Next, invite the men to an informational meeting to discuss the small group. Pick the time, place, and stick to one hour. But a coffee shop or restaurant with outdoor seating can also work well for a smaller group.Ĥ. Consider asking any men on your list who have already expressed interest what days and times work best for them, but be prepared to have one or two suggestions, rather than leaving it open ended.įor location, someone’s home or the church often works best due to minimal distractions. For men with young families, Saturdays are a challenge. If you are targeting younger men in their 20s, an evening usually works better than early morning. For example, if you have a lot of businessmen who travel, Friday mornings are good because most men try to be back in town by then, and it’s often a catch-up day. There is no perfect day and time for a small-group meeting it will largely depend on your men. There are many different types of small groups (after each type I have offered a suggested size, but this is an art, not a science): Bible Studies (6 to 12 men-remember, 12 is a number that’s been successfully used before) Discussion Groups (4 to 8 men) Support Groups: specific issues like addictions (6 to 12 men) Prayer Groups (2 to 6 men) Accountability Groups (4 men) Fellowship Groups (2 to 8 men) Mentoring Groups (2 to 4 men) and Mission Groups: service projects (5 or more men).ģ. You could wait and make a group decision, but it will likely fall apart. Next, decide what kind of group you want to lead.
Ask God to give you names you might not ordinarily think of, even outside of your church.Ģ. Figure you need to ask two men for every slot in your group. First, make a list of men you might like to have in your group.
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY FULL
God wants to bring men to full maturity in Christ, and making small groups a core value of your ministry is one of the most effective tools at your disposal to accomplish this. It takes away the pain for a moment, but does nothing to cure the patient. Often we are so busy treating symptoms-marital problems, wayward children, gossip, ethical failures, apathy, backbiting, etc.-that we never treat the root disease. That is tragic, because the top mission of Christian service is to make disciples. The main method of Jesus has fallen into disuse-it has lost momentum. Today, despite the “gospel saturation” in America, fewer than a tenth of men are involved in any kind of ongoing discipleship. That’s about the only way it has ever happened in the past.” Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt the power of a small group of people to change the world. Central to his method was the collegia pietatis-”small groups” for Bible study, prayer, and intimacy-intended to renew a staid and arid church.Įven secularists understand the value of small groups.
SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY SERIES
Small groups date to the 17th century, when Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705), the father of German Pietism, initiated a series of reforms.
Jesus knew that most meaningful change takes place in the context of small-group relationships-men sharpening men with truth, encouraging each other for the daily battle, and sticking with each other over the long haul. Amazing! The question, of course, is why would He do that? Why a small group? Think about it: Jesus launched His divine plan to redeem mankind by making disciples out of a small group.
Jesus used a small group to create momentum. We want to show you how small groups can play a critical role in your mission to make disciples, as you’re creating value, capturing momentum, and sustaining change in your ministry. Ironically, the same small group that can bring about great change is also fragile to sustain. However, the reality is that most men’s small groups stall out. The most intense learning, growth, sharing, encouragement, accountability, prayer, and fellowship I’ve experienced has taken place in small groups. The question, of course, is why would he do that? Why a small group? And how can we make your best men’s small group?įew things have changed my life like the small groups I have been in over the last 30 years. Jesus launched His divine plan to redeem mankind by making disciples out of a small group.
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