Have you picked up on the disconnects that keep small group ministries from thriving?

It turns out that where these disconnects exist (and are allowed to continue), your small group ministry has zero chance of thriving.

What are the most common disconnects?

4 Disconnects that Keep Small Group Ministries from Thriving

1. The Senior Pastor Disconnect

The senior pastor disconnect is probably the most common. At the heart of this issue is either the senior pastor's lack of awareness or lack of acceptance of their role as small group champion.

Some senior pastors are simply unaware of the importance of leveraging their influence to promote the things that matter most (and only the things that matter most). Instead of leveraging their influence they spread it evenly across all ministries and at best cause confusion about the best next step.

Some senior pastors are simply unaware of the importance of leveraging their influence to promote the things that matter most (and only the things that matter most). Instead of leveraging their influence they spread it evenly across… Click To Tweet

Other senior pastors are aware of their potential influence but instead believe their role is purely as a teacher and not a promoter. They prefer to delegate the promotion of even the things that matter most to other staff members, signaling to the congregation that despite the enthusiasm of some, the ministry or opportunity being promoted is really not that important.

See also, Small Group Ministry Roadblock #1: A Doubtful or Conflicted Senior Pastor and Top 5 Things Every Senior Pastor Needs to Know.

2. A Leadership Development Disconnect

This is a common and very significant disconnect that prevents many small group ministries from thriving. There are several ways this disconnect can be detected.

First, the absence of a leadership development plan is a clear sign of the disconnect. Regardless of whether there is confusion about the need for leadership development or simply reluctance to allocate the resources (money or time) to make it happen, its absence indicates a disconnect.

Second, the discovery and engagement of high capacity leaders is a rare event and every ministry simply accepts the false conclusion that "high capacity people just don't attend our church."

You might have a leadership disconnect when the discovery and engagement of high capacity leaders is a rare event and every ministry simply accepts the false conclusion that high capacity people just don't attend our church. Click To Tweet

Third, span of care issues exist in all ministries and especially in the small group ministry. Instead of identifying, recruiting and developing leaders of leaders, staff and a few key volunteers attempt to do everything (and often burn out in the process).

See also, Small Group Ministry Roadblock #5: A Leadership Development Disconnect.

3. Clear Next Steps and First Steps Disconnect

Many small group ministries are stymied by a lack of clarity about the preferred first steps out of the auditorium and preferred next steps for every member and attendee.

This is most common in churches that are reluctant to eliminate extra items from the connecting and discipling menu. There are several common reasons for this reluctance:

• Disagreement among staff and leadership about the best next step (i.e., off-campus small groups vs on-campus Sunday School, Bible teacher vs group facilitator, etc.)
• Preferring peace-keeping over decisions that will ruffle certain feathers.
• Absence of a strategic mindset that prioritizes and allocates according to priority.

Many small group ministries are stymied by a lack of clarity about the preferred first steps out of the auditorium and preferred next steps for every member and attendee. This is most common in churches that are reluctant to eliminate… Click To Tweet

See also, Evaluate the Connection Potential of Your “First Step out of the Auditorium”.

4. An Inside-Outside Disconnect

An inside-outside disconnect is deadly and imperils more than small group ministries. The phrase was coined by John Kotter, author of numerous books on the subject of change and change management. He used the phrase to describe the phenomenon of organization insiders' lack of awareness of the needs and interests of outsiders.

According to John Kotter, “The disconnect between what insiders see, feel and think, on the one hand, and external opportunities and hazards, on the other, can be astonishing at times–even in organizations that are producing very good short-term results (p. 67, A Sense of Urgency).”

The disconnect between what insiders see, feel and think, on the one hand, and external opportunities and hazards, on the other, can be astonishing at times–even in organizations that are producing very good short-term results—John… Click To Tweet

Can you see how this disconnect might affect both small group ministries and churches in general?

Small group ministries often listen primarily to leaders and members of existing groups and are sometimes unaware of the difference between what the already connected want or need and what everyone else wants or needs.

Eliminating and overcoming this disconnect depends on developing a keen empathy for the needs and interests of those who need to be connected.

See also, The Perils of the Inside-Outside Disconnect and Could Our Lack of Empathy Be Limiting Our Ministry Impact?

Need Help?

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Image by Randy Heinitz