2. The goal is NOT to get people into small groups

Many churches, with the best of intentions, discuss the success of their small group ministry based on the numbers, typically the percentage of people ‘connected’ into small groups. Numbers can be an indication of success, but we can be misguided by them too. For example, we can’t presume we’re SUPPOSE to connect 100% of our congregation with other members of our congregation. People may already have nurturing Christ-focused relationships OUTSIDE of your church. In fact, equipping members to become connected with the unchurched in your area can accelerate a sense of life-giving community with God and others.

It is important church leaders are critical about the goals they set and how success is measured. Small groups are not an end unto themselves.[1] If the goal is to build life-giving community and engage in mission (not mutually-exclusive activities) then the metrics for measurement need to be broadened to include life-change, outreach, conversions, etc. If it’s true the number of people in small groups is an insufficient measurement of success in and of itself then it is questionable if it is acceptable to make it the primary goal of a small group ministry.

The truth is I’m not aware of most of the small groups happening in the church where I serve as a pastor. I realize that must sound awfully irresponsible to some! What we do record are things that help the congregation become aware of opportunities to engage in small groups and help us manage support resources. Specifically, we track the groups that meet and we post their profiles.

As a result, I can tell you how many groups meet on a regular basis, I can tell you if the number of groups is increasing or decreasing, but I don’t know who and how many are in which groups. I can’t tell you how many good friendships have been created as a result of people being in small groups.

There are many people who have struck up friendships in their small groups and they meet outside of their small groups too. (These are groups too, aren’t they?) I love to hear things like that & I don’t HAVE TO know the details. I just like to know it’s happening…it’s a sign things are working as they should.

I’ve tried to keep complete, up-to-date lists, and track groups and attendees in a church database. It’s a lot of work. And it is continuous work being that a church’s small group ministry is always in flux. The moment I think I’ve got a handle on “the numbers of leaders, participants, and guests” they change…as they ought to. I’d be concerned if things stopped moving around on me. Movement and change are both key indicators that an organism is, in fact, living and healthy. Fear of such may be part of the problem in dying churches.

Church leaders like to track things, but I give particular caution to doing this with small groups. Unless a church has a clear plan for how they plan to use data they’d like to collect, I discourage developing a small group database. The question we need to ask ourselves is WHY do we want the data? HOW do we intend to use it?

Back to this point: The goal is not to get people into small groups. The goal (as frustrating as this is for many) is not something tangible and objective that can be measured. The goal is the vibrant life that comes from people experiencing life-giving community with God and others. It’s hard to measure, but it can be felt.

When it’s happening, you see people saved, healed, delivered, and restored (Isaiah 61:1-2). Lives are being transformed because the power of the Gospel is penetrating and rooting itself in the soil of human hearts as a result of the Acts 2 dynamic of the Church coming alive through small groups.

So if you were to ask me how many people in our church are “connected”, I’d tell you, “Most are.” If you were to ask me how many groups our church has, I’d tell you the ones I know about. If you were to ask me if we’re happy with how things are going with our small group ministry, I’d tell you, “Absolutely!” And if you were to ask me why, I’d invite you to come and experience the vibrant life of a community that’s standing together in awe of God’s amazing grace.

I’m far from having a handle on this, but when unorganized spontaneous connection is happening all around, I’d say we’re on to something by the grace of God. I believe this is in large part due to the fact that we don’t pressure people to get into small groups. We create environments that encourage what we want to see as a result of people being connected with God and one another: Life-giving community. So what we’re encouraging ultimately is a culture in favor of community and as a result the number of small groups within our church grows organically.

How these interactive environments are designed and what they look like will be unique to each church. There are similarities in calling and context for churches so opportunities abound for learning from each other. I believe we’re at the beginning of a new era in how the Church can creatively use community-building events to enliven the Body of Christ and extend life to those who have yet to begin a relationship with the Lord.


[1] The biblical life-giving community of Acts 2:42-47 is the catalyst for The Great Commandment (“29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:29-31) When we are obedient to the greatest commandment we can be effective in fulfilling The Great Commission (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:12).