As you start to add groups to your church, a common problem is keeping them. Groups left on their own will soon fade away. Without the proper guidance, groups will become social communities, and without purpose people will quit coming because there are more than enough social communities pulling at us. Let’s go through some common questions on infrastructure to help us make “infrastructure” a strategic word instead of a task word.
Infrastructure: The Foundation of Your Small Group Ministry
What do you mean when you use the term “infrastructure”? Infrastructure is the term used to describe the supporting structure for groups in your church. Imagine building a city with no roads. Can you get around? Sure. But with a little planning and direction, you can make things run much smoother. I love Ecclesiastes 10:10, If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success. This verse is telling us we need to work smarter, not harder. Infrastructure gives you the ability to oversee a lot of groups and determine whether health is happening. And when I refer to infrastructure, I’m not saying you need infrastructure only when you have hundreds of groups. If you have over 10 groups, you need infrastructure!
What is the purpose of infrastructure? The purpose of infrastructure is to design, develop, and maintain the health of your small groups. At Saddleback Church our infrastructure is designed to develop healthy individuals and groups by balancing the 5 Biblical purposes (The Great Commission and Great Commandment). Having a design and knowing what you want to develop is not enough. You need to not only develop your design, but also maintain it through relationships. Maintaining may not seem necessary, but it is crucial if you want to stay on course. There is a delicate balance in giving groups the right amount of guidance. Too much and it can crush the group. Not enough, the group will become purposeless. This delicate balance can only be achieved through constant relational guidance.
