10 Things Small Group Pastors Should Always Be Thinking

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“Albert Einstein said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask… for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”

There are a few things smart small group pastors should always be thinking. A set of questions we should always be asking ourselves. Are you always thinking about these things?

1. How might we connect more unconnected people?

One of the greatest issues for many small group pastors is a preoccupation with the needs, desires, demands and interests of the already connected. If you want to build a thriving small group ministry, you must develop a preoccupation with those you have not yet connected.

One of the greatest issues for many small group pastors is a preoccupation with the needs, desires, demands and interests of the already connected. If you want to build a thriving small group ministry, you must develop a preoccupation… Click To Tweet

2. What is the best way to connect the largest number of unconnected people?

"What is the best way to ____________" is a great question in any context. When it comes to connecting unconnected people, the search for new and better strategies is important, because if you want to connect people no one else has connected, you need to do things no one else is doing.

When it comes to connecting unconnected people, the search for new and better strategies is important, because if you want to connect people no one else has connected, you need to do things no one else is doing. Click To Tweet

3. What kinds of people attend our church that we are not connecting?

The easiest (and worst) assumption is that everyone is the same. The right assumption is that everyone is different and our connecting strategies don't work for some. Further, until we know more about the people we are NOT connecting, our connecting strategies will continue to fall short.

The right assumption is that everyone is different and our connecting strategies don't work for some. Further, until we know more about the people we are NOT connecting, our connecting strategies will continue to fall short. Click To Tweet

4. What stories do I need to tell my senior pastor (so my senior pastor can cast a compelling vision for grouplife)?

Depending on the size of your crowd and your engagement with small group leaders and coaches, you will potentially know more stories about life-change than your senior pastor. As your crowd and congregation grows, your network of storytellers (small group leaders and coaches) will be a reliable source of the right kind of stories.

5. How might we provide a better first step out of the auditorium (to connect more people)?

Regardless of whether the design and implementation of the first step out of the auditorium is our job or not, we must always be asking this question in the effort to design next steps that are easy, obvious, and strategic. The journey from the anonymity of the auditorium to the familiarity of a living room requires a series of steps that are inviting and reasonable and only lead in the direction of authentic community.

The journey from the anonymity of the auditorium to the familiarity of a living room requires a series of steps that are inviting and reasonable and only lead in the direction of authentic community. Click To Tweet

6. What things must be true for our small group system to be the right system for our church?

This form of question is always a great way to begin a productive conversation. This conversation will help you ensure that your small group system is best for your church, not just what you're doing now (or what you've always done).

This conversation will help you ensure that your small group system is best for your church, not just what you're doing now (or what you've always done). Click To Tweet

7. How might we improve the design of our small group experience to make more and better disciples?

Another essential question. If you want to connect people AND make more and better disciples, you must always be evaluating the results of your design. Remember, your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing (Andy Stanley). If you want different results, you must change the design. 

If you want to connect people AND make more and better disciples, you must always be evaluating the results of your design. Remember, your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing (Andy… Click To Tweet

8. Am I doing to and for my coaches what I want our small group leaders to do to and for their members?

This is an essential question we should always be asking. Truthfully, it may be a question our supervisor should be asking us. If it is true that whatever you want to happen in the lives of the members of your groups, must happen in the lives of their leaders first, we have an obligation to be doing the right things TO and FOR (and WITH) our coaches and leaders.

If it is true that whatever we want to happen in the lives of the members of our groups, must happen in the lives of their leaders first, we have an obligation to be doing the right things TO and FOR (and WITH) our coaches and leaders. Click To Tweet

9. What do we need to stop doing immediately?

More than likely, you already know what you should stop doing immediately. The things that clutter your belong and become menu, legacy programs that only cater to insiders, and cul de sacs that collect people but don't lead to authentic community.

More than likely, you already know what you should stop doing immediately. The things that clutter your belong and become menu, legacy programs that only cater to insiders, and cul de sacs that collect people but don't lead to… Click To Tweet

10. What do we need to start doing immediately?

The opposite of the previous question requires determination and persistence. Like the previous question, you already know the answers to this one. In most instances, acting on what you already know is a stewardship issue. The easiest thing to do is put off doing what must be done, waiting for a better time. The hardest thing to do is to acknowledge the consequence of delay and act on what you already know.

Acting on what you already know is a stewardship issue. The easiest thing to do is put off doing what must be done, waiting for a better time. The hardest thing to do is to acknowledge the consequence of delay and act on what you… Click To Tweet

Can I give you an assignment? Block off an hour or two every week to wrestle with these questions. Very little of what you are currently doing is more important. If you are regularly asking the right questions (and taking action on their answers), you'll begin to see movement toward your preferred future.

If you are regularly asking the right questions (and taking action on their answers), you'll begin to see movement toward your preferred future. Click To Tweet

Image by Chris Price

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3 Comments

  1. Steve Watson on October 1, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    Mark im a little confused here. You say we are to be thinking of how we can get people connected but in another post “5 Stupid things Small Groups Pastors need to stop doing” you say we should stop trying to be a matchmaker. can you clarify this?



  2. markchowell on October 1, 2015 at 2:54 pm

    Absolutely. There is a HUGE difference between leveraging a connecting strategy to connect unconnected people and finding the best fit among existing groups for someone who needs to connect (matchmaking). The reason I referenced the article Top 10 Ways to Launch New Groups is that these strategies keep small group pastors focused on the things that connect the largest number of people (http://www.markhowelllive.com/top-10-ways-launch-new-groups/)

    See where I’m going?

    mark



  3. Steve Watson on October 5, 2015 at 10:48 am

    Thanks Mark