New
Groups Make
Your Church Fit
Strength and fitness are indicators of how healthy the physical body
is. If strength and fitness are not what they should be, one must exercise
to get the body back into a healthy condition.
The health of a church can be measured by its group life. A healthy,
fit church understands the value of adding new groups and maintaining
the proper ratio of groups to membership. A church should have 7 classes
or groups for every 100 people. One out of five should have been started
within the past 2 years. This will keep the groups fresh and alive.
Benefits of Small Groups
Small groups are important to the church for several reasons:
1 . The small group contributes to the spiritual, emotional, and physical
needs of the participants. In the small group, people can find the love
and support they need for difficult times. The small group also provides
the accountability and positive peer pressure necessary for people to
grow and mature spiritually, emotionally, and socially.
2. The small group can incorporate new people more effectively than
larger groups. Newcomers can develop relationships and a sense of belonging
more quickly in a small group. A group is often the glue that bonds
people to the church. If people become involved in a small group, the
chances of their dropping out are greatly reduced. If they don't incorporate
into a small group within the first year, as high as 80 percent may
drop out.
3. Adding new groups and classes adds new life and excitement to the
congregation. Existing groups tend to be incapable of incorporating
new members 9 to 18 months after they begin. It is unlikely that a Sunday
school class will grow much larger after a year to 18 months. Therefore,
adding groups allows for new people to become involved in the life of
the church.
4. New classes meet new needs. Finding a need and filling it is what
new groups are all about. People sometimes are not involved in Sunday
school because they don't feel it is speaking to their needs.
One of the most receptive groups today are the Baby Boomers (those
born between 1946 and 1964). They are making major decisions and facing
critical challenges. A new class that addresses their concerns may be
the way to get these people involved.
5. New classes keep the church from becoming ingrown. Smaller churches
plateau and stagnate if left status quo. A church of less than 100 will
find that one of the quickest ways to grow is to add a class.
6. New classes bring numerical growth to the Sunday school. In most
cases, it is better to add classes than to divide existing ones. Adding
a new class helps keep the priority of outreach foremost in the minds
of the people.
Beginning New Groups
Here are seven steps in starting a new class and seeing health and
strength come to your church.
- Emphasize the Great Commission. People need to know that reaching
out to others is why the church exists. Keep this mission before people,
and they will be open to new groups.
- Identify your prospects. The best place to find prospects is among
the people who attend only the worship services. They may be new adherents
or those who have attended for some time. Another place to look for
prospects is among friends and family members of those who regularly
attend. When one pastor made a special invitation to unsaved husbands
of women in the church, several came to a class and gave their lives
to Christ.
- Evaluate people's needs. Take time to investigate the needs, interests,
and concerns of your prospects. This will help you to know what kind
of class you will need. Some classes may last only for a few weeks;
others, for an extended period.
- Recruit seed members to make a commitment to be involved in the
class. These should be people who share the burden of reaching out,
ministering, encouraging, and caring for new members.
- Select a teacher or group leader. This person, the key to the success
of the group, should be teachable, faithful, have basic leadership
and relational skills.
- Invite prospects. Make personal invitation through visits, phone
calls, and letters. Use friendship networks and encourage each one
to bring a friend.
- Establish the time and place, then advertise and ask everyone to
be present for the first meeting. Have coffee, fellowship, and discussion.
Adding new classes and groups is one of the most exciting strategies
for maintaining your church's health. Add a group or a class. Multiply
your growth.
