If you feel moved to start a small group, we encourage you to follow that call and we are here to help! Pastor Arne and Pastor Kendra are both great resources for bible studies, as well as many other group types. They are able to provide theological guidance, recommend authors, and much more. Also, Jason can help you market your group and find members. Spend some time thinking and reflecting on what you'd like the group to be, read the page below, and then come in and talk to us.

 

Pastor's Office Hours

Mon - Thurs, 8:30am - 2:00pm

Sunday: before or after service

 

Questions to Ask As You Design the Group

  • What need does the community have that you can help fill?
  • What kind of group is this: a bible study, a fun fellowship group, a service-oriented group?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • What is the content of the group? What specifically will you be doing or studying? A book, the gospel reading of the week, a guided study?
  • Where and when will you meet? Regular and reliable meetings are extremely important to success and retention.

 

Other Tips and Pointers

  • Pray: whatever the group does, the Lord should be at its center. So, pray on a regular basis for guidance and wisdom.
  • Personally invite people: the best way to encourage someone to attend a group is the extend an invitation personally. Saying to someone, "hey we have this group Thursday evenings that talks about the upcoming week's gospel and I'd really love it if you could come", is much more effective than simply putting an ad in the bulletin.
  • Encourage co-leadership: everyone that participates in the group will feel a sense of ownership, so give them a say in the direction of the group, the activities, etc.
  • Come to the Other Service: if you always attend the same service, you only see about 30-50% of the church. Come to another service a few times and invite unfamiliar faces to join you.
  • Pray Again: open and close each meeting in prayer, regardless of the activity you are doing.

 

Ready to Submit Your Group?