You are Either Growing or Dying

Can your group stay healthy if it is not regularly adding new people?

by Dan Lentz

I was reviewing an online forum on the topic of churches transitioning to small-group ministry being led by Steve Cordle.

One of the most insightful quotes from the forum was:
“Many leaders speak about groups as a way to build community. However, groups which are focused on fellowship, sharing, and community generally will have a hard time attracting more than a minority of believers, will lose vitality, and fade away. Groups must have an outward focus in order to stay healthy.”

Carl George has also been quoted as saying: "Show me a nurturing group not regularly open to new life, and I will guarantee it's dying."

These are sobering ideas from people who have been in the trenches of small-group ministry for decades. From my experience, I believe they are correct. After all, Biblical community isn’t really community if it is not impacting the world outside the group (John 17). Successful group outreach is a fruit of that outward impact and a sign of group health.

Does your experience confirm or contradict that? What do you think?

posted by Dan Lentz on May 17, 2010 11:50 AM

Related Tags: Dan Lentz, group growth, outreach

Comments

I respectfully disagree with “Many leaders speak about groups as a way to build community. However, groups which are focused on fellowship, sharing, and community generally will have a hard time attracting more than a minority of believers, will lose vitality, and fade away. Groups must have an outward focus in order to stay healthy.”
Small groups should not be about cliques within a church. But it also shouldn't be about driving up numbers for the church. The family small group I attend has allowed me to see the problems other Christians deal with. It has helped me to relate to people within our church. Small groups should be an aid for growth - they help new comers to any church get to know the people they worship with. To simply have an outward focus misses the joy of Christian community.
No offense but the over focus on numbers and growth makes the comment sound like someone who is presnting financial results rather than focusing on the message of church.

I agree that without an outward focus, a small group or a church will die. It is not about number. It is about the purpose of the church, which should be the guiding focus of any small group. Without the outward focus of evangelism, a small group becomes a social gatherings, albeit with Christian flavor.

I agree and have experienced this. Years ago my husband taught a Sunday school class that was growing. Some older members resented the new people and left to form their own "fellowship" group. Within two years it had disbanded. It's like the old story about what happens when a group goes on a fishing trip, but gets stuck inside the RV because it is raining. After a while they begin to turn on each other. The problem is that they are supposed to be fishing. The same thing happens with Christian small groups. When we are outwardly focused the group is healthy. When we focus inwardly we fight or get bored and the group dies. Jesus saved us to be fishers of men, not play cards in the RV.

I do agree that we have to have focus. And I do believe that number is really matter, cause numbers represent our achievement on our small groups. Didn't we are asked to do some 'outreaching', then numbers is our scale to analyzing weather our project is on the right track or not.

That's a great analogy, Renee! Do you mind if I borrow that sometime? :)

Sam, the analogy is not mine...can't remember where I first heard it, maybe John Ortberg? But it paints a vivid picture that has stayed with me and makes the point effectively.

Yeah!! you have made a point. You idea can be illustrated with the analogy of a plant. Likewise if we don't water the plant, then it will die one day. Similarly if we don't nurtur group not regularly open to new life, and I will guarantee it's dying.

I am new to this blog, but appreciate the heart of the writers! I have struggled with small group dynamics for years and am still growing. But here are some thoughts. Spirit filled community is always growing. We don't have to make up some crisis to spur us on, the Spirit will bring it within our four walls when we pray and seek Him together. And so in those situations there is opportunity for real spiritual growth. (Depending on how we respond to them - leadership) And people who are growing spiritually have a deepening compassion for the lost and hurting. It may come out in ministry to the homeless or mission work in Africa, but it will come out. I feel strongly that Christians who skip doing the hard work of dealing with their own hearts and move on to outward activities are in a dangerous situation. Been there. Done that. Got the Celebrate Recovery t-shirt to prove it.

Good thoughts, Chris. And welcome aboard! So, does that mean if your group members are not experiencing that deep compassion for the lost and hurting (local, abroad, or both), then your group is not "Spirit filled"?

Or at least, not moving in the right direction?