Group Ministry

April 8, 2021

10 Steps to Being a Great Group Member

By Cheri Liefeld

As ministry leaders, we spend time training our group leaders and helping them succeed. But 90% of the group is made up of group members who are not leaders. Our small groups will only be as great as the people attending and their involvement. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a great group member? Here are ten steps to being a great group member.

Communicate. Basic communication with your leader and your group. Respond when they reach out. Engage in group texts. Let them know you will be there, and if you have to miss, please let them know. They would rather have a heads up instead of a “no-show.”

Show Up. In my experience, only 1/3 of people who sign up for small groups make it to the first meeting. The others are missing out. Be the one that overcomes first-night jitters and joins. Then keep showing up. It is hard to fully experience the small group and build the relationships you desire if you attend sporadically. Fight the urge to stay home when you feel tired. Once you get there, you’ll be glad you did. Showing up is a simple key to success both in your group and your life.

Listen. Show your group you value them and want to get to know them by being present and actively listening. Yes, people overshare, but haven’t we all at some point? Fight the urge to look at your phone or drift off. Remember how you feel when someone is present and engaged as you talk. Listening is one way to honor your group. This creates a safe space for people to wrestle and grow in their faith.

Join the Conversation. We want to hear from you. This can be challenging for those who are shy or don’t have a friend in the group. Be courageous and share your thoughts. You have something important to contribute to the group. Nod your head, especially on Zoom groups, to show you are engaged and listening. Be willing to be vulnerable. When we can be ourselves, honestly share our struggles, and celebrate our wins, we grow closer to each other.

Do the work and be prepared. We all experience busy weeks, and there will be times we don’t complete the homework. Let that be the exception, but still show up. Honor your group by being prepared, ready to engage and contribute to the discussion. It can be discouraging for a leader to ask a question and be met with silence because no one read the book or watched the video. It’s like hosting a potluck, but only one guest brings a dish. Dinner isn’t quite the same. You get out of the group as much as you are willing to contribute.

Encourage others. We live in a challenging season; everyone could use a bit of encouragement. Affirm other’s contributions. Ask how they are doing. Follow up on a prior prayer request. Little acts of kindness tell others you value them, and that is how great friendships begin. Text someone in your group each week. Write a note of encouragement. Send someone money through Venmo for coffee. These gestures are contagious and will spur others on to do the same (Heb 10:24-25). You won’t regret it.

Serve Your Group. Offer to bring a meal when someone is sick. Reach out if someone is absent to see if they are ok. Invite someone to coffee to hear their story. The Bible says to outdo ourselves in honoring and loving others (Rom 12:9-10) and to serve others, faithfully using our God-given gifts (1 Pet 4:10).

Take Initiative. Offer to bring snacks or plan a social event for the group. Be courageous and pray at the end of the group. Ask how you can support your group leader. Offer to lead when they want to take a week off. This type of support is meaningful to your leader. When we take next steps, relationships start to grow.

Pray. Take time each week to pray for your group and your leaders. Pray over their requests and for their families. Ask God to bless your group and create community among you. One of my leaders said of their group members, “I love how they pray for each other and support each other on their own. It is so beautiful to see how they have a supportive community within the group.”

Which of these resonates most with you? Which would be an area of growth for you? Try one of these steps this week and see how it impacts your group.

Cheri Liefeld is the Director of Small Groups at Eastside Community Church in Anaheim, California. She was previously Director of Women’s Ministry at Mariners Church. She is a writer and loves to gather people around the table. You can read more at adventuresinthekitchen.com.

Group Leadership

April 1, 2021

Meet Levi Lusko: Author of Through the Eyes of a Lion

By Group Ministry

It’s here!

Through the Eyes of a Lion releases today from an author new to Lifeway Adults. This study takes us through a personal story author Levi Lusko and his family experienced and shows how we can find incredible power despite impossible pain.

But, who is Levi Lusko? This pastor, father, and leader serves in many capacities where he’s located in the northwest.

Levi answered some “get-to-know-you” questions exclusively for Lifeway Adults at the outset of this new release:

When did you first feel called into ministry or know that you wanted to be a pastor?

When I was two years old. I either wanted to be a pastor or a baker (mostly so I could eat cookies and white sugar). I didn’t pursue baking nor do I know how to bake. I always knew I was called to be a pastor since a young age.

What’s your favorite thing about your wife?

Her laugh, making her laugh, and being around her when she laughs.

What’s the most underrated Montana restaurant?

In my family, it’s Taco Del Sole.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

Do ice baths count? If not, what about saunas? If not, I like reading.

What’s your favorite spiritual discipline or habit?

Spiritual discipline: silence. Habit: tithing.

What’s the best part of being a pastor for you?

Being there for people in the most difficult moments in their lives, and in the most happy times—weddings, funerals, and everything in between.

What’s one sentence of encouragement you would give to other pastors doing ministry in 2021?

Our ministry is the most important when it’s the most difficult. It’s difficult right now because it’s complicated, so don’t quit just because it’s hard. It’s the most necessary it’s ever been.

Find out more about Levi Lusko and his new Bible study at lifeway.com/lion.

About the study:

It’s hard to understand in the moment, but sorrow can give you perspective, purpose, and a platform. It’s called a “roar story.” And you can use it to inspire others to see the bright future beyond their darkest days. Whether you’ve suffered in the past, are in a trial now, or want to prepare for the inevitable challenges to come, this Bible study can provide help, hope, and healing, all for the glory of God.

About Levi:

Levi Lusko is the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah. He is the bestselling author of Through the Eyes of a Lion, Swipe Right, and I Declare War. Levi also travels the world speaking about Jesus. He and his wife, Jennie, have one son, Lennox, and four daughters: Alivia, Daisy, Clover, and Lenya, who is in heaven.

Group Leadership

March 30, 2021

Navigating the Gray Areas with Scripture

By Group Ministry

By Jared Musgrove

More often than not you are presented with gray situations in ministry leadership: these aren’t black and white, but somewhere in between. They aren’t clear, but seem murky. Such situations in your own leadership and the lives of God’s people whom you shepherd require hokma (wisdom) to navigate.

Here is a short consideration of ten wisdom considerations from Scripture that can help you personally and pastorally traverse an ever-changing world with God’s unchanging principles.

Would involvement in this activity be prohibited by one or more of the Ten Commandments or violate the law of love?

Exodus 20:1-17

Deuteronomy 5:1-21

Matthew 22:34-40

Romans 13:8-10

Can I do this thing to the glory and honor of God?

1 Corinthians 10:31

Can I ask God’s blessing on this activity or endeavor?

Proverbs 10:22

Would this thing be a hindering weight?

Hebrews 12:1

Is it of the world, the flesh, or the enemy?

1 John 2:15-17

Ephesians 4:27

Does it honor the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Has it the appearance of evil?

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Will it be a stumbling block to others?

Romans 14:13, 21

1 Corinthians 8:9-13

Can I do this in faith, without doubt?

Romans 14:22-23

Would I want to be doing this when the Lord returns?

1 John 2:28

Dr. Jared Musgrove is Pastor for Leader Development and Groups at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.

Group Leadership

March 26, 2021

How Jesus “Turns Off the Dark”

By Group Ministry

One thing all people have in common is a desire to be happy. God wired human beings with a desire for joy and fulfillment. Have you ever met someone who hasn’t pursued happiness? Me neither. But it doesn’t take long to realize this world is filled with pitfalls that can derail happiness. Evidence of darkness is everywhere we look, and we even see it in our own lives. Maybe it’s in the form of loneliness, fear, depression, or guilt. Deep down, we know things aren’t the way they are supposed to be, but we don’t know how to fix it. Thankfully, in His mercy, God sent light into the darkness.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5

The opening verses in John’s Gospel are known as the prologue, and this passage is one of the most informative accounts of Jesus’ coming. Right away, the apostle John reveals that Jesus is more than a teacher or a prophet— Jesus is God (John 1:1,14), and He is the source of all light.

In Scripture, the words “light” and “life” are often referred to as the opposite of “death” and “darkness.” Metaphorically, death and darkness refer to sin and its effects on the world. Jesus came to shine light in the darkness—to turn off the dark. Since Jesus is all-powerful, He could’ve done this in any manner of His choosing. Certainly, Jesus could’ve shined His light from a distance, and it would’ve been powerful enough to reach us, but that’s not what He did. He made the choice to come to us.

The Light of Immanuel

See, the virgin will become pregnant

and give birth to a son,

and they will name him Immanuel,

which is translated “God is with us.”

Matthew 1:23

Did you catch that? Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus entered into this dark world because He wanted to be with us. He isn’t distant or aloof. Jesus willingly took on flesh. In doing so, Jesus entered into our pain and suffering with the intention of being present with us and shining a light in the dark cracks and crevices of our lives.

Because Jesus came to earth and took on the form of a man, He can sympathize with our sins, sufferings, and weaknesses (Heb. 4:14-15). Jesus understands the hardships of being a human being, and He has compassion for us. Jesus not only understands our plight—He makes Himself entirely approachable and available to help. Consider this invitation from the Book of Hebrews.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

The Light that Destroys Death

It’s one thing to believe that Jesus can shine light into darkness and eradicate things like loneliness, fear, despair, and guilt. But what about when we are grieving the death of a loved one? Or what if we fear death ourselves? Paul addressed this topic in a letter to Timothy, his younger understudy. Paul wrote:

Jesus Christ […] has abolished death and brought life

and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:10

Jesus came to turn off the darkness of death by turning on the light. Hebrews 2:15 says Jesus came to “release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” The incarnation came before the resurrection—so we could live with hope and die without fear. Paul wrote:

O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55

Ask yourself:

How does the hope we have in Jesus diminish the sting of death?
How does the ability to grieve with hope make Christianity distinct?
How does Jesus, through His death and resurrection, turn on the light?
How can this impact how you encourage those in your group?

_____

This content has been excerpted and partially adapted from Personal Study 1 of Session 1: Turn off the Dark from Levi Lusko’s Through the Eyes of a Lion Bible study. Find out more about the study here.

Group Leadership

March 16, 2021

Building Relational Ministry Teams

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

How much thought do you give to the relational dynamic of your ministry teams? It is worth taking the time to help your church’s ministry teams function more like small groups because healthy ministry flows from healthy relationships. By adding some intentionality to building community among people who serve together, leaders will see powerful outcomes they want everyone on the team to experience. Members of relational ministry teams…

Are naturally motivated to invite others to serve alongside them
Feel a deeper sense of belonging and purpose
Are more inclined to remain committed to serving
Ooze more joy while serving, resulting in greater impact together

So how can a team experience more of the life-giving dynamic we see in Acts 2:42-47 and have an even greater ministry impact?

Appoint somebody on the team to compile everyone’s contact info and then distribute to the members on that team. Consider setting up a group on WhatsApp, GroupMe, or Facebook so people can stay in touch between times of serving together.
Pray together for one another before your ministry task. Prayer knits people together and makes the combined effect of their service even greater. Again, you can appoint somebody on the team to help champion this.
Periodically host a social gathering (e.g. 3-4x/year). Prioritize having fun together because that goes a long way when times of need or hardship arise. Find ways to spontaneously express appreciation.
Find out birthdays and anniversaries (in marriage and ministry) and celebrate them with your team by gifting that person/people one of their favorite treats. Your communications person (see first point) or someone else on your team can help look after this.
Stand together, facing outward. Help one another think and operate evangelistically. This can happen by praying for the lost each week, welcoming others on the team, engaging in a local service opportunity together a couple times a year, etc.

Team members who experience community while serving together are more likely to catch the vision of small groups in your church and be champions of serving within them. Taking the steps above will help your teams function more like small groups so that everyone can experience the joy that comes with fulfilling the church’s mission together!

Reid Smith has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He lives in Wellington, Florida where he serves as a Groups Pastor at Christ Fellowship. You can find more of his helpful resources at www.reidsmith.org.

Group Leadership

March 11, 2021

Leading My Group Through Seasons of Grief

By Group Ministry

By Tyler Quillet

Grief is inevitable. Throughout life, we lose loved ones. It is a part of life that either pushes us closer to Christ, or drives us away from Him. Certainly, you will face grief as a group, if you haven’t already. This may be the loss of a group member, which you all grieve together, or maybe it is an individual or couple in the group who loses a loved one, and you walk that journey of grief alongside them. No matter the loss, it is great, and people in your group will be desperate for reminders of the hope that only Jesus can provide.

I don’t know about you, but when I am overwhelmed, stressed, or grieved I tend to have blinders on. I easily get uber-focused on the task or circumstances at hand, and have a hard time seeing anything outside of that. It’s a laser-focus, but not in a good way. And, when this happens, I don’t think things through, I don’t have clarity, and most importantly, I often don’t seek Jesus. I’m too sidetracked by what has me overwhelmed at that moment. Grief does this to many of us. There are constant thoughts of the person that we lost, the what-ifs of our own future, the empty hole that has been left in our lives, and so much more. Those thoughts tend to dominate our minds and keep our focus off of Christ.

As Christians, we desperately need one another to point to Jesus. Especially in times when we struggle to turn our own hearts to Him, it’s vitally important that we remind each other of who Jesus is. What an incredible opportunity we have to point those who are grieving to Jesus. This doesn’t have to be in a large group setting where the griever may feel “ganged up on.” Those who are grieving should be allowed to be there—grief is healthy and ok. Allow your people to grieve, but help them to trust in Jesus while they grieve. I believe doing both is not only possible, but also what God desires from our hearts. Grief is unhealthy without hope in Jesus, but it’s an amazing step of faith when we can say, “God, my heart is shattered, and yet, I trust in you.” So how do we help each other get to that place? What kind of reminders can we give those who are grieving so that they can take steps of trust as they grieve? Here are a few ideas:

Write a note to the grieving person. This is not to help them move beyond their grief, but to remind them of who God is as they grieve. Use simple words like, “I’m praying that God would overwhelm your heart with His peace as you trust Him in this time.” Remind them of His goodness by sharing scriptures like Psalm 34:18, Lamentations 3:21-23, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 41:10, or Psalm 34:4-8, 17-18.
Send a simple text with one of the Scriptures above. Or, simply text, “Praying for you right now.” If you do this, actually spend time praying for them in that moment. Reminding them of God’s Word may prompt them to dig into that Scripture on their own.
Call them and simply ask if you can pray with them. Praying with someone is an incredible reminder of God’s faithful presence with them. Pray that their trust in Him would deepen, that He’d remind them of His goodness and faithfulness to them, and that they’d grow in their love for Him.
If/when this person is back in group, allow them opportunities to share their grieving heart. Don’t force them to share, but allow them to do so if they desire. Don’t use this time to try and “fix” anything about their grief, but speak truth and remind them of God’s goodness in response.
Be sure as a group that this person has relational outlets. They may be incredibly lonely, but not able to reach out to someone. Without forcing your presence on them, invite them to dinner, ask if you can bring over a meal, go on a walk, or invite them back to group if they haven’t returned yet. Use these moments with them to listen to their heart and respond with grace and truth.

Many who are grieving think, “Why me?”, “Where is God?”, “How could a good God allow this to happen?”, “What have I done to deserve this?” and more. Use every opportunity you have to speak the truth of God’s love for them, His faithfulness to them, His presence with them, His grieved heart over death, and most importantly, the hope that only Jesus Christ provides. As we continually point the grieving heart to Jesus, those blinders I spoke of earlier begin to come off. And, in the midst of grief, your group members will be able to remind themselves of God because you helped them to keep their eyes focused on Him on this journey.

While God will do the heart work in those who are broken and hurting, He is calling us to come alongside and point them to Him. Remind them of Him. Reassure them of Him. It’s all about Him, and while they may know this truth, they’re likely in a season of needing that reminder. I’m thankful that they have you to walk this journey alongside them.

Tyler Quillet is the team leader for the Custom Church Resources and Smallgroup.com team at Lifeway Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, Tenn. area with his incredible wife, Cathie, and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler is the author of Yet: Embracing God’s Faithfulness in the Midst of Grief. He also speaks, writes, and coaches alongside Cathie as they pour into and care for those battling infertility through Cathie’s, The Quillet Institute. Tyler previously spent 15 years as a pastor and is passionate about serving churches and pouring into church leaders in a variety of ways.

Group Leadership

March 2, 2021

Eight Keys for Building a Community Culture

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

Culture is something you feel. Every group of people and organization has a distinct culture. It’s the water in which you swim when you’re hanging out in an environment or with a group of people. It’s what you experience through all your senses when you are gathered with others who are a part of it.

For example, you are experiencing more than just coffee when you sit inside a Starbucks. There is a culture that has been intentionally and artistically created to entice customers to return and build brand loyalty. Although our motivations differ, church leadership want people to return and consistently engage in their community life for infinitely more important reasons.

Pastors love it when people say their church feels like family. It’s always a win when folks say they feel like they belong and enjoy connecting with others each week. However, most leaders are not conscious about all the factors that make it that way. The DNA of culture must be deliberately molded, and just like a potter with clay, it is best to do this at the very beginning of a new work.

Regardless of where you would consider yourself in building a community culture in your church, here are eight keys I’ve discovered along the way that will help in this process:

Discern God’s plan for building community in your church and reaching your surrounding community with the power of the Good News. It’s safe to assume the Lord is already at work building His Church where you minister and your primary job is to figure out how that’s happening. Invariably, this will be through a community of two or more people pursuing Christ together. So how is God already moving in your midst to reach the lost?
Decide together with your core leadership team how everyone will prioritize community and relationship-building. How will each one live it and lead it? The involvement of pastoral leadership in a church’s community life is the linchpin to the ongoing growth of biblical community. There is no substitute for what the most influential and visible people in the church model and advocate, particularly on the weekend.
Don’t allow groups to be viewed as simply another ministry program/department of the church or to be perceived as something that “good Christians” do. A programmatic paradigm can be lethal to organic community. It is not groups that we’re after ultimately…it’s what happens in them. Biblical community empowers believers and churches to function as the Body of Christ should (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:21-27).
Dedicate resources to building community. Invest time, energy, and money into the leaders and resources that serve as the life-source of community in your church. By virtue of resourcing this area of your church, you will be enhancing all areas. There is no short-cut to healthy ministry, which flows out of healthy relationships.
Discover who is gifted in communications and beat the drum of community every chance you get. You want to show and tell people what you believe about the importance of biblical community to their spiritual growth and well being. Use all forms of communication: platform, print, digital, visual, and stories to convey what God is doing through the community-life of your church.
Design a community-life calendar and include no less than three church-wide opportunities per year for people to get plugged in. Present new ways for people to get connected in new types of groups. Feature existing groups and new group start ups in your weekend announcements, website, social media platforms, slides, etc.
Determine that every event you host or program you run will be used as an opportunity to help people take their next step toward greater engagement in your church’s community life. Churches tend to pour a lot of time and energy into planning events while the next steps for people to take is an afterthought. Flip this. When events are built around a clear next step, more people are inspired to actually do something and you’ll see measurable fruit from your organized activities.
Devote yourself to building a community culture. The journey will be filled with successes and set-backs, but stay with it! Study churches that do this well and read books by leaders you respect who are community-building champions. Attend groups conferences in-person or online and include other staff and key volunteers. In other words, be a learner and bring others along with you. Never settle.

This is all worth doing wholeheartedly because healthy spiritual relationships are essential to having a growing relationship with Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 John 1:7, 3:14, 4:20). Furthermore, when spiritually lost people come to a loving community, they tend to come to Christ (Acts 2:47; John 13:34; 1 John 4:12). Building a community culture is not optional for a church that wants to advance God’s mission in the world and these keys will help you and your team in the process.

Church Leadership

February 23, 2021

How to Identify and Empower New Small Group Leaders

By Group Ministry

By Cheri Liefeld

As small group ministry leaders, we face one ongoing challenge: identifying and empowering the next group leader. Our work is to equip leaders who will equip other leaders. The Bible gives us many examples of leaders investing in others. Moses empowered Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land, and Jesus trained and empowered His disciples to lead His church after His ascension.

Paul cast the vision in 2 Timothy 2:2, where he wrote, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (NLT).

We want leaders with the passion and vision to equip others to become leaders. In small group orientation, reproducing leaders is one of the core principles we teach. Raising up new leaders will maximize our impact.

One of the best examples I have seen intentionally pursue this has been a group of young adult men. They started with one group, with the leader recruiting a co-leader. They identified two more young men launching a second group. A total of five Warriors of God groups launched in the last two years. One group has been led strategically by an 18-year-old with plans to teach and continue these groups. When another one of the leaders aged out, he launched a group for men in their 30s.

Each of us can do the same, equipping new leaders by following a simple path: Involve, Identify, Invite, and Invest.

Involve group members and encourage other leaders to do the same. The first step is to create opportunities for your group members to step up and play a part in leading the small group. When launching a new group, offer up various roles for people to play a part in the group. This creates a sense of ownership for the group while allowing you to see leadership potential.

Yes, it is more comfortable in the short term to do everything ourselves, but that doesn’t help us reach our goals to reproduce and equip leaders. Opportunities to involve others include asking someone to lead the discussion one evening, write up and email weekly prayer requests, or organize the group service project.

The next step is to Identify potential leaders. Paul told Timothy to invest in reliable people (2 Timothy 2:2). Look for several potential leaders. Reliability is a basic trait, but essential. Who is consistent and does what they say they will?

I have found two types of potential leaders. The first are natural-born leaders. They come from another church, are former youth group leaders, or leaders in their work field. They look for opportunities, sign up and start serving.

The other kind of potential leader is harder to spot at first but often turns out to be the best small group leader. They don’t think of themselves as leaders, yet they are quietly shepherding people along.

Pray and ask for God’s wisdom and guidance as you spend time thinking about potential leaders. Jesus was intentional in who He invested in. Create a list of why you feel they would make a great group leader. We give some basic guidelines for our leaders to consider in our orientation.

Do they love Jesus?
Do they have decent social skills?
Are they engaged and committed?

When I led a small group and felt called to replace myself, I told one woman I believed she would make a great leader. When we met, I shared what I saw in her—the extra time she invested in our small group members, how she took the lead in praying, and the initiative to plan social gatherings. She had the heart to help people take their next steps. In the end, she looked at me and firmly said, “No, I am not a leader.”

One of the best parts of leading groups is seeing how God works. I invited several potential leaders to join our first five-week Small Group Leader Prep group and included the woman from my group. She emailed back, replying no. The day before the group started, she called me and said, “I’m not a leader, but God told me I should attend, so I will.” The magic happened when other group members cheered her on and told her of the potential they saw in her. She has been leading a small group ever since.

The best way to identify and empower future leaders is to speak life into people and watch how God waters those words. The outcome is out of our hands, but we need to be courageous and pursue potential leaders on an ongoing basis.

Once you have identified your potential leaders, invite them to join you. Invite them to coffee or to meet individually prior to your group meeting. Be specific; tell them why you are inviting them to be a leader. Here are a few ways to share:

I love how you….
I appreciate how you..
I see you doing…
Your heart for _____ is evident when you….

Once they say “Yes” or “Maybe,” continue to Invest in them. Investing in our leaders is a journey, and each one will go at different speeds. Build a relationship and continue to invite them to take their next leadership steps. Ask them to co-lead your group allowing you to serve together and debrief each week.

Empower them by letting them take the lead and spend time providing feedback after. Ensure the training, encouragement, and support needed for them to grow as a leader. Listen and affirm where you see God working. Check in and see how things are going. We ask our coaches to check in monthly on their small group leaders.

A big part of investing in our leaders is to equip them. Invite them to your leadership events. Ask them to attend your orientation and start the process of becoming a small group leader. During your one-on-ones, challenge them to consider what steps God is calling them to take.

Who is God calling you to invest in? How can you build a path to maximize your impact and empower new leaders?

Church Leadership

February 16, 2021

Why Martin Luther Didn’t Do Small Groups (And Why We Should)

By Group Ministry

by Jared Musgrove

If you ask Martin Luther what it would take to be a true community of faith in a local church, he would tell you that it takes the priesthood of all believers. That is, that all believers can read and understand Scripture’s plain meaning, that all believers have equal access to communion with God, and all believers are actively involved in the work of ministry. Said differently, there’s no special class of mediators for knowledge of God, presence of Christ, or ministry to others.

This is a doctrine he fought for years to reclaim in the Reformation, so he was certainly invested.

Then, if you asked Martin Luther (so kind of him to entertain all our questions) how the priesthood can be activated in a local church, he’d tell you through his tracts and letters that small groups meeting in homes are necessary to see the priesthood activated. He’d go on about how meeting in homes leads to deeper expression of some spiritual realities surrounding the priesthood of all believers; and these groups are best positioned to “do other Christian works” that are not possible in the institutional church meeting once a week.

But then Martin would admit to you (because he is an honest man) in later tracts and letters that he couldn’t go through with establishing such groups. It would be too costly in his estimation. He instead wanted (needed) everyone in Germany to come under one church organization and feared that small groups might create a lack of control.

Martin Luther thought small groups in homes were the way to truly activate the priesthood of all believers but he never started them. Yet, before we pile on Martin (and forget the debt we owe him), we should recognize that he was facing the exact same opposition that we often do: a lack of trust in God to make other brothers and sisters who Scripture calls them to be.

“Sounds Good In Theory…”

One church leader recently shared with a group, “Yeah, priesthood of all believers sounds good in theory…” then pantomimed a verbal ellipsis with a shoulder shrug meant to imply that it doesn’t really work in practice. It doesn’t pan out. Hire staff to do the work. If you can pay them, you can fire them. Volunteers are messy—like farming. So mechanize the ministry. Yes, all of this can be said with a shrug.

I empathize with this line of thinking. I get it. But it’s also what keeps so many of our churches from seeing an empowered priesthood. Our first mistake may be that we too often talk about the “priesthood of the believer” (singular) instead of the biblical “priesthood of all believers” (plural). But it’s not about individuals. The community of saints is the consideration when it comes to church.

The biggest opposition that I see to the activation of the priesthood of all believers in my church and yours is that favorite idol of church leaders: control and comfort. Yes, these two form a singular idol. The two are so intertwined that it is nearly impossible in most cases to unravel them. The inner critic of the church leader who’s lived too many disappointments throws his soul’s hand in the air and gives in to the voice that says that “what you can control can’t hurt you.” And we listen far too often to that voice instead of God’s.

We are so committed to arranging a happy little church that suits our needs and comforts and caters to our gifts but God often thwarts those efforts by allowing for continued frustration. You feel it, right? That’s the loss of wonder. It happens because we want a climate-controlled church but also want to make an impact for God’s kingdom. That dichotomy can’t hold. It has devastating consequences when we try to carry it out.

For Luther, there was deep depression in realizing that he just couldn’t bring himself to release this kingdom of priests fully as he wanted. For some it may be a lack of joy in equipping saints. You may be unable to stand the saints altogether. You grow short with them. You find ways to avoid them. You figure it’d just be easier to run a company, a capital campaign, or a Christian non-profit. It probably would be.

Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry in a local church is agriculture. If you’re truly called to pastor and lead in the church, you’re running a farm, not a manufacturing plant. Live human beings and their souls are your sheep and soil. And there’s no chance of seeing lasting growth without an activated priesthood in your church. People are our true capital campaign. Flesh and blood human beings are our building program. The priesthood of all believers (plural) is both our occupation as well as our product.

Relationships of Trust Are Stronger Than Theory

The good news is that this priesthood already exists. It only has to be discovered, developed, and deployed throughout your church. It all comes down to trust.

Relationships of significant trust in the local church… who would’ve thought it possible? Apparently not many pastors and church leaders, from the Reformation up to today. This is understandable. There’s no pain like vocational ministry. But to give up trusting is far too cynical. And certainly not biblical.

1 Peter 2:9 speaks to the sleeping giant of frontline ministers that exists right now in church small groups: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Since this is true, how do we lead like it? There’s a simple answer as old as the church herself.

Small groups are the best way to activate the priesthood of all believers in a local church. There has been over 2,000 years of practice, trust, and equipping saints for the work of ministry in such spaces. Luther saw it and defined it as such in his letters.

Entrusting the priesthood through groups discipleship might seem overwhelming. It did to Martin Luther. It feels unpredictable. Unknown. But isn’t that right where our faith is most tested and refined?

People in our church don’t exist so that paid staff can parade their gifts. They aren’t spectators. They’re priests ready to be set loose to reap a spiritual harvest. Oftentimes they do so just as well or better than the paid priests. That’s God’s design, not this year’s conference strategy.

Every time a small group meets, there exists that potential for harvest. People want to be changed and see change. Church leaders often simply don’t want the interpersonal rub required to see this through in their church. It’s risky, but I’m convinced that the less relational a church is the less transformational it will be. Small groups can still surprise unlike any other environment and be used by God’s Holy Spirit to transform lives for Christ.

Equipping and entrusting saints with one another has always been the best means of true growth and transformation in a local church. That’s the power in the local priesthood of believers meeting in small groups throughout the week. Martin Luther envisioned it. He didn’t activate it, but we can. This is a vision older even than the Reformation itself. And it’s far more effective in the history of God’s people.

**History courtesy of Joel Comiskey’s 2000 Years of Small Groups: A History of Cell Ministry in the Church and some of Martin Luther’s collected letters and tracts.

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Dr. Jared Musgrove is Pastor for Leader Development and Groups at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX.

Group Leadership

February 4, 2021

CPR for Small Group Ministry

By Group Ministry

By Reid Smith

One of the greatest mistakes made by church leaders who want to reintroduce or reinvigorate a small group ministry is to make their first step an announcement from the pulpit. This well-intentioned step can have catastrophic results if those who had a less-than-favorable experience feel disregarded, retired leadership feel dismissed, and residual leadership (if any) feel disrespected. There is a critical pre-game plan that must be executed in private before going public. The life-saving practice of CPR offers a helpful pattern to follow.

When an unconscious or unresponsive person is being revived using CPR, it is vital for the person helping to follow the A-B-C steps for resuscitating another person:

AIRWAY – Open the airway
BREATHING – Breathe air into the opened airway
CIRCULATION – Perform cycles of breaths & chest compressions to restore the victim

There are equivalents for each of these steps when it comes to restoring life to your small group ministry. As with actual CPR, it is very important to follow them in order. Many church leaders unknowingly engage these steps in the reverse order (C-B-A). This can have devastating consequences for the ministry at large.

The first step in CPR is to make sure the victim’s AIRWAY is clear from any obstructions. The one responding to the emergency is to look, listen, and feel for breathing. The parallel for those who are trying to resuscitate community life through small groups is to look for, listen to, and feel out your past, present, and future small group leadership. Conversation opens the airway.

AIRWAY – Learning from your past, present, and future small group leadership

PAST: Set-up conversations over coffee with those who were key leaders (e.g. coaches and long-term leaders) and significant voices of influence in the past and ask for their input. It is very important to do the following in each of your meetings:
- Be sincere in expressing appreciation for their past involvement and inviting honest feedback. Then be humble and listen intently to what they tell you.
- Be discerning about who is supportive of you and the attempt to restart the small group ministry. There will be some who express support but are not personally ready to take part in reintroducing a small group ministry…and that’s okay!
- Beware of those who do not seem to have anything positive to say and use their conversation with you to vent negativity. Thank them for their input and move on. It may do more harm to try to win these people over. Your goal is not to gain everyone’s acceptance and enthusiastic approval. Your goal is to get the RIGHT people on your team. Having the wrong people on your team obstructs the airway and renders the next two steps ineffective.

Have phone conversations with the other leaders and volunteers who were involved in the past for a shorter term. It is well worth your time to interface personally with every past leader and this effort on your part will mean a lot to them. Regardless of whether they are optimistic, ambivalent, or skeptical, you will learn a lot from these people even when they are not ready to jump on-board with the new effort. They will also likely appreciate the respect you have shown by initiating conversation and inviting feedback.

2. PRESENT: Acknowledge those who are still involved. Commend them for their commitment and include them in your future planning. Ask them for their input as well by using the same tips above. Invite them to join you for a vision-casting experience that will include emerging small group leadership. Note: Where present leaders remain involved, it is important that you do NOT convey that you are starting something completely new to replace the past small group ministry. Rather, you are continuing to build upon the foundation of the biblical community the Lord has already established. This honors what God has done and may still be doing through these present leaders, and it shows respect for their continued loving service.

3. FUTURE: Review your church’s master list of members with your senior pastor. Highlight the names of those who have been or are presently involved. Next highlight the names of those you and your senior pastor think are good prospective leaders. As before, arrange sit-down conversations with people you would like to invite into further responsibility.

1. Whether you talk by phone or in person with prospective leaders, explain…
  1. What you are presenting (tell them what their role looks like as a facilitator)
  2. Why they specifically came to mind as a potential small group leader
  3. What their group might look like and how it fits into the overarching vision of your church
2. Dream with them about possibilities and give them the freedom of choosing a focus they are excited about (we are all called to be community-builders!)
3. Clearly communicate expectations
  1. Essential responsibilities
  2. Project the time commitment involved
  3. Suggest beginning with a shorter duration
  4. Request participation in a vision-casting event and initial training
4. Clarify that you (or a coach) will be with them every step of the way
5. Set a specific time to follow-up

BREATHING – Including all the leaders in a vision-casting experience

After you have opened the airway by carrying out your pre-game plan with the emerging leadership, the next step in resuscitating the small group ministry is to bring all those who have expressed openness to restarting the small group ministry together to cast fresh vision by communicating your church’s…

Mission and core values
Vision of how small groups will further your church’s mission by fueling the growth of biblical community
History with small groups and what you have learned from earlier attempts (based on feedback you have received from a number of leaders)
Belief in the importance of small groups and the benefits that come from them
Current and projected need for small groups to ensure healthy church growth
Renewed definition of a small group and support structure for the ministry
Dream of what the new small group ministry looks like in action
Ongoing plan for training, resourcing, and supporting your new community of leaders

The third step in CPR involves restoring breathing and sometimes even circulation to the unresponsive victim. Like people, small group ministries can have faint breath or no breath, irregular circulation or no pulse. Take heart! The Lord wants you and the community of your church to experience His resurrection life. Furthermore, He wants the community life of your church to explode out and impact your surrounding community. Jesus will build biblical community in your local church as He builds His Church!

CIRCULATION – Reintroducing small groups through public communication

One mistake leaders make when relaunching small group ministry is going public prematurely. Do not circumvent the process of securing and uniting your new community of leaders with the fresh vision that will undergird your new attempt. Your small group leadership community provides the necessary backbone to this church-wide initiative, especially when there is a history of unsatisfactory results. In other words, you need to have your team together before game time. This provides confidence for the whole congregation that the necessary groundwork of preparing a new small group leadership group has already been done.

When it comes to reintroducing small groups as a church-wide ministry, it is vital the senior pastor joins with the small group ministry staff (paid or not) in communicating the new vision. Earlier attempts at small group ministry that never really took root can oftentimes leave a bad aftertaste. Hearing the philosophical “why’s” directly from the senior pastor and the fresh, practical “how’s” from those leading the new effort can help to neutralize this distaste.

There are a couple of things the senior pastor should recognize: 1) The past attempt(s) and the leadership’s appreciation for all of those who were involved and 2) The new attempt and how it is different. As a continuation of explaining the why behind small groups it is also important for the senior pastor to communicate why the church values small groups, why they are so important to the church’s mission, and why it is vital for everyone to be involved. The communication of opportunities for people to connect into a small group may be done by the small group/discipleship pastor once the why foundation has been laid by the senior pastor.

Another strategy that dissipates the bad aftertaste of earlier small group ministry short-comings is to talk about group life in the context of seasons or semesters. In other words, say “The first season of our small group ministry will look like such-and-such.” This lets the church know you are asking for a shorter-term commitment to begin with. It also affords you the flexibility to change tact from season-to-season in order to remain relevant for the ever-changing make-up and needs of your church community.

The other advantage to doing this is it gives you a “new excuse” to talk about small groups in a big way two to three times per year. Regardless, a key principle to ensuring the success of restarting your church’s small group ministry is to keep groups in front of your people. Give your newly-fashioned small group ministry plenty of “face time.” Advertise new groups, highlight existing ones, encourage people to connect. Talk about groups regularly in front of the whole church. Doing so shows the value you place on them.

Restarting an unresponsive person’s circulation usually requires some cyclical repetition of breathing and chest compressions. Likewise, there can be some repetition to the application of this third step of CPR to restoring life to your small group ministry by feeding your emerging small group ministry fresh communication and different opportunities for people to connect. Stay creative in helping people to connect and grow together in Christ! Networking with other like-minded churches and sharing creative ideas and resources helps this process.

A person who is revived through CPR does not immediately spring back to their feet and take off running. Similarly, a small group ministry that has life restored to it needs to be nurtured and nursed back to full health over time. It requires careful and clear communication. It requires consistency in prayer and the promotion of small groups in your church’s weekend life. And it requires a united leadership front and an openness to new seasons of community life that connect with your church’s mission. If you follow the A-B-C steps for restoring life to your small group ministry, the odds are strongly in favor of revival and real impact on your surrounding community.

Navigating the Gray Areas with Scripture

How Jesus “Turns Off the Dark”

How to Identify and Empower New Small Group Leaders

Why Martin Luther Didn’t Do Small Groups (And Why We Should)

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