It was exciting news. My friend’s eyes lit up as he shared the exciting changes in the church he recently began pastoring. One of the neatest transitions the congregation had made was to begin small group meetings.

Small group ministry has been around for decades now. However, it is still a relatively new concept to many churches. The main idea is that people hold Bible studies in groups of 10-12 (depending on the context) for the purpose of Christian growth, edification, accountability and fellowship. Most small groups meet in homes in order to promote a family atmosphere where people are comfortable discussing God’s Word and its application to their lives without the formalities and intimidation of traditional classroom models.

For many churches, small groups balance the reception of Scripture from a congregational sermon setting with the discussion, response, and application of Scripture within the setting of mutual trust and encouragement.

As my friend and I were talking about his church’s move toward small groups, one burning question arose: how can a church guard their small groups from becoming institutionalized and ritualistic in the way that other church programs have devolved? (i.e. Sunday School, Bus Ministry, Christian Life Centers –aka “Gymnasiums,” etc). Please understand, these programs aren’t bad in and of themselves and have not become institutionalized or degraded in every situation. However, there are plenty of other examples in which they have devolved to stale rituals.

How many churches do you know that experienced incredible growth and baptisms due to bus ministries in the 60’s and 70’s only to sell their fleets in the 80’s? What if the evangelistic zeal and effort had continued on? Now, think about the wonderful growth, fellowship, and community your church may be experiencing from small groups. How will you avoid your groups going the way of the busses? How will you keep your groups out of the ministry junk yard of the future?

I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but here are some ideas my friend and I discussed for fighting against institutionalism within small group ministry:

1)   Pastoral leadership. Pastors, its fine to delegate organization. But when it comes to small groups, don’t let delegation become a cop-out for involvment. The strongest small group ministries are found in churches where the pastor is the #1 cheerleader for small groups. He champions group ministry in sermons, newsletters, blog posts, and conversations. He participates in a group (not necessarily leading one), spends time with leadership training, and has direct input into direction and focus.

2)   Give people a break. One of the greatest lessons we can learn by looking back at extinct ministries is the strange desire churches have to make every activity a year-round weekly meeting. While I am an advocate for having worship services every Sunday, I am not an advocate for treating every ministry of the church with the same weight. Just as schools take summer breaks and families take vacations, many successful small group ministries schedule intentional breaks throughout the year. For instance, churches who organize small group meetings by quarterly series may take off a week or two at the end of a quarter. Others may take off an entire summer to give leaders an adequate break. Just like our physical bodies, small groups can experience valuable renewal after taking a break.

3)   Give groups a mission to rally around. Whether it is a community service project, an adopted “shut-in” from the church, or fundraising for a local mission project, groups who serve together grow together.

4)   Schedule special nights for men and women. Many churches have found that having a special night where men and women meet separately within their groups have paid benefits to their families. From time to time, men may want to discuss their difficulty in leading their wives spiritually, but don’t want to share their struggles in front of other ladies in the group. Likewise, women may have special concerns or prayer requests that they would be uncomfortable sharing in front of men.

5)   Make time for group evangelism. The witness of a group meeting together can be powerful. Consider scheduling periodic nights where groups are asked to invite neighbors and friends over for dinner or a bar-b-que where they can meet new friends. Find ways to share the gospel through the new relationships.

6)   Let multiple groups meet together. Many times the key to avoiding staleness is to observe other groups. By scheduling dates where 2 or more groups are encouraged to meet together, different leaders can discuss and observe ideas and practices they have found beneficial to their group. It also adds variety (the spice of life) for group members.

7)   Constantly communicate the vision. Have you ever sat in a Sunday school and wondered if the teacher had a clue why everyone was gathered together? More than likely, over time, the church leaders began to assume that because Sunday school was a staple of the church, everyone (including new teachers) would automatically understand the vision of the ministry. Sadly, most church volunteers have no idea why they are doing what they are doing –other than to “fill a spot.” That’s a recipe for ritual! Combat ritualism by communicating regularly to the congregation and leaders.

8)   Never allow someone to lead alone. Every group leader needs a co-leader. The best way to develop a leader is by example and involvement –not by a 3-hour-Saturday-afternoon-crash-course. It’s much better to have fewer groups with co-leaders than more groups without co-leaders. The difference will be seen in the future when the “new” wears off and the “institutional test” is applied.

By no means are these the end-all, exhaustive keys to successful small groups. Hopefully, however, they will spark ideas and enthusiasm for the small group ministry God has placed in your path!