Discipleship Framework
Equipping Groups | Group Models
Description: Open groups provide space for visitors, new members, and guests to be welcomed into the life of the church. These groups are highly evangelistic, often praying over the “empty chairs” and for those who will one day fill them. There is no restriction to how many people can join an open group, though some churches do “close” groups once they have reached about ten to fifteen members. Once they reach about fifteen members, open groups are encouraged to multiply to make more space for prospective members.
Pros:
- Open groups provide a large “front door” to the church. Many people who would not visit a Sunday service will attend a small group with a friend.
- Open groups involve every church member in the mission of evangelism and outreach.
- Open groups provide flexibility within a small group ministry—each small group is unique and can find the format that works best for their group.
Cons:
- Many find it difficult to create deep relationships in a group that is consistently growing or multiplying.
- Groups that grow too large can become social gatherings rather than centers of discipleship.
- Because open groups are low commitment, they often inspire transience rather than rooted relationships.
Is this for my church?
Open groups are a great solution for a variety of issues in a small group ministry. If your church is growing faster than you can create new groups, open groups can make a place for everyone. If you church feels insular and you want members to focus outward, open groups can inspire evangelism and outreach. If the non-Christians in your community are unlikely to visit your church, open groups provide a low-commitment, accessible “front door” for them to encounter Christ.
Description: Closed small groups are made up of a limited number of individuals (typically around eight to twelve) who focus on building deep friendship, trust, and accountability with one another. As a result, closed groups tend to create communities of honesty, trust, and meaningful care.
Pros:
- Closed groups focus on individual discipleship and anticipate spiritual growth.
- They provide an extra layer of care, allowing group members to meet each other’s needs and pray for one another.
- Closed groups often feel like families, where everyone is fully known and loved.
Cons:
- Because closed groups are tightly regulated, it can be difficult for new church members to get involved in a group.
- Closed groups can become insular and cliquish, ignoring the outward focus of evangelism.
- Groups must be actively shepherded to guard against false teaching and aberrant expectations within groups.
Is this for my church?
Closed small groups provide powerful solutions to the problems of disconnection and surface-level discipleship. Churches looking to create a deeply-rooted, committed community would benefit from this model. Even churches in transient communities—like military bases or college towns—can greatly benefit from closed groups. Though members will only be in your church for a short time, they were fully known and cared for while in your congregation.
Description: Cell groups move the life of the church from a church building and into smaller units of five to fifteen people. While all the cells operate under centralized leadership and gather for corporate worship, each cell functions like a microcosm of the larger church spending their time in worship, edification, personal discipleship, and evangelism. As a result, some cell groups are mistaken for house churches. Just like biological cells, cell groups grow and multiply organically, transferring church DNA from group to group.
Pros:
- Cell groups elevate the importance communal discipleship.
- Cell groups shift the onus for evangelism and discipleship from pastors and programs to individual Christians.
- Because each group is charged to embody the function of the church, cell groups create a strong culture of discipleship across a congregation.
Cons:
- Cell groups can quickly make a church feel like a fragmented community.
- There can be an expectation for group leaders to be lay pastors and shepherds with cell groups.
- Oversight of groups can be difficult, particularly in guarding against and correcting bad theology.
Is this for my church?
Cell groups are a good solution for churches looking to shift from a small group program to a communal rhythm of life. Every member is charged with embodying the life and mission of the church, encouraging growth much like we see in new church plants. Because cell groups often function as decentralized churches, they can be a huge benefit to congregations in post-Christian cultures.
Description: House churches are similar to cell groups in that the small group is the basic unit of the church. However, house churches move one step further, making each cell an independent church. While some house churches may organize under common elders and gather for corporate worship, the pastoral responsibilities all fall to the house church leader. As a result, the larger church often functions as more of a network than a singular body.
Pros:
- House churches create high levels of trust, intimacy, and accountability in groups while cutting out the majority of the overhead costs of running a church.
- House churches often closely model the early church and its ideals.
- House churches allow for rapid church planting and multiplication.
Cons:
- House churches often struggle to find elder oversight, making them susceptible to poor teaching and bad theology.
- Being disconnected from the resources of a centralized church can limit the ministry opportunities for house churches.
- Requiring lay members to be pastors can easily lead to burnout and leader turnover.
Is this for my church?
In cities and situations where the cost of buildings, staff, and events are too high for a church, it may make sense to employ this model. Rather than building a centralized organization, elders can focus on coaching and supporting pastors as they lead and multiply churches. House churches have also proven to be an effective means of evangelism and church growth in post-Christian contexts.
Description: Open groups provide space for visitors, new members, and guests to be welcomed into the life of the church. These groups are highly evangelistic, often praying over the “empty chairs” and for those who will one day fill them. There is no restriction to how many people can join an open group, though some churches do “close” groups once they have reached about ten to fifteen members. Once they reach about fifteen members, open groups are encouraged to multiply to make more space for prospective members.
Pros:
- Open groups provide a large “front door” to the church. Many people who would not visit a Sunday service will attend a small group with a friend.
- Open groups involve every church member in the mission of evangelism and outreach.
- Open groups provide flexibility within a small group ministry—each small group is unique and can find the format that works best for their group.
Cons:
- Many find it difficult to create deep relationships in a group that is consistently growing or multiplying.
- Groups that grow too large can become social gatherings rather than centers of discipleship.
- Because open groups are low commitment, they often inspire transience rather than rooted relationships.
Is this for my church?
Open groups are a great solution for a variety of issues in a small group ministry. If your church is growing faster than you can create new groups, open groups can make a place for everyone. If you church feels insular and you want members to focus outward, open groups can inspire evangelism and outreach. If the non-Christians in your community are unlikely to visit your church, open groups provide a low-commitment, accessible “front door” for them to encounter Christ.
Description: Open groups provide space for visitors, new members, and guests to be welcomed into the life of the church. These groups are highly evangelistic, often praying over the “empty chairs” and for those who will one day fill them. There is no restriction to how many people can join an open group, though some churches do “close” groups once they have reached about ten to fifteen members. Once they reach about fifteen members, open groups are encouraged to multiply to make more space for prospective members.
Pros:
- Open groups provide a large “front door” to the church. Many people who would not visit a Sunday service will attend a small group with a friend.
- Open groups involve every church member in the mission of evangelism and outreach.
- Open groups provide flexibility within a small group ministry—each small group is unique and can find the format that works best for their group.
Cons:
- Many find it difficult to create deep relationships in a group that is consistently growing or multiplying.
- Groups that grow too large can become social gatherings rather than centers of discipleship.
- Because open groups are low commitment, they often inspire transience rather than rooted relationships.
Is this for my church?
Open groups are a great solution for a variety of issues in a small group ministry. If your church is growing faster than you can create new groups, open groups can make a place for everyone. If you church feels insular and you want members to focus outward, open groups can inspire evangelism and outreach. If the non-Christians in your community are unlikely to visit your church, open groups provide a low-commitment, accessible “front door” for them to encounter Christ.
Description: Closed small groups are made up of a limited number of individuals (typically around eight to twelve) who focus on building deep friendship, trust, and accountability with one another. As a result, closed groups tend to create communities of honesty, trust, and meaningful care.
Pros:
- Closed groups focus on individual discipleship and anticipate spiritual growth.
- They provide an extra layer of care, allowing group members to meet each other’s needs and pray for one another.
- Closed groups often feel like families, where everyone is fully known and loved.
Cons:
- Because closed groups are tightly regulated, it can be difficult for new church members to get involved in a group.
- Closed groups can become insular and cliquish, ignoring the outward focus of evangelism.
- Groups must be actively shepherded to guard against false teaching and aberrant expectations within groups.
Is this for my church?
Closed small groups provide powerful solutions to the problems of disconnection and surface-level discipleship. Churches looking to create a deeply-rooted, committed community would benefit from this model. Even churches in transient communities—like military bases or college towns—can greatly benefit from closed groups. Though members will only be in your church for a short time, they were fully known and cared for while in your congregation.
Description: Cell groups move the life of the church from a church building and into smaller units of five to fifteen people. While all the cells operate under centralized leadership and gather for corporate worship, each cell functions like a microcosm of the larger church spending their time in worship, edification, personal discipleship, and evangelism. As a result, some cell groups are mistaken for house churches. Just like biological cells, cell groups grow and multiply organically, transferring church DNA from group to group.
Pros:
- Cell groups elevate the importance communal discipleship.
- Cell groups shift the onus for evangelism and discipleship from pastors and programs to individual Christians.
- Because each group is charged to embody the function of the church, cell groups create a strong culture of discipleship across a congregation.
Cons:
- Cell groups can quickly make a church feel like a fragmented community.
- There can be an expectation for group leaders to be lay pastors and shepherds with cell groups.
- Oversight of groups can be difficult, particularly in guarding against and correcting bad theology.
Is this for my church?
Cell groups are a good solution for churches looking to shift from a small group program to a communal rhythm of life. Every member is charged with embodying the life and mission of the church, encouraging growth much like we see in new church plants. Because cell groups often function as decentralized churches, they can be a huge benefit to congregations in post-Christian cultures.
Description: House churches are similar to cell groups in that the small group is the basic unit of the church. However, house churches move one step further, making each cell an independent church. While some house churches may organize under common elders and gather for corporate worship, the pastoral responsibilities all fall to the house church leader. As a result, the larger church often functions as more of a network than a singular body.
Pros:
- House churches create high levels of trust, intimacy, and accountability in groups while cutting out the majority of the overhead costs of running a church.
- House churches often closely model the early church and its ideals.
- House churches allow for rapid church planting and multiplication.
Cons:
- House churches often struggle to find elder oversight, making them susceptible to poor teaching and bad theology.
- Being disconnected from the resources of a centralized church can limit the ministry opportunities for house churches.
- Requiring lay members to be pastors can easily lead to burnout and leader turnover.
Is this for my church?
In cities and situations where the cost of buildings, staff, and events are too high for a church, it may make sense to employ this model. Rather than building a centralized organization, elders can focus on coaching and supporting pastors as they lead and multiply churches. House churches have also proven to be an effective means of evangelism and church growth in post-Christian contexts.
Description: Affinity groups are transformative, turning simple interest groups into spiritual communities. Rather than being organized around life stage or location, affinity groups assume that people prefer choice when it comes to community. Members can connect with groups based on interests or hobbies and build relationships with those who share their affinities. Groups grow and shrink depending on interest, allowing for flexibility and creativity in group creation.
Pros:
- It is easy to start new groups and fellowship is quickly built around shared interest and experience.
- Affinity groups provide easy evangelism opportunities for non-Christians who share similar interests.
- These groups draw out church members’ passions and skills, focusing them to discipleship.
Cons:
- Because affinity groups are built around an affinity, discipleship can easily become a secondary or ignored purpose in groups.
- These groups can inspire competition. Expect groups to fight for church space, congregational communication (emails, announcements, etc.), and members.
- Because these groups are temporary by nature, they can fail to inspire deep relationships.
Is this for my church?
Affinity groups are an excellent option for churches who aren’t looking for small groups to be their primary method of discipleship but want to increase the connection within their church. If done with intentionality, affinity groups can give members a vision for how their gifts can build the church and contribute to God’s kingdom work.
Description: Neighborhood groups are built on the idea that the strongest community is built through sharing ordinary life with others in close proximity. By forming groups based around geography, this model makes it easy for group members to spend spontaneous time together outside of the formal group time. In addition, neighborhood groups focus a group’s outreach to their locale and galvanize them to meet those needs alongside their neighbors.
Pros:
- Geography-based groups remove the “commuter” mentality and provide convenience to busy church members, particularly those with young families.
- They offer opportunities to spontaneously interact with group members in their day-to-day activities and create a sense of present community.
- Evangelism and service become local issues to group members who share schools, public parks, grocery stores, and neighbors.
Cons:
- Neighborhood groups severely limit choices for small group attendance. A small group meeting at an inconvenient time can cause a member to be excluded from your small group ministry.
- Geography-first grouping can overlook affinities and life stage—two important factors that often help people connect with one another.
- The rigid application of this model can inhibit the connection and relationships within a group, especially if a group member moves to a new neighborhood.
Is this for my church?
If many of your members commute to church and find it difficult to connect with other members, if you want to help your members to take more responsibility for outreach to their spheres of influence, or if you want to foster casual and spontaneous Christian community, this model may be right for you. When your members understand the heart behind this model, it can be an exciting way to foster community.
Description: Missional groups intentionally focus on fulfilling the Great Commission. Each group is strategically placed to reach and love the lost by evangelizing a specific group of people or to serving a particular need in their community. The goal of each individual group can either be decided by the group or dictated by the church to fulfill its mission and vision.
Pros:
- Missional groups are outwardly focused, energizing members to share their faith and actively use their gifts to love others.
- This model can be light on content and curriculum, making group meetings easier to prepare for.
- Missional groups actively meet the needs in their cities, often positioning churches as an indispensable resource in their community.
Cons:
- Because missional groups are so active in their communities, burnout is more common in group members and leaders.
- Missional groups can overemphasize our efforts, leading to a works-based view of group members because of their consistent service.
- Young families find it difficult to join missional groups—it can be difficult to find family-friendly service opportunities.
Is this for my church?
If you are in a largely non-Christian context, missional groups are a great way to demonstrate the love of Christ to your community. Maybe your church wants to serve and build relationships with local refugee or immigrant populations. Maybe you want to prioritize evangelism to spread the gospel across your city. Maybe the youth in your city need Christian role models, options for after-school care, and tutoring. Your groups can meet the spiritual and physical needs of your community.
Description: Sunday classes or Sunday school is a traditional model of groups that primarily focus on teaching or Bible study. Groups meet on Sunday before or after the Sunday service on the church campus to walk through books of the Bible, topical studies, or life-stage-specific content. Classes can vary in length but typically last a semester or year. Churches that use this model either divide the congregation into classes by life stage or offer a catalog of classes and allow members to pick their Sunday class.
Pros:
- Groups don’t have to worry about scheduling meetings or finding meeting space.
- Sunday school is an intentional way to educate Christians and deepen the biblical literacy of your congregation.
- Sunday classes offer many opportunities for leadership and teacher development.
Cons:
- Finding qualified and skilled class teachers can be more difficult than finding leaders for other group models.
- In this model, community and relationships are secondary to education.
- Sunday school can feel more like institutionalized learning than discipleship.
Is this for my church?
If you want to increase the biblical and theological literacy of your congregation and make meeting together easy, Sunday classes can be an excellent model to adopt. Since your congregation has already blocked off Sunday mornings for church, you can also use that time and meeting space to help your people grow in wisdom and knowledge of God.
Description: Open groups provide space for visitors, new members, and guests to be welcomed into the life of the church. These groups are highly evangelistic, often praying over the “empty chairs” and for those who will one day fill them. There is no restriction to how many people can join an open group, though some churches do “close” groups once they have reached about ten to fifteen members. Once they reach about fifteen members, open groups are encouraged to multiply to make more space for prospective members.
Pros:
- Open groups provide a large “front door” to the church. Many people who would not visit a Sunday service will attend a small group with a friend.
- Open groups involve every church member in the mission of evangelism and outreach.
- Open groups provide flexibility within a small group ministry—each small group is unique and can find the format that works best for their group.
Cons:
- Many find it difficult to create deep relationships in a group that is consistently growing or multiplying.
- Groups that grow too large can become social gatherings rather than centers of discipleship.
- Because open groups are low commitment, they often inspire transience rather than rooted relationships.
Is this for my church?
Open groups are a great solution for a variety of issues in a small group ministry. If your church is growing faster than you can create new groups, open groups can make a place for everyone. If you church feels insular and you want members to focus outward, open groups can inspire evangelism and outreach. If the non-Christians in your community are unlikely to visit your church, open groups provide a low-commitment, accessible “front door” for them to encounter Christ.
Description: Closed small groups are made up of a limited number of individuals (typically around eight to twelve) who focus on building deep friendship, trust, and accountability with one another. As a result, closed groups tend to create communities of honesty, trust, and meaningful care.
Pros:
- Closed groups focus on individual discipleship and anticipate spiritual growth.
- They provide an extra layer of care, allowing group members to meet each other’s needs and pray for one another.
- Closed groups often feel like families, where everyone is fully known and loved.
Cons:
- Because closed groups are tightly regulated, it can be difficult for new church members to get involved in a group.
- Closed groups can become insular and cliquish, ignoring the outward focus of evangelism.
- Groups must be actively shepherded to guard against false teaching and aberrant expectations within groups.
Is this for my church?
Closed small groups provide powerful solutions to the problems of disconnection and surface-level discipleship. Churches looking to create a deeply-rooted, committed community would benefit from this model. Even churches in transient communities—like military bases or college towns—can greatly benefit from closed groups. Though members will only be in your church for a short time, they were fully known and cared for while in your congregation.
Description: Cell groups move the life of the church from a church building and into smaller units of five to fifteen people. While all the cells operate under centralized leadership and gather for corporate worship, each cell functions like a microcosm of the larger church spending their time in worship, edification, personal discipleship, and evangelism. As a result, some cell groups are mistaken for house churches. Just like biological cells, cell groups grow and multiply organically, transferring church DNA from group to group.
Pros:
- Cell groups elevate the importance communal discipleship.
- Cell groups shift the onus for evangelism and discipleship from pastors and programs to individual Christians.
- Because each group is charged to embody the function of the church, cell groups create a strong culture of discipleship across a congregation.
Cons:
- Cell groups can quickly make a church feel like a fragmented community.
- There can be an expectation for group leaders to be lay pastors and shepherds with cell groups.
- Oversight of groups can be difficult, particularly in guarding against and correcting bad theology.
Is this for my church?
Cell groups are a good solution for churches looking to shift from a small group program to a communal rhythm of life. Every member is charged with embodying the life and mission of the church, encouraging growth much like we see in new church plants. Because cell groups often function as decentralized churches, they can be a huge benefit to congregations in post-Christian cultures.
Description: House churches are similar to cell groups in that the small group is the basic unit of the church. However, house churches move one step further, making each cell an independent church. While some house churches may organize under common elders and gather for corporate worship, the pastoral responsibilities all fall to the house church leader. As a result, the larger church often functions as more of a network than a singular body.
Pros:
- House churches create high levels of trust, intimacy, and accountability in groups while cutting out the majority of the overhead costs of running a church.
- House churches often closely model the early church and its ideals.
- House churches allow for rapid church planting and multiplication.
Cons:
- House churches often struggle to find elder oversight, making them susceptible to poor teaching and bad theology.
- Being disconnected from the resources of a centralized church can limit the ministry opportunities for house churches.
- Requiring lay members to be pastors can easily lead to burnout and leader turnover.
Is this for my church?
In cities and situations where the cost of buildings, staff, and events are too high for a church, it may make sense to employ this model. Rather than building a centralized organization, elders can focus on coaching and supporting pastors as they lead and multiply churches. House churches have also proven to be an effective means of evangelism and church growth in post-Christian contexts.
Description: Affinity groups are transformative, turning simple interest groups into spiritual communities. Rather than being organized around life stage or location, affinity groups assume that people prefer choice when it comes to community. Members can connect with groups based on interests or hobbies and build relationships with those who share their affinities. Groups grow and shrink depending on interest, allowing for flexibility and creativity in group creation.
Pros:
- It is easy to start new groups and fellowship is quickly built around shared interest and experience.
- Affinity groups provide easy evangelism opportunities for non-Christians who share similar interests.
- These groups draw out church members’ passions and skills, focusing them to discipleship.
Cons:
- Because affinity groups are built around an affinity, discipleship can easily become a secondary or ignored purpose in groups.
- These groups can inspire competition. Expect groups to fight for church space, congregational communication (emails, announcements, etc.), and members.
- Because these groups are temporary by nature, they can fail to inspire deep relationships.
Is this for my church?
Affinity groups are an excellent option for churches who aren’t looking for small groups to be their primary method of discipleship but want to increase the connection within their church. If done with intentionality, affinity groups can give members a vision for how their gifts can build the church and contribute to God’s kingdom work.
Description: Neighborhood groups are built on the idea that the strongest community is built through sharing ordinary life with others in close proximity. By forming groups based around geography, this model makes it easy for group members to spend spontaneous time together outside of the formal group time. In addition, neighborhood groups focus a group’s outreach to their locale and galvanize them to meet those needs alongside their neighbors.
Pros:
- Geography-based groups remove the “commuter” mentality and provide convenience to busy church members, particularly those with young families.
- They offer opportunities to spontaneously interact with group members in their day-to-day activities and create a sense of present community.
- Evangelism and service become local issues to group members who share schools, public parks, grocery stores, and neighbors.
Cons:
- Neighborhood groups severely limit choices for small group attendance. A small group meeting at an inconvenient time can cause a member to be excluded from your small group ministry.
- Geography-first grouping can overlook affinities and life stage—two important factors that often help people connect with one another.
- The rigid application of this model can inhibit the connection and relationships within a group, especially if a group member moves to a new neighborhood.
Is this for my church?
If many of your members commute to church and find it difficult to connect with other members, if you want to help your members to take more responsibility for outreach to their spheres of influence, or if you want to foster casual and spontaneous Christian community, this model may be right for you. When your members understand the heart behind this model, it can be an exciting way to foster community.
Description: Missional groups intentionally focus on fulfilling the Great Commission. Each group is strategically placed to reach and love the lost by evangelizing a specific group of people or to serving a particular need in their community. The goal of each individual group can either be decided by the group or dictated by the church to fulfill its mission and vision.
Pros:
- Missional groups are outwardly focused, energizing members to share their faith and actively use their gifts to love others.
- This model can be light on content and curriculum, making group meetings easier to prepare for.
- Missional groups actively meet the needs in their cities, often positioning churches as an indispensable resource in their community.
Cons:
- Because missional groups are so active in their communities, burnout is more common in group members and leaders.
- Missional groups can overemphasize our efforts, leading to a works-based view of group members because of their consistent service.
- Young families find it difficult to join missional groups—it can be difficult to find family-friendly service opportunities.
Is this for my church?
If you are in a largely non-Christian context, missional groups are a great way to demonstrate the love of Christ to your community. Maybe your church wants to serve and build relationships with local refugee or immigrant populations. Maybe you want to prioritize evangelism to spread the gospel across your city. Maybe the youth in your city need Christian role models, options for after-school care, and tutoring. Your groups can meet the spiritual and physical needs of your community.
Description: Sunday classes or Sunday school is a traditional model of groups that primarily focus on teaching or Bible study. Groups meet on Sunday before or after the Sunday service on the church campus to walk through books of the Bible, topical studies, or life-stage-specific content. Classes can vary in length but typically last a semester or year. Churches that use this model either divide the congregation into classes by life stage or offer a catalog of classes and allow members to pick their Sunday class.
Pros:
- Groups don’t have to worry about scheduling meetings or finding meeting space.
- Sunday school is an intentional way to educate Christians and deepen the biblical literacy of your congregation.
- Sunday classes offer many opportunities for leadership and teacher development.
Cons:
- Finding qualified and skilled class teachers can be more difficult than finding leaders for other group models.
- In this model, community and relationships are secondary to education.
- Sunday school can feel more like institutionalized learning than discipleship.
Is this for my church?
If you want to increase the biblical and theological literacy of your congregation and make meeting together easy, Sunday classes can be an excellent model to adopt. Since your congregation has already blocked off Sunday mornings for church, you can also use that time and meeting space to help your people grow in wisdom and knowledge of God.
Description: Table discussions are a more informal, welcoming model for groups. Typically, this model works in tandem with church events—men’s or women’s Bible studies, a lunch for young mothers, etc.—where a large group listens to a teacher, then divides into tables where a leader facilitates conversation. Tables can be assigned or open, making this model a good “front door” to the church.
Pros:
- Table discussions are easy to join and a good way to meet people, especially for new church members.
- Table groups can be integrated into many existing ministries, lowering the threshold for churches to start groups.
- This model can be used evangelistically, welcoming people curious about God into a church community.
Cons:
- Because table groups revolve around other ministry events or teaching, the small groups can seem to be a secondary emphasis of the church rather than a priority.
- Due to their informal nature, table discussions often do not form groups that last after the event ends.
- Table groups have a limited amount of time to discuss large topics. As a result, conversation can often be cursory or shallow rather than deep and vulnerable.
Is this for my church?
If you are looking for an easy way to introduce your church to small groups or simply want to integrate small groups into your existing ministry events, table discussion is an excellent model to adopt. Splitting large groups into tables will help your members build friendships and have spiritual conversations with others.
Description: Host groups are primarily defined by the way they are led. Hosts are not responsible for the spiritual development of their group. Rather, a host simply facilitates the group meeting by providing a meeting space and working through predetermined curriculum. Some churches will work to train hosts into spiritual leaders of their groups, but leadership ability is not as important as willingness when it comes to finding hosts.
Pros:
- Lowering the bar for group leadership allows for more groups to form quickly.
- Hosts are allowed to grow into leadership roles that fit their gifts.
- Churches can determine the curriculum groups work through rather than hoping leaders will find quality studies.
Cons:
- A lack of leadership can lead to problems like supporting bad theology, appointing leaders not ready for the responsibility, and expanding a groups ministry too quickly.
- Churches that employ the host model may find that groups fall apart as quickly as they are created, creating a “rollercoaster” of creating and rebuilding groups.
- Host groups are dependent on the quality of the curriculum they are given.
Is this for my church?
Many growing churches find that they cannot start groups fast enough. The host group model can allow your church to expand your ministry while you work to develop new leaders in your church. If you feel confident you can train and resource your hosts, this model can help make space for everyone in your church to find their place in a small group.
Description: Organic small groups are a reaction to rigid small group models in favor of creating community more naturally. Group leaders primarily focus on creating circumstances where relationships can form—dinners, game nights, cookouts, etc.—rather than facilitating conversation, going through curriculum, or meeting particular discipleship goals. While groups are largely unstructured, organic groups seek to create Christian community in ways that make sense to the leaders and their group members.
Pros:
- Organic groups can feel more accessible to new Christians or people curious about Christianity.
- Less structure allows group leaders to minister in accordance with their gifts and passions.
- Pressure is removed to join a group as members are simply allowed to make friends.
Cons:
- Lack of structure often leads to a lack of purpose and accountability in organic groups.
- Loose encouragement to join a group can lead people to opt out of small groups altogether.
- Moving from a “hang out” to intentional discipleship can feel jarring and unnatural in organic groups.
Is this for my church?
Many churches that utilize organic groups minister in contexts where “traditional” church models commonly fail. If your groups model is not working and you want to remove the pressure from your small groups, you may want to consider this model. It is also a model worth trying if you are a young church that hasn’t yet identified or developed any leaders. Alternatively, you might consider groups hosting an organic meet-up once a month or quarter to create space for friendships to form while maintaining some traditional structure.
Description: Support groups exist to give hope and healing to people in your church. Whether they cater to people with substance abuse, focus on breaking patterns of habitual sin, or help those with mental health issues, support groups meet specific needs with the love of Christ. Because of their focus, support group leaders and ministers are often highly trained and experienced in psychology, counseling, and recovery.
Pros:
- Support groups meet a particular need in churches that is not often discussed in sermons and that many small group leaders are not equipped to address.
- Many support groups walk through existing curricula or programs (AA, Celebrate Recovery, Steps, etc.) created by professionals, allowing churches to rely on proven methods.
- Support groups often become powerful evangelistic ministries.
Cons:
- Support groups are built for a segment of your church population and are not a viable model for church-wide small groups.
- This model requires experienced leaders to run individual groups, making groups difficult to start.
- Support ministries can be very effective, but time-consuming. Many churches find they need a staff member to focus on their support ministry to run it effectively.
Is this for my church?
While this model is not a solution for churches looking to get everyone in a group, it is a great way to offer true hope and healing to your community. If you want to serve those with addictions, trauma, and mental health issues in your community, support groups may be a good option for your church.
Description: Cell groups move the life of the church from a church building and into smaller units of five to fifteen people. While all the cells operate under centralized leadership and gather for corporate worship, each cell functions like a microcosm of the larger church spending their time in worship, edification, personal discipleship, and evangelism. As a result, some cell groups are mistaken for house churches. Just like biological cells, cell groups grow and multiply organically, transferring church DNA from group to group.
Pros:
- Cell groups elevate the importance communal discipleship.
- Cell groups shift the onus for evangelism and discipleship from pastors and programs to individual Christians.
- Because each group is charged to embody the function of the church, cell groups create a strong culture of discipleship across a congregation.
Cons:
- Cell groups can quickly make a church feel like a fragmented community.
- There can be an expectation for group leaders to be lay pastors and shepherds with cell groups.
- Oversight of groups can be difficult, particularly in guarding against and correcting bad theology.
Is this for my church?
Cell groups are a good solution for churches looking to shift from a small group program to a communal rhythm of life. Every member is charged with embodying the life and mission of the church, encouraging growth much like we see in new church plants. Because cell groups often function as decentralized churches, they can be a huge benefit to congregations in post-Christian cultures.
Description: House churches are similar to cell groups in that the small group is the basic unit of the church. However, house churches move one step further, making each cell an independent church. While some house churches may organize under common elders and gather for corporate worship, the pastoral responsibilities all fall to the house church leader. As a result, the larger church often functions as more of a network than a singular body.
Pros:
- House churches create high levels of trust, intimacy, and accountability in groups while cutting out the majority of the overhead costs of running a church.
- House churches often closely model the early church and its ideals.
- House churches allow for rapid church planting and multiplication.
Cons:
- House churches often struggle to find elder oversight, making them susceptible to poor teaching and bad theology.
- Being disconnected from the resources of a centralized church can limit the ministry opportunities for house churches.
- Requiring lay members to be pastors can easily lead to burnout and leader turnover.
Is this for my church?
In cities and situations where the cost of buildings, staff, and events are too high for a church, it may make sense to employ this model. Rather than building a centralized organization, elders can focus on coaching and supporting pastors as they lead and multiply churches. House churches have also proven to be an effective means of evangelism and church growth in post-Christian contexts.
Description: Affinity groups are transformative, turning simple interest groups into spiritual communities. Rather than being organized around life stage or location, affinity groups assume that people prefer choice when it comes to community. Members can connect with groups based on interests or hobbies and build relationships with those who share their affinities. Groups grow and shrink depending on interest, allowing for flexibility and creativity in group creation.
Pros:
- It is easy to start new groups and fellowship is quickly built around shared interest and experience.
- Affinity groups provide easy evangelism opportunities for non-Christians who share similar interests.
- These groups draw out church members’ passions and skills, focusing them to discipleship.
Cons:
- Because affinity groups are built around an affinity, discipleship can easily become a secondary or ignored purpose in groups.
- These groups can inspire competition. Expect groups to fight for church space, congregational communication (emails, announcements, etc.), and members.
- Because these groups are temporary by nature, they can fail to inspire deep relationships.
Is this for my church?
Affinity groups are an excellent option for churches who aren’t looking for small groups to be their primary method of discipleship but want to increase the connection within their church. If done with intentionality, affinity groups can give members a vision for how their gifts can build the church and contribute to God’s kingdom work.
Reflect
Questions to Consider
- Is there any way we can refine or streamline our chosen models and group logistics?
- Are our groups meeting the needs of our church members?
- Where are people getting too comfortable in their spiritual growth?
- What aspects of our groups are creating the most transformational growth? How might we highlight and increase that aspect of our groups?
- What are the gaps in our adult discipleship? What could we adjust about our groups to fill those gaps?
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