministry doing to ensure people have opportunities to gather together in meaningful dialogue and mutual service?

Many New Thought churches hold classes and ongoing gatherings that could be described as "small groups." Building an engaging Small Group Ministry is different than simply providing opportunities for people to attend small events together.

Small Group Ministry is a strategic approach to building community, increasing participation, and fulfilling your church's mission.

It differs from small group classes because it is less focused on content, and more focused on personal connection and individual support. Each group is structured to provide prayer, encouragement, accountability, and deep personal connection with a small number of people within the larger congregation.

A purposeful Small Group Ministry program builds a culture of participation. From the moment newcomers arrive, there is a place for them to get "plugged in," to meet new people, to contribute to their group and to experience an immediate sense of belonging.

But most of all, small group ministry provides the processes and infrastructure so that every member of your congregation knows that they make a difference. No one falls through the cracks. Everyone has someone looking out for them. No one exits the back door without a phone call from a friend saying, "We missed you last week. Are you ok?"

For many people who enter your doors on Sunday morning, the most important thing we can communicate to them is this: YOUR PRESENCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

How do we accomplish this? We begin by shifting from being a church "with" small groups to becoming a church "of" small groups. With trained group leaders, we can establish a culture of love, support and encouragement at a grassroots level, so every member knows how much they matter.

Think about it: Which of the following communicates most powerfully?

  • A Facebook post saying, "You matter!!
  • An email saying, "Thank you for making a difference!"
  • A letter stating, "We appreciate your support!"
  • A phone call saying, "Thanks for coming!"
  • A human being looking you in the eye and declaring in front of a small group, "We wouldn't be the same without YOU."

While all of these expressions are positive, nothing compares to the power of connecting with people one-on-one and heart-to-heart. Small groups ministry provides the infrastructure where these kinds of interactions happen EVERY WEEK. How often do your members have an opportunity to acknowledge each other's gifts?

By shifting from being a community “with” small groups to becoming a community “of” small groups, we can establish a culture of love, support and encouragement at a grassroots level, so every member knows how much they matter.