7 Signs You Have the Wrong Small Group Ministry System

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You know how there are times when something feels off, but you just can't figure out what it is? Something's wrong, but you just can't quite put your finger on it. Like you're driving along and the car just doesn't feel right. Or something's just off kilter in a relationship. Or when your back gets that feeling like it could give way at any time.

Can you relate?

It turns out there are some important signs that there is something wrong with your small group system. Might have worked fine previously. Actually, might have never really fired on all cylinders. Might have even been running rough for quite a while.

Doesn't have to feel that way. You can do something about it, you know.

7 Signs You Have the Wrong Small Group Ministry System

**1. Your percentage connected is flatlined**.

Note: Percentage connected refers to the percentage of your average adult weekend worship attendance. Dividing your average adult weekend worship attendance into the number of adults connected in groups reveals your percentage connected.

Whether your weekend attendance is increasing or not, a flatlined percentage connected (the percentage of your adults who are connected in a group) indicates that you've chosen the wrong small group system. The right system will not just make it easier to connect people. It will also be able to keep up with growth.

2. You have trouble finding enough leaders.

Note: Trouble finding enough leaders is a common symptom of systems that depend on selecting new leaders from the usual suspects.

Once your congregation is larger than about 250 adults it will become increasingly common that your senior pastor and platform staff will be recognized at the grocery store and restaurants by people they don’t know. When you begin having trouble finding enough leaders for groups your system must be able to recruit from the adults you do not know because some of the highest capacity potential leaders will be unknown. This phenomenon is what makes the HOST strategy and the Small Group Connection strategy so effective.

When you begin having trouble finding enough leaders for groups your system must be able to recruit from the adults you do not know because some of the highest capacity potential leaders will be unknown. Click To Tweet

3. You have leaders ready but not enough interest to fill their groups.

Note: The flip side of symptom #2, that you have more leaders than you need may sound like a good problem to have but it is also an indication of a system problem.

Having more leaders than you need is often an indication that there are too many options on the belonging and becoming menu (i.e., Sunday school, discipleship training, Precepts, off campus small groups, etc.). It can also be an indication that your congregation sees the weekend service as everything they need.

Having more leaders than you need is often an indication can also be an indication that your congregation sees the weekend service as everything they need. Click To Tweet

4. Your coaching structure does not work.

An ineffective coaching structure is a common symptom of bad small group ministry system. The right system will make it easier to find the right people and enough of them to adequately care for a growing number of new small group leaders. The wrong system will make it more likely that the men and women chosen to be coaches will warm and willing as opposed to hot and qualified.

5. Your senior pastor is reluctant to champion the importance of community.

Note: One of the most important things your senior pastor needs to know is that in order to build a thriving small group ministry they must be the champion.

Although there are several other reasons a senior pastor may be reluctant to be the small group champion, a common reason is they don’t see your system as effective. The right system will produce the results that demonstrate the right design.

6. Your small groups deliver a sense of belonging but rarely produce becoming.

Note: Thriving small group ministries make it easy to connect and make more and better disciples.

Small group systems that make it easy to connect but aren’t designed to make disciples are poorly designed.

Thriving small group ministries do two things. They make it easy to connect and they make more and better disciples. Small group systems that make it easy to connect but aren’t designed to make disciples are poorly designed. Click To Tweet

7. Only a small percentage of your new groups continue meeting after they’re launched.

Note: The most effective small group systems make it easy to get connected and stay connected.

A pattern of new groups meeting for a few weeks and then not continuing to meet is a design flaw that is a leading indicator for flatlined percentage connected. Systems that struggle to launch and sustain new groups need an immediate overhaul. Like a rocket launch, if massive energy is expended on the launch but the rocket's orbit can't be successfully sustained, there is a design flaw that must be corrected.

Systems that struggle to launch and sustain new groups need an immediate overhaul. Like a rocket launch, if massive energy is expended on the launch but the rocket's orbit can't be successfully sustained, there is a design flaw that… Click To Tweet

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