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Church Leadership

Is Your Small Group Post-COVID-19 Ready?

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Now that social distancing restrictions are starting to be slowly lifted around the country, churches are planning how they will operate safely in this new world. Weekend gatherings will be limited because of ongoing restrictions on capacity and people’s proximity to each other. This will alter the number of worship services, how children’s ministry is offered, the ingress and egress of people in the building, on-campus classes, and many other ministries, but what about small groups?

Small groups in homes seem like a logical place to start since they are decentralized and mostly come under the gathering restriction numbers, but before you flip the switch back on for your in-person small group, you need to think through the same types of questions every church, restaurant, and retail business is pondering right now.

There is a trust that has to be rebuilt between host and attendee in every environment. We have been conditioned to keep at least six feet between us and the next human being, and that surfaces outside of our home are not to be trusted. Wearing masks in public to protect those around us is also encouraged, and in some localities, enforced.

With that in mind, here are a few questions to think about before you throw the doors open to the small group in your home.

  1. How will you offer childcare? Childcare issues are already at the top of the list for most small groups, but they are especially important now. It will be some time before parents will be comfortable with leaving their children in close proximity to other kids, so you may have to stop offering group childcare for awhile.
  1. How will you handle food? I am a big proponent of having food options at a small group meeting. It helps people start to feel comfortable quicker, and who doesn’t love food? However, how you offer the food may have to change. Our small group will normally have a buffet style of snack offerings with a line of bowls and community dipping spoons for each. That arrangement will no longer be acceptable. 
  1. Where will people use the restroom? This is a question that I bet most group leaders have not had to wrestle with before. If you only have one restroom available, that will make it undesirable for multiple people to use in one night. 
  1. Is there room in the gathering area for people to properly spread out? The living room where my small group meets is pretty tight. We can comfortably accommodate around 10-12 adults in a semicircle. We are going to have to rethink our numbers and spacing before our next in-person meeting.
  1. Can you offer a virtual attendance option for some? Not everyone is going to be comfortable with attending physically right away, and some group members may be in the most at-risk demographic and should not attend until there is a vaccine. Now that people are accustomed to attending online through Zoom or Hangouts, can you set up a computer with a web camera and allow them to still attend virtually?
  1. Do you have time to deep clean your house before group every week? Guidelines for restaurants reopening call for thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting everything between every customer. That includes door handles, tables, chairs and menus. Are you prepared to offer that level of cleaning for your group each week? People will expect it.
  1. Are you comfortable with group members wearing masks during at least a portion of the group time? This may not be necessary during the study discussion when everyone is properly spaced, but may be while people are arriving and socializing at the beginning and the end of group time.

Some of these changes may be temporary and some may be permanent. I would encourage thinking through every detail and having a plan before reopening our homes so group members can come back confidently and safely.

Thankfully, the team at Lifeway and many Christian leaders have partnered on resources that can aid your group during such a season. For those still adjusting to gathering back together or wanting individualized study resources, check out Pray Like This: A 52 Week Prayer Journal, No More Excuses: A 90-Day Devotional for Men, Foundations: A 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers, or Foundations New Testament: A 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources. He is the author of  Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes. You can follow his blog at www.chrissurratt.com.
Church Leadership

Physical Distancing vs. Social Distancing

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As we continue to have conversations about social distancing (the term that has been used widely up to this point), we need to sharpen our pencils and not use that term, or at least use it correctly. Social distancing is harmful to people. Social distancing isolates people, and that’s not a good thing. Even Scripture affirms that being alone is not preferable when it says, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him” (Genesis 2:18, CSB).

Physical distancing is what we’re aiming for. People should keep six feet of space between them, wear masks, wash hands, and exercise good judgment and forego even larger family gatherings.

If we encourage “social distancing,” we’re advocating something that is very different from physical distancing. What the church needs is smart ways to practice physical distancing, but we need to be proactive in meeting people’s social needs by staying connected relationally and spiritually. Phone calls, text messages, Zoom meetings, and letters are just some ways to connect relationally. Online worship and group Bible studies are other ways to help people connect spiritually.

So going forward, let’s commit to practice physical distancing, but not social distancing. Care for one another, look out for neighbors and older adults who may be alone, and pray fervently that God brings an end to this pandemic.

Ken Braddy manages Lifeway’s Ongoing Bible studies, leads his church’s groups ministry, and blogs daily on Sunday School and small groups at kenbraddy.com.
Church Leadership, Group Leadership

3 Ways to Virtually Hangout with Your Small Group

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Over the last month, you have seen practical blog posts on how to virtually lead your group during this time whether through FaceTime, Zoom, Google Hangouts, or other means. Hopefully this has positively impacted your group!

But if you have been a reader of this blog for any length of time, you know that group discipleship goes hand in hand with simply hanging out as a group. Outings, fun group meetings, game nights. These “lower pressure” times are just as important to growing in faith in your small group as the more study-focused meetings. But that presents us with a challenge. 

How in the world can we possibly “have fun” in this season? 

Glad you asked. Here are 3 ways that we’ve seen small groups keeping the fun in their group meetings. 

  • Zoom Backgrounds. If you haven’t yet heard of the app Zoom you might want to think about looking into it. Similar to Google Hangouts or Facetime, Zoom allows conference calls between people and can easily be downloaded from the internet. The fun part? You can add in virtual backgrounds to your Zoom meetings. Want to be on a beach? Go for it. The jungle? You got it. Maybe an astronaut in space? We all wish. You can upload any image as your virtual background and simply have fun with it.
  • The House Party App. This app is designed to not only let you see other people but to play games with them as well. Invite your small group to this free app, and you can talk to each while choosing to play a variety of games with one another. Each “room” can have up to 7 people in it, and you can play different games such as trivia, heads up and others! 
  • Host a Cooking Show. Ever watched Chopped? Or Iron Chef? You get the idea… If you have a few people in your group that like to cook, jump on your video platform and cook together! Share recipes, watch the progress, and maybe have a little cooking competition and let your non-cooking friends judge. Obviously, you’re only judging on the presentation, so if you can’t cook, good news…. It just has to look good. 

In these unprecedented times, sometimes it’s just best to embrace the weirdness of the situation where we find ourselves. Acting like everything is normal (when it is clearly not) can sometimes lead to more anxiety. When doing these video calls, there will be technical glitches, people will talk over each other, and sometimes you will have that one person that can’t quite figure out their video camera. As we navigate this season let’s approach these odd moments of disconnection with humor and grace–and maybe just a little more fun.

 

Church Leadership

The Future of Small Groups and the Church Discussion

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We are all trying to figure out what life will look on the other side of the Covid-19 crisis. Will our groups and church return to “normal,” or is there some kind of new normal that we should start preparing for?

We will have this conversation on Facebook Live this Wednesday, April 22 at 2:00pm CDT. It will be hosted by the Group Answers Podcast hosts, Chris Surratt and Brian Daniel. Come join us and bring your thoughts and questions!

Watch here at 2 p.m. on April 22
Church Leadership
Church Leadership

Practical Ways to do Group Online

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We are facing a lot of uncharted challenges right now with the threat of COVID-19. Churches, schools, restaurants, and businesses are all being asked to eliminate gatherings of over 10 people. This “social distancing” will eventually help stop the spread of this virus and limit the number of deaths around the world. This challenge is changing how we live our lives, but it doesn’t change our mandate to share the gospel and disciple people in our care. Our groups may not be able to meet physically together for a while, but that doesn’t mean they cannot meet. We are seeing this take place with online streaming weekend worship services, and with free internet-based tools, our groups can gather as well.

Technology

The two most prominent platforms for hosting meetings online are Zoom and Google Hangouts. There are pros and cons to each one.

Zoom

  • Pros:
    • There is a free version available.
    • Only hosts need an account.
    • There is a phone-in option.
  • Cons:
    • The free version is limited to 40 minutes; however, they have lifted the limit for some groups
    • You must download and use the Zoom application on your desktop or mobile device to participate with video. 
  • Capacity (up to 100 participants/devices in one meeting)
  • How To Use:
    • Open Zoom in a web browser or mobile app (apple device, android device, chrome web browser extension)
    • Login
    • Click “Host a meeting with video on”
    • Click “Invite participations”
      • Select how you’d like to send an invite:
        • Default Email, Gmail, Yahoo to send email invite
        • or “copy URL”, “Copy Invitation” to copy a link and send it via a text message, email, facebook message, etc.
    • You can also schedule a meeting on the zoom website and send an invite to join you at a specific time, including a link to your online meeting. (See Instructions)
  • Watch tutorial videos in Zoom video library.

Google Hangouts

  • Pros:
    • It’s free to use with a google account.
    • There are no time limits.
    • It’s accessible via a web browser on any computer or mobile device.
  • Cons:
    • It requires a Google account for all participants.
    • A phone-in option not available unless you have a business account with Google.
  • Capacity (25 participants/devices per meeting)
  • How To Use:
    • Open Google Hangouts in web browser or mobile app (apple device , android device, chrome web browser extension)
    • Login
    • Click “Video Call” button
    • Click “Invite People” and type in their email address (If they don’t have a google account it will send them an invite to setup an account)
    • You can also schedule a meeting on your google calendar and send an invite to join you at a specific time, including a link to your online meeting. (See Instructions) 
  • Watch 6 minute youtube tutorial.

Our groups may not be able to meet physically together for a while, but that doesn’t mean they cannot meet at all. Consider making use of these wonderful online platforms with your groups during this season and watch God do amazing things in and through all of you.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources. He is the author of  Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes. You can follow his blog at www.chrissurratt.com.
Church Leadership

How to Disciple a New Christian

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*See the end of this post for a free resource on how to disciple a new christian*

by Tyler Quillet

Years ago, I was asked to lead a discipleship group with 5 men who had recently given their lives to the Lord. I was excited! I’d discipled many in my short time as a pastor, but over those few first few years, it was mostly teens and those closer to my age. This would be with a number of men who were old enough to be my dad. So, I went in with the assumption that due to their years on this earth, they had to know something about life in Jesus. Certainly there was a foundation there to build off of. I was young and naive and I was wrong.

I began to talk about big theological terms like, justification, sanctification, and repentance. It didn’t take long (their blank stares told the story) for me to realize that they had no understanding of these things. Not only did they not understand that, they didn’t really know anything. They’d rarely, if ever, opened a Bible. They’d not attended church growing up. They knew nothing. That’s not a shot at them, it’s just the reality of our situation, and it was awesome because they had such a deep desire to learn and grow! 

Here we had 5 guys who were hungry for God’s word, but they couldn’t take it in big chunks. So, we went slowly and simply through scripture. We took on the book of John at their pace. Some weeks, we’d auger into a singular verse and that’s as far as we got. Sometimes, they were so confused that we had to go backwards to chew on some truths again to make sure they got it. It was hard work, sometimes frustrating, but always rewarding! Five years into our time together, it oftentimes felt like we were still building a foundation, working on that ground level of their faith. But, that’s where they were and we weren’t going to begin overwhelming them and leaving them to feel like maybe this life in Jesus wasn’t for them because they didn’t get it all.

Not every person you disciple is going to be in this place. Some will have grown up in the church, know scripture front ways and back, and are turning their life over to Jesus. Some will have grown up in the church and have been away for a considerable amount of time. Some never experienced time in the church or in God’s word and this is all new to them. No matter their past, here are four things we can all keep in mind as we disciple a new Christian.

  1. Go at their needed pace, not your desired pace.

It’s easy to throw together a scope and sequence of your Bible study and say, “here’s everything we’re going to cover and here’s our timeline to cover it in.” That’s going to overwhelm them right out of the gate. Let them choose the pace. You may sit on a single topic or text for multiple meetings. That’s ok. Sometimes, as the leader, it’s good for you to press on, but be sure that whatever pace you are going, the person being discipled isn’t feeling overwhelmed.

  1. Ask a lot of questions

Be sure to ask the person you are discipling a lot of questions. Make sure they are grasping the content being covered and ask how it is changing their heart. One of the most dangerous questions a discipler or teacher can ask after reading scripture is, “What do you think about this?” By asking their opinion, you are validating what they think…and what they think may not be truth. Be sure to speak truth and ask questions like:

  • What truths or promises from God’s Word stood out to you from what you read?
  • What did you learn about God?
  • What did you learn about humanity / your own heart?
  • How can you obey or apply what you have learned from God’s Word?
  • What prayer requests do you have? (and be sure to pray with them)
  1. Point them to Jesus

Be sure that everything you say and teach is grounded in God’s word. Statements that begin with, “I think….” are dangerous, because you are training your disciple to follow/trust in you. Ground everything in scripture. If they have a question about something, instead of saying, “I think”, say, “Let’s see what scripture tells us.” Always be reminded that Jesus is their savior, not you. A day is coming where you will not be available to them. Where are they going to turn? Will they be reminded to turn to God’s word when they are in need, or will be feel hopeless because they no longer have you? At every opportunity you get, point them to Jesus!

  1. Model Holiness.

The words you use, the way you respond to difficulty, the spoken thoughts you have of others, they are all training the person you are discipling. If you speak negatively of others or of the church, you are training them to feel/say/do the same. How you respond to difficulty is training them to do as you do. Remember, the majority of new Christians are a sponge. They’re going to soak up everything they can and if you are pouring into them, they’re going to respect and look up to you in a way that they will seek to model how you do life in Jesus. That’s why the point above is so important. Point them to Jesus. Point them to Jesus with your words, your actions, your thoughts, your body language, everything you have. They’re following your lead like a child does a parent. Model holiness!

This all feels like a lot of pressure, I know. Be reminded that it’s the Spirit working in and through you that is doing the heart change. You be faithful with what you’ve been called to and He will be faithful to give you what you need to point them back to Him. Cling to Jesus’ words here from Matthew 28:19-20….

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

For a free resource on how to disciple new christians, check out the free PDF guide of the study My New Life. To be entered into a drawing for a free physical copy of this study, head over to our Instagram page for details! 

Lifeway.com/MyNewLife

Tyler Quillet is the Discipleship Strategist for the Custom Church Resources team at Lifeway Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, TN area with his incredible wife, Cathie, and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler also speaks, writes, and coaches alongside Cathie as they pour into and love on 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. 

 

Church Leadership

Three Principles for a Better Online Small Group

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Perhaps never before have churches and small groups been so grateful for the technologies that allow for online group meetings. Likewise, perhaps never before have they been so aware of the challenges and shortcomings associated with them. It’s simply not easy to build community through a screen. 

That said, it’s not impossible. Consider these three principles to help you establish and build community in an online group.

1. Adjust your expectations.

I wish I could rightly attribute this quote that I picked up many years ago because it’s been very powerful in many different ways throughout my life and ministry. Expectations are premeditated resentments. Applied to this scenario, we should not come to an online group experience expecting it to be anything remotely like meeting in person. Further, we should press that principle down into every single aspect of the group experience. Conversations won’t be the same. Interaction won’t be the same. The depth of the study won’t be the same. Very little, if anything, will be the same in an online group experience compared to meeting in person. But the online experience will go better for everyone involved if all have told themselves again and again to adjust their expectations accordingly. If they don’t, they’ll come to resent the online group experience and be less likely to participate.

So, adjust your expectations. You can’t build community with people in an environment you resent. Speak truth to yourself about what you’re likely to experience so that you don’t come to resent the best possible solution for meeting with others when you can’t gather in person.

2. Fight for simplicity.

Because meeting online is significantly different than meeting in person, I have found that every participant, especially the group leader, has to strive for simplicity in every facet of the experience. It may be nothing for your group to meet for up to two hours in person, but you’ll likely find an online group experience should be much shorter, probably not more than 45 minutes. You might tackle many different questions and concepts in person, but online you’re probably better off discussing one big idea, two at the most. You might expect everyone in the group to participate in the conversation when meeting in person, but online it’s more likely that three or four people will truly engage in a meaningful way. 

I could go on, but let me keep this simple: by making simplicity a core value, you’ll make the online group experience better for everyone involved because meeting online is inherently more complex than meeting in person. So, look for ways you can simplify the experience to help everyone engage in the experience.

3. Give grace. 

While some in your group may have lots of experience with online meetings, it will be a brand new thing for many. Because technology is involved, there will be many potential points of frustration and confusion. There are different “rules” for etiquette and behavior that apply to online groups, and practicing them requires, well, practice and patience. All of this, combined with the stress of our current circumstances, can quickly lead to disappointment and even anger toward individuals in the group who just can’t seem to “get it together”.

In short, participating in an online group experience requires everyone to have more grace. Everyone must be willing to bear more wrongs. Everyone must be willing to let many more things go. Everyone must accept others for exactly who they are in that moment, not what they think the others should be in that moment. They must be willing to give more grace.

Conclusion

In these times when we cannot gather in person, meeting online is a grace of God to us. No surprise, then, that doing so requires us to be all the more gracious with those we meet with. By changing our expectations and fighting for simplicity in the experience, we make showing that grace easier. 

Rob Tims is husband to Holly and father to Trey, Jono, Abby Jane and Luke. He’s the author of Southern Fried Faith: Confusing Christ and Culture in the Bible Belt, and manages the team behind smallgroup.com at Lifeway Christian Resources in Nashville. He writes regularly at RobTims.com and blogs every Friday at Forward Progress.
Church Leadership

How to Effectively Lead Your Groups in a Time of Social Distancing [Webinar Replay]

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Please enjoy this replay of our webinar: How to Lead Your Groups in a Time of Social Distancing.

Topic:
With most churches now not meeting physically, and most gatherings in general discouraged, how can churches effectively lead groups through this time of social distancing and isolation?

Panelists:

  • Steve Gladen

Steve Gladen has been Executive Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. He oversees the strategic launch and spiritual development of more than 9,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. He is the author of Small Groups with Purpose, which has been translated into eleven languages, and Planning Small Groups with Purpose.

  • Jared Musgrove

Jared Steven Musgrove serves as Groups Pastor and elder at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Oklahoma, a Master of Divinity in preaching from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry in leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  • Chris Surratt

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources. He is the author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us, and Leading Small Groups. 

Resources:
Lifeway.com/Coronavirus

Church Leadership

Shepherding Your Group During COVID-19

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During these days of COVID-19, online services and Bible studies, and social distancing, group leaders must serve their groups well in one way if they truly care for them. I wrote about this in my book Three Roles for Guiding Groups available from Lifeway.

Shepherding is one of the oldest professions in the world. It is first mentioned in Genesis 4:2 in regards to Abel. Shepherding language influenced biblical writers:

  • God is referred to as a shepherd (Psalm 78:52)
  • Leaders of God’s people were described as shepherds (I Kings 22:17)
  • Jesus called himself a shepherd (Luke 12:32)
  • Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:10ff)
  • Psalm 23 uses shepherd imagery throughout

Amos 3:12 is a prophetic verse, but embedded in it is a little-known fact about shepherds. That little-known fact is vitally important to group leaders everywhere today. Amos 3:12 says:

12 This is what the Lord says:

“As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth
only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
with only the head of a bed
and a piece of fabric from a couch.”

Why would a shepherd wrestle away a piece of a dead sheep from a predator? The answer: the shepherd is not the owner. The shepherd works for a master, and is accountable to him for each sheep entrusted to him.

As group leaders today, you and I are temporary shepherds/stewards of God’s people, His sheep. He’s the Owner/Master, not us. We are responsible for the sheep he temporarily gives us to shepherd. Therefore, we must watch them carefully, love them, and protect them – especially during the isolation taking place during COVID-19 “shelter in place” days.

Ken Braddy manages Lifeway’s Ongoing Bible studies, leads his church’s groups ministry, and blogs daily on Sunday School and small groups at kenbraddy.com.

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