Do your small groups feel like they might be old news in your church? Maybe people know they are expected to be a part of a small group, but they are not excited to actually participate. It's like the life has gone out of the small groups ministry.
There are hundreds of references in the New Testament to the church being a family. Think about all the times the authors refer to church members as brothers, sisters, mothers, sons, daughters, children, family of God, etc.. It was this way from the start of the church.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47
The church has always met in large groups for teaching and celebration, but even more so it has always met in homes for sustenance, story-telling, laughing, sharing deeply, confessing, focusing life on God, and helping each other live life God's way.
Our family is like that. We raised our kids in a home where we did all of these things. They are now in their mid-30s with kids of their own, and they are doing all of these things. That is God's plan for families. Kids are born, loved, taught, refocused, prayed over, and eventually launched to discover the life and family God has for them. Onging, generational cycles of new life through families. God's design. God's way. Naturally.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47b
If your small groups are stuck and going nowhere, something is wrong with the reproductive system of your groups. Just as there are answers for childless or infertile families, there are answers for infertile small groups.
I know a few couples who've decided not to have children. There are lots of reasons around that. I want to be sensitive to it. But, the reality is, that's not the natural order of God's design. That's an outlier perspective. The same should be true of small group families.
Want to bring life back to your small group ministry? Build a groups culture where people are reborn, loved, taught, refocused, prayed over, and launched. These are the natural expectations of healthy small groups. These reflect great small groups parenting.
But, it's interesting at this stage of my life to look at it from the perspective of a grandparent. There is something extremely fulfilling about watching your second generation interact with your third generation. It's not staged or forced. It is intentional, but it is also natural.
Small group pastors and leaders, make launching people into new groups and ministries a natural part of your culture. Talk about it. Celebrate it. Have some grandparent leaders tell their stories. And, maybe show some pictures.
