Feel like you're spinning your wheels? Can't ever seem to make real progress in building your small group ministry? It may be that you've fallen for one or more grouplife urban legends.

Four GroupLife Urban Legends (that Might Be Killing Your Small Group Ministry)

1. I owe it to my leaders to reinforce the weakest link

You know them.

They're the group leaders that repeatedly need "a few new members."

They come to you for reinforcements. You give them the names from your most recent "requests to join a group." Bingo. Problem solved. Not!

Far better to focus on starting new groups while training your leaders to look for and add new members on their own. Just as important is the reality that if you want to build a thriving small group ministry, prioritizing new groups is much more important than reinforcing existing groups.

Far better to focus on starting new groups while training your leaders to look for and add new members on their own. Just as important is the reality that if you want to build a thriving small group ministry, prioritizing new groups is… Click To Tweet

See also Top 10 Ways to Find New Group Members and Top 5 Advantages of New Small Groups

2. Handcrafted matchmaking ensures good connections

Still trying to play the middleman or matchmaker between group leaders and prospective members? This ideal is at the root of so much frustration!

Taking sign-up forms is most effective when signing up to attend a connecting event.

One of my first suggestions to small group pastors is to remove every possible way for people to sign up to be placed in a group. My next suggestion is to rewrite all sign-up opportunities to be to attend a connecting event.

One of my first suggestions to small group pastors is to remove every possible way for people to sign up to be placed in a group. My next suggestion is to rewrite all sign-up opportunities to be to attend a connecting event.. Click To Tweet

Note: You can still offer the possibility for some to find a group to join by creating an online group finder (like ChurchTeams) or provide a catalog at the small group kiosk with group leader's contact info. Eliminating middleman opportunities goes a long way toward making connecting easier.

See also, How Often Do I Need to Offer Opportunities to Join a Group?

3. Elders Make Good Coaches

I can't tell you how often I've heard people say that they solved their coaching problem by asking their elders to serve as coaches. Could they make good coaches? It's a definite maybe. Is it a no-brainer? Absolutely not.

The very first thing needed is a good understanding of the role of a coach and the characteristics it will take to effectively fill the role. Until you have clarity about those two things, you'll just be guessing (and guessing wrong).

The very first thing needed is a good understanding of the role of a coach and the characteristics it will take to effectively fill the role. Until you have clarity about those two things, you'll just be guessing (and guessing wrong). Click To Tweet

See also, 6 Essential Characteristics of an Effective Small Group Coach.

4. Required leader training courses ensure healthy member experience

Many churches are proud of their small group leader training course as a prerequisite to leading. In their minds completing this course ensures that the new leader is trained and equipped to lead a group.

Actually, completing a required leader training course only ensures that the candidate wants to lead bad enough to endure the course. Completing the course rarely uncovers unhealthy underlying motivations.

What's the solution? Instead of a leader training course as a prerequisite, consider a leader selection strategy that provides on-the-job training (Adults learn on a need to know basis anyway).

For example, both the small group connection leader selection process and requiring small group HOSTs to fill their own group both do one critical thing. They both ensure that group members are willing to follow the group leader for the test drive period.

Completing a required leader training course only ensures that the candidate wants to lead bad enough to endure the course. Completing the course rarely uncovers unhealthy underlying motivations. Click To Tweet

See How to Launch Groups Using a Small Group Connection and HOST: What Does It Mean?

What do you think? Have a question? Want to argue? You can click here to jump into the conversation.

Image by Philip Male