Groups and Such……
So, a few posts ago you may notice that i wrote about “hating” small groups.
well, i don’t hate small groups, i have just been frustrated about the WAY small groups are treated in the local church around America.
So, now, here’s the rub.
As theedge church is growing larger, we are looking for ways to “become smaller.” we realize that our people are not connecting as easily as they did before. it’s taking longer for families to connect and make friends at theedge, because we are not a small group anymore.
with that as our dilemma, we are looking for ways to help people connect and get to know others in the church. and what’s the best way to do that? you guessed it…smaller groups!
i have been studying small groups like crazy for the past few weeks. what works? what doesn’t? what’s the best for theedge? closed? open?
we are just in the process of getting started, so if there is anyone out there who would like to contribute to the discussion please reply and let me know what you think? i could use all the help you got!
peace.out.
Have you read “Making Small Groups Work” from Cloud and Townsend? I love them. Everything I have read from them has been very solid and I really like the way they stress relationships as key to the biblical model of growth.
Allison,
i have not read that book. i have looked at a ton of resources though, and i will definitely look into that book also. thanks.
The small group thing still confuses me. At the Church I go to, we don’t have a “Sunday School Class”…it’s a small group…that meets every Sunday morning for an hour before service and goes through a lesson on whatever chapter of 2 Cor we’re on that week. Sounds a lot like a Sunday school class to me.
I think all, well most, churches have small groups. By name, or Sunday school class, or Mens ministry, seniors group, divorce care, adult bedwetters anon…or whatever.
But I dig them. I think you get to know folks better, there is more accountability, and the better you get to know folks in a small setting the more comfortable you are being honest with the ups and downs…mega important…cause if your bros don’t know where your struggling, how can they pray for you, counsel you, castigate you, or slap you around…with love of course…to help get you back to where God wants you to be.
Hey Israel, great post and great honesty. I can see where you are coming from…two sides of the coin here right? One the one hand how do you force “connection” or the community feel that comes naturally as a groups lives life and grows together. How can you put a group of people who don’t know each other and expect them to gel? On the other hand how can you ignore the God given desire for people to connect and have community, especially as the local body grows larger? In fact, I believe that as you grow bigger the need to connect is much much greater!!
I would recommend “The Connecting Church” by Randy Frazee (I’ll give you my copy). He hits right at the crux of the necessity for connection, not only in the church, but in society as a whole, and what we can do about it. It doesn’t provide all the answers and certainly leaves room for dialogue but gives some great guidelines. Heather and I attended his church in Texas and our expereince was, to say the least, life altering. Our home groups were inperfect, awkward and amazing. The relationships we made and continue to have will be ones we will have for the rest of our lives.
Would love to have coffee and chat sometime…know any good places around Edmond??
I do not go to your Church, but have tried to start Small groups in Edmond for aother Church. It has been real frustrating in that it takes time for people to become real with each other. I have numerous articles on how to do it, but it takes people who are willing to reveal who they are to the people in the group. That takes a House Group leader who is willing to pour into them who he/she is and lead by example. That is how you get other to reveal their hurts, struggles, pain, and joy. The ultimate reality is it takes God, and his grace in that group. It takes time to become a small community of believers who really start to feel like family.
On a side note we have decided to leave this group, and our looking for a place to worship. We will most deffinetely come visit you guys.