Article by Josie Vittiglio
I truly believe that church small groups are super important – I would go as far as to say that they are even more important than a large church gathering. Put it this way, I think it is beneficial to attend both, but if I had to choose between the two I would choose a church small group over the larger gathering any day. Imagine the church as a human cell. Church small groups are the nucleus of a church, and if grown well with all the essential nutrients in a healthy environment, they will help facilitate church health. I believe starting this way will create a better foundation for building a thriving church.
Starting out small enables the infrastructure to be put into place; it is important to Identify, recruit, train, deploy and support team members each in their individual roles. This is initially done through establishing their gifting as it pertains to the five-fold ministries and other gifts within the group. It’s also important to consider the person’s character and commitment. Church small groups allow for the team members to not only identify their giftings but also to practice stepping out in their leadership roles. This also allows for access to the appropriate instruction from the group leader as he or she empowers the individuals into their callings. For me it has been very exciting identifying others’ strengths – especially when they had no idea – and watching them confidently step out in the small group setting. Sometimes it has called for vulnerability and risk-taking but I believe that in the small group setting there is an element of safety. I have noted that the outcome has been very encouraging and rewarding for all involved, both the receiver and the one serving.
As these leaders develop and in turn train others in their particular ministry, there comes the time when the group gets big enough to divide – just like a cell does! Provided that the training process went well and was able to be replicated the second group will be just as strong and thrive just as in the first group. This team will then also do the same. When you reach the point of having from three to five small groups established you could then begin meeting as a “church.” This system of producing small groups first before “planting a church” ensures that every member is mentored well and feels a sense of purpose. It also creates a close community of believers, a family.
In a church that is already established you will have to be more intentional in how you implement small groups, as not everyone will share the same value for small groups as you do. It’s important to explain the small groups as a separate entity for people to understand the importance of the gathering. Members may be fewer at first but as people begin to experience the benefits of a small gathering and get nurtured, feel seen and known, the interest will ultimately grow. In my past experience I would notice that those who really needed connection and were feeling “on the outer” seemed to be the ones who had the busy schedule or “something else to do” and couldn’t get to the small group. This has been quite a challenge as people don’t know what they are missing until they actually come. For this reason it is imperative to express the importance of church small group gatherings and perhaps to try not to have too many other church activities that would cause people to get too busy or that would compete with the small group. And of course, always deliver what you promised!
