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3 Simple Concepts That Will Make Your New Group More Successful (Part 1)

Being a small group leader can sometimes be overwhelming. Deciding when and where to meet…choosing, acquiring, and understanding curriculum…finding people for your group…connecting with new group members…communicating with the group… Is your head spinning yet? Don’t panic, launching your new small group well can be boiled down into three simple principles: Start, Fill, Keep. If you’ll think about and intentionally exercise these three principles, you’ll find that group success is easier to wrap your mind around.

Think about it like a three-legged stool; a stool with three legs can only stand if all three legs are of equal strength and equal length. In order for your small group stool to stand, all three legs (Start, Fill, and Keep) must likewise be equal strength and equal length. Starting is about preparing for the launch of your group. Filling is about finding people for your group. And keeping is about creating a group where people want to remain for the long haul. If you don’t focus enough attention on one or more of these three legs, your stool will ultimately come crashing down.

START

Starting your group well is all about just that: starting. The problem is that many people aren’t ready to start their group. A solid start requires preparation. Passion is good, but preparation necessary.

So how do I prepare to start my group? First, pray. Pray that God will prepare your heart. Pray that He will empower you to lead. Pray that you will endure. Jim Egli and Dwight Marable recently released the results of a study they conducted with over 3000 small group leaders in 200 churches and they found that, statistically, the most important ingredient for successful small group leaders is prayer. The followign quote from their book, Small Groups Big Impact is very telling.

…we were surprised to discover that the amount of time spent preparing the Bible lesson shows no correlation whatsoever to small group growth. In other woes, the leaders who spend five hours preparing the Bible lesson for their groups have groups that grow no faster than leaders who spend five minutes preparing the lesson! It does make a dramatic difference, however, how much time the leaders spends praying for his small group meeting. 1

Second, practice the “Marriott Principle.” Have you ever had someone show up to your home unannounced? It’s nice to have guests, but if you’re not ready it’s a bit unnerving. Marriott (and all good hotels) are always ready for guests. Make sure that you are ready to receive people when they come to your group. There’s nothing more awkward for new group members than to show up and feel like they are an inconvenience. If your group meets in a home, make sure it looks like someone is home. Open the curtains/blinds and turn on a porch light. Make sure that there is enough seating. If you’re going to serve snacks have them ready early. New people will feel strange sitting in your living room while you are finishing up in the kitchen. If you’re using video curriculum, place the TV where everyone will be able to see the screen. Ultimately, just pay attention to details. Walk through your meeting location as if you were a first time guest. Ask yourself what makes the environment welcoming and what makes it a bit awkward. Enhance the welcoming elements and eliminate the awkward ones.

Tomorrow I’ll write about the second leg on the stool:  Fill.

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Notes

1. Egli and Marable. Small Groups Big Impact: Connecting People to God and One Another in Thriving Groups. Church Smart Resources. © 2011. Page 26.