5 Culture Characteristics Small Group Pastors Should Be Striving For

Share via:

Someone asked me recently what I hoped our small group ministry would be like. Honestly, it's not hard for me to slip into a vision/faith mode. I just have to make time to do it (i.e., most of the time, I'm running hard to finish what I've got on my plate because I know there's another project coming. Feel my pain?).

So...when I took the time to think about my own hopes and dreams for our small group ministry, I landed on a set of culture characteristics.

While there are things a small group pastor should never settle for, there are also things every small group pastor should strive for. I think of them as culture characteristics.

Here are the 5 culture characteristics I dream of:

5 Culture Characteristics Small Group Pastors Should Be Striving For

1. Being part of a group is normal.

Can you imagine being surprised to learn that someone is not connected in a group? Can you imagine a culture where being part of a group is normal? Where everyone was together and included? (Acts 2:42-44)

Can you imagine being surprised to learn that someone is not connected in a group? Can you imagine a culture where being part of a group is normal? Where everyone was together and included? Click To Tweet

If being in part of a group was normal, you would have more people in groups than you would in your weekend services. New weekend attendees would only meet people who were already connected. They would constantly be sitting next to satisfied customers. They'd be eager to join a group...because everyone else was already in one.

Imagine that!

What would have to be true about your church for that to happen?

2. Groups form spontaneously and organically.

Can you imagine a culture where new groups form spontaneously and organically? Where groups form in response to the need to connect unconnected people?

Can you imagine a culture where most unconnected people were personally invited to join a group? Where the need for a strategy like a Small Group Connection or GroupLink was unnecessary?

Can you imagine a culture where most unconnected people were personally invited to join a group? Where the need for a strategy like a Small Group Connection or GroupLink was unnecessary? Click To Tweet

Where groups just formed to meet the need? (Acts 5:42)

What would have to be true about your church for that to happen?

3. Leaders are developing other leaders.

Can you imagine a culture where leadership development was just part of the fabric? Where leadership development was happening throughout without a formal program?

Imagine the culture where every leader was being developed and developing another (or several others). The culture where being an apprentice and having an apprentice is ordinary. Or the culture where everyone was entrusting what they had heard to reliable men and women who could teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Imagine the culture where every leader was being developed and developing another (or several others). The culture where being an apprentice and having an apprentice is ordinary. Click To Tweet

What would have to be true about your church for that to happen?

4. Becoming a better disciple is normal.

Can you imagine a culture where staying the same, where being stuck or settling was odd? How about a culture where the anticipation of becoming more like Jesus compelled everyone to "press on toward the goal?" (Philippians 3:12-14)

Can you imagine a culture where staying the same, where being stuck or settling was odd? How about a culture where the anticipation of becoming more like Jesus compelled everyone to press on toward the goal? Click To Tweet

Imagine the culture where everyone sought relationship with a mentor. And where everyone had their eyes open for opportunities to invest in another.

What would have to be true about your church for that to happen?

5. Care is built-in and just part of the experience.

Can you imagine a culture where care is built-in? With a healthy span of care throughout...like yeast in dough? Can you imagine that culture? Where all the believers were together and had everything in common? (Acts 2:44)

Can you imagine a culture where everyone asked, "How can I help?" And it was normal to receive help?

Can you imagine a culture where care is built-in? With a healthy span of care throughout...like yeast in dough? Can you imagine that culture? Where all the believers were together and had everything in common? Click To Tweet

What would have to be true about your church for that to happen?

Conclusion:

In the early church these culture characteristics were both the dream and the expectation. They were both experienced and sought.

Want them? What would have to be true?

If your preferred future was the kind of church you dream of, you'd begin choosing milestones and setting a course for the next leg of the journey. Remember, arriving at your preferred future will require more than a dream. It will require a daily, step by step journey in the right direction.

If your preferred future was the kind of church you dream of, you'd begin choosing milestones and setting a course for the next leg of the journey. Remember, arriving at your preferred future will require more than a dream. It will… Click To Tweet

Further Reading

Image by Lorenzo Magnis

Posted in Small Group Pastor