3 Simple Changes You Can Make

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Change is difficult for many people. Face it! Change is difficult for many of us!

But, while some changes are big and take months of planning and loads of effort (not to mention a sleepless night or several), other changes can be quite powerful but be relatively easy to pull off.

Know what I mean?

Here are some simple changes you can make that result in big differences:

Emphasize starting NEW groups.

Emphasize starting NEW groups. Of course, emphasis is a zero sum game. There is only so much emphasis to go around. When you emphasize starting NEW groups, you will need to DE-emphasize adding new members to existing groups.

How will this simple change make a big difference? Starting new groups leads to more groups (and more people connected). Adding new members to existing groups doesn’t grow the total number of groups and is only occasionally effective. Better to focus on starting new groups and training leaders of existing groups to learn to “fish for themselves.”

Focus on starting new groups and training leaders of existing groups to learn to fish for themselves. Share on X

Consider focusing on starting new groups and training leaders of existing groups to fish for themselves. This change in emphasis will start more new groups and connect more unconnected people.

Add a New Strategy to Start New Groups.

Add a New Strategy to Start New Groups. Keep in mind that the best strategies are designed to go after a particular outcome. The best strategies aren’t idealistic. They are pragmatic. The best strategies are not designed to reach everyone. They’re designed to reach a particular kind of person.

The best strategies are not designed to reach everyone. They're designed to reach a particular kind of person. Share on X

For example, the HOST strategy is designed to connect the friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members of the people who volunteer to host a new group. The particular group of people the HOST strategy is designed to connect all have one thing in common: They are personally connected to a host.

What if there are unconnected people who don’t know a host? Exactly! And as you might imagine, there are almost always more people who don’t know a host than there are people who know one.

So, how will you connect the people who don’t know a host? Simple. Add a strategy that runs alongside the HOST strategy.

We’ve learned to run two side-by-side strategies during every church-wide campaign. The HOST strategy is designed to connect people who are personally connected to a host. The small group connection strategy is designed to connect everyone else (who don’t know a host).

Consider adding a new strategy to start new groups. Moving from a single strategy to two (or even three) will start more new groups and connect more unconnected people.

**Think year-round and multifaceted to start more groups (and connect more people).**

Think year-round and multifaceted to start more groups (and connect more people). Think about your current strategy for small groups. Do you tend to focus the most energy during a single season? Or do you have a year-round strategy? Do you have a single strategy? Or do you have multiple strategies?

Remember, the best strategies are not designed to reach everyone. They’re designed to reach a particular kind of person.

That means, if you want to start the most groups and connect the most people, you will be wise to have a year-round and multifaceted approach.

Year-round vs Periodic (once a year or several times a year)

Many churches make small groups their focus during a single push. For example, it’s a common practice to make a big push for groups in the fall.

Other churches, leveraging the semester model, offer several on-ramps every year).

Since unconnected people are ready to get connected on their own schedule (not yours), it pays to be always offering (or about to offer) an opportunity designed for them.

Since unconnected people are ready to get connected on their own schedule (not yours), it pays to be always offering (or about to offer) an opportunity designed for them. Share on X

Single strategy vs Multifaceted

Many churches offer a single way to connect. Or it may help to see it as a fisherman does: a single bait or a single lure.

A few churches have learned to offer more than one way to connect. For example, North Point’s primary connecting strategy remains GroupLink, but they’ve added the Short Term Group strategy to offer a kind of 6 week test-drive. The Short Term strategy also offers a point of connection that is topical (as opposed to simply joining a small group).

We’ve learned that a year-round and multifaceted approach starts the most new groups and connects the largest number of unconnected people. For that reason, we have year-round grouplife approach that leverages 4 different strategies to start more new groups and connect as many kinds of unconnected people as possible.

Consider developing a year-round approach and adding another strategy (or two) to start new groups and connect more unconnected people.

Posted in Small Group Strategy