Comments on: What’s the Best Way to Launch New Small Groups?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:15:42 +0000

That’s good Steve! It’s a blend of the old fashioned way and something new. The key to the old fashioned way is that a “leader” is either recruited or volunteers and then is given members somehow. By allowing someone to choose an area of passion and then promote it you’re introducing a new tweak. Not problem-free…but then that’s the point!
A question might be, “how dependent is the concept on the opportunity to promote the group as a way of engaging members.” If it depends on that, scalability would have to be listed in the problem set.
Still, I like the openness to a new way!
mark

By: Steve Roesler

Steve Roesler — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 05:59:07 +0000

Mark, here’s a somewhat different approach than the “normal” three.
We decided that, if someone has a passion and felt call that lends itself to a group, then we make sure that everyone knows about it in this way:
1. The person says “Hey, I’d like to get a small group together with our focus being______”. (Could be a small group for marrieds of 2. On a given Sunday, the person’s small group idea is announced, he comes up and speaks for 3 minutes or less at all four services, and then is in the Welcome area afterward.
3. If a critical mass of interested people commit to coming together to get started, it starts.
The objection: “How do we know this person is a mature leader?”
The action: Each new group has an elder or known mature leader to come alongside at start-up and walk alongside via coffee, lunch, and other informal mentoring sessions. At some point, the new group leader moves out on his own; or, other options are pursued.
The big idea: Don’t get in the way of a person with a focused, felt call and the willingness to start a small group. Do provide the level of guidance needed for development and mature leadership.

By: Mark Howell

Mark Howell — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:04:32 +0000

Good job Adam! I’d suggest watching the difference between the two sets of groups(those with prepared leaders and the three without a prepared leader). Look for differences in how things turn out. In a recent interview we did with Stephen Redden, Director of Community Group Operations at NorthPoint, we were told that they have prepared leaders for about 60% of what they launch. The rest of their leaders are chosen by the group as a result of an 8 session curriculum. Interesting…don’t you think?
mark

By: Adam-Small Groups Pastor in MD

Adam-Small Groups Pastor in MD — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:39:06 +0000

Right now we are using a “morphed” approach. We have an introduction to Community Group Leadership called “Essentials” first. This is one of the places we intentionally try to surface new leaders. A few weeks after Essentials we have a “Group Launch.” We have done this twice now.
The first time I had trained leaders in place, and we connected about 35 people, and started 4 groups.
This last time, I had 2 leaders in place, but we were expecting 40 people. So, as I told them, we initiated Group Launch “Beta”. It was a good thing we did because 50 people showed up. We launched 5 groups, 2 with prepared leaders, 3 groups surfaced their own. So far, all are going strong. Each group lasts 6 weeks and then decides whether or not they want to keep meeting (so there is an on ramp and off ramp). If the groups that self-identified leaders want to meet past the 6 weeks, they then attend Essentials (where they learn the 7 Essentials of CG Leadership), fill out an application and agreement, and then interview with me.
My current problem is finding enough coaches.
(I’d like to know how NorthPoint finds enough leaders who are prepared in time for GroupLink.)