International Graduate School of Leadership

Steve Hobson

Church Health
*Session 15 & 16

CORE FUNCTIONS:
Effective Structures & Comprehensive Small Groups
Overview:
The Church . . . as the Body of Christ has a skeleton to support and protect her life giving organs.
. . . as the Vineyard of the Holy Spirit provides nurturing environments for Christ-abiding fruitfulness.
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.

By the end of this session you should be able to.....

Explain several roles that organizational structures play in church life and how to keep them effective.
Describe the five stages of group development.
Discuss the six key questions related to setting up a small group ministry.

Sources: Egli, Jim. "The Powers and Pitfalls of Small Group Models." http://www.churchleaders.com/smallgroups/smallgroup-articles/137629-the-powers-and-pitfalls-of-small-group-models.html (accessed Jan 2, 2012)
Hirsch, Alan with Darryn Alt. The Forgotten Ways Handbook: A Practical Guide for Developing Missional
Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2009.
McBride, Neal F. How to Lead Small Groups. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1990.
McIntosh, Gary L. Biblical Church Growth: How you can work with God to build a faithful church. Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker books 2003.
McIntosh, Gary L. and R. Daniel Reeves. Thriving Churches in the 21st Century: 10 Life giving Systems for Vibrant
Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Pubilications, 2006.
Miller, Darrow L. with Marit Newton. LifeWork: A Biblical Theology for What You Do Every Day. Seattle, WA:
YWAM Publishing, 2009.
Pardue, Frank. Functional Structures and Small Groups unpublished class notes, for Church Health class.
International Graduate School of Leadership, December 5, 2006.
Rainer, Thom S. Breakout Churches: Discover How to Make the Leap. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.
Rainer, Thom S. and Eric Geiger. Simple Church. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishing Group, 2006.
Schwarz, Christian A. Natural Church Development: A Guide to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches.
Carol Stream, IL: ChurchSmart Resources, 1996.
Seemuth, David P. How Dynamic is Your Small Group? Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1991.

Introduction:
CASE STUDIES:

Exodus 18:13-27; Mk 6:39-40 (Luke 9:14)

How do you see ministry structures and small groups interacting in these case studies?

Review:

(They answer the question _____? We find guidance for them in _____ ?
Identity

Functions

Forms

Systems

Question:
Found in:
The church is a system involving interrelated processes of life/growth (organism - relationships) as well as
processes of order/structure (organization - task).

---------------- EFFECTIVE

STRUCTURES ----------------

Ministries Have Different Kinds of Structures.

A. Infrastructure of groups and programs - that should create a healthy system (organization/organism)
1. Church Paradigms/Systems Traditional, Meta, Cell churches
2. Ministry group Large group + small groups + one-on-one
B. Organizational roles positions (organizational authority) and relationships (personal authority)
1. Church governance models (minimal, episcopal, presbyterian, elder rule, congregational)
2. Organizational chart (advisory board, policy group, leader, paid staff, volunteer workers, etc.)
3. Key people with personal authority and influence relationships (age, gifting, status, clans, etc.
C. Decision making policy, practice, and communication - the way things get done
1. Formal written guidelines, rules, procedures, values (by-laws, constitution, policies, etc.)
2. Non-formal oral traditions (remembered lessons from the past, precedents, wise experience, etc.)
Effective Structures Contribute to SYSTEMS That Supports/Enhances Spiritually Life-giving Ministry.
Resource stewardship/coordination/tracking of: people, materials, money, facilities, information, etc.;
Effective Structures

Ineffective Structures

Groups/programs

Organizational roles

Personal authority folk

Decision making

Other

Principles for Effective Structures (Forms)

Effective structures reflect a servant-steward approach to leading and guiding ministry, utilizing resources for
Gods purposes. Structures aid in the management of ministry (doing things right, efficiency) to enhance the
leadership of ministry (doing the right things, effectiveness).
A. They serve and support a life-giving ministry process, the disciple making people flow
- a life transforming, equipping, mobilizing to service, multiplying movement catalyst.
B. They readily change and adapt to the needs of the disciple making people flow.
B. They are as small/simple as possible (minimize meetings) while accomplishing their purposes.
C. They express/reinforce ministry values.
D. They are ended when outdated when their purpose/function is not longer needed.
2

---------------- COMPREHENSIVE

SMALL GROUPS ----------------

What structures provide the best place for these commands to be lived out most effectively?
Rom 12:10

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Eph 4:2,32

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love... Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Gal 6:2

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Eph 5:21

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Col 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1Thes 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Heb 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not
give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

>> Intimacy/accountability for personal growth in knowledge/head, attitude/heart/character, and skills/hands.

New Testament churches met in homes.
SCRIPTURE passages that talks about small groups and their lives together: Acts 2:42-47; Acts 5:42 (the early
church meets at the temple and from house to house), Romans 12:10, Ephesians 4:2,32 5:21; Galatians 6:2,
Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25 and James 5:16.
Lydia (Acts 16:40); Priscilla and Aquilla (Rom 16:3-5; 1 Cor 16:19); Philemon (v. 2); Nympha (Col 4:15)

Clarifying the purpose of a group is essential to evaluating its functioning.

Comprehensive A. In terms of holistic personal growth (head, heart, hands) carrying on various ministries
and functions of the church (Heb 10:24,25; ).
B. In terms of different kinds of groups linked into a disciple making people flow.
Healthy Small Groups involve some amount of . . .
The amount of each component varies
according to the purpose of the group.

Love, Support

Decide, Consider

Learn, Grow

Do, Serve, Reach out

Kinds of small groups can be seen in the church infrastructure diagram. Each can serve a purpose in the overall
life of the church, contributing to the disciple making (equipping) people flow (see next page)
1. Evangelistic/Outreach small groups focus on building trust, answering questions, clarifying the gospel.
2. Fellowship/Support groups focus on belonging, encouragement, relational support, addressing needs.
3. Ministry groups (such as missions & social action) task oriented group reaching out to peoples needs.
4. Decision/Policy making small groups task oriented group that implements structures and systems
supporting all other ministry functions.
5. Nurture, Equipping, Training Bible study small groups groups focused on maturing people their walk
with the Lord, in ministry skills, in Christ-like character.
6. Leadership Development small groups Intensive training with high accountability, for developing for
emerging leaders in their faith-walk, leadership skills, character depth, wisdom & discernment.
7. Prayer groups taking on a focus of mutual support, encouragement, and general church intercession;
OR "front line" focus on church renewal for the sake of godliness, power, impact.

Love, Support

Learn, Grow

What kind of groups are these?

(see list above

______________Group

Decide, Consider

________________ Group

Do, Serve, Reach out

________________ Group

Small groups move through several predictable stages. (adapted from McBride 1990, 44-53)
Forming Groups begin by learning about each other and being in a group.
Storming Members recognize the differences of the others in the group. It takes time to learn about and
understand each other. Sometimes it means negotiating over differences, dealing with
disappointments, adjusting expectations.
Norming The group sees the potential power of working together. People make commitments to stay
with the group. Confidentiality, acceptance, affirmation grows.
Performing Community begins to be a reality with honest feedback, growing love, sensitivity,
accountability and support. Members use their gifts, mutual edification occurs. Group may take on
ministry outside of group, or bring in others.
Reforming, Transforming, or Deforming Depending of the vision of the group, it may: a) grow and
multiply by dividing into two new groups; b) members begin their own groups; c) wrap up after a
designated time commitment; d) maintain with various renewal points; e) grow stale and die.
4

Setting up a small group ministry requires answering several key questions:

(another big question is who decides on these issues?)
1. Purpose of the group:

How do groups fit into our understanding of "church"?

What is the desired outcome of the small groups?
How to balance the love, learn, decide, do components?
Will the group grow through evangelism and divide into 2 grps?
Will the group challenge group members to form new groups?

2. Content of the group meetings:

Discuss the sermon?

Use a study guide designed by the church or other?
Watch and discuss videos?

3. Time issues:

How often & how long are meetings? Stop for summer?
Is the purpose of group fulfilled in mtgs or all week shared life?
Will the group have a target date to end?

4. How group leaders are raised up:

Volunteers? Recruited and trained?

One time class? Ongoing training/supervision/coaching?
Only through mentoring within a group by a senior leader?

5. How to gather people in the group:

Geographic by residence?
Affinity (common interests)?
Relational networks (common friendships)?
Recruited?

6. New people (and non-believers)

Will the group accept new people? If so, specific window?

Will non-believers be welcomed?

Jim Egli - Observations & cautions re small grp ministry models: (based on study of 3000 small groups in 200 churches)
1.
2.

3.
4.

5.

All models look like the ultimate solution when you are reading a book or attending a conference and listening to
the person that designed it! None of them are.
Realize that many books outlining small group models are written very soon after the model is first envisioned.
Very seldom do the books outline a model that has stood the test of time. In fact, it is common for the books to
propose things that are not yet tested but are only theory at the time the book is written. (This is amazing but
very true!) By the time you pick up a book and start implementing its concepts, the model church may have
already abandoned certain parts of the model.
Any model will work for about 10-18 months.
Some things that work great in the short run actually work against long-term success. (Example: lower the
qualifications for small group leaders in order to increase the number of groups. Recruit hosts that know how to
work a VCR or DVD player.) But long-term growth in small groups requires committed leaders, a thoughtful
leadership development strategy and an integrated support system.
As helpful as small group books and conferences are, too often the fail to clearly tell you the things beyond the
basics that are essential to long-term success, which are dynamic leadership meetings, quality training and
proactive coaching.

"My research . . . findings clearly demonstrated the most important factor for long-term success with small groups: the
participative coaching of small group leaders. Churches need coaches who are actively encouraging their leaders and
groupsmeeting personally with small group leaders, praying for them and visiting their groups. When this is
practiced in a local church, the small groups excel in all dimensions. Prayer, loving relationships, focused outreach
and leadership mobilization are present in abundance. In other words, if you want your groups to consistently reach
upward toward God, inward toward one another, outward toward the unchurched world and forward in group
multiplication, you must have proactive coaches helping your leaders and groups." (Egli 2011)

A COMPLEX INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LARGE CHURCHES (Not all parts are for every church!!)
(Note: the infrastructure is NOT the same as the organizational chart/structure! Dont confuse them!)

5.
Leadership Community

Pastor casts vision

Leaders are equipped
Leaders coordinate in subgrps

4.

Not direct part of

equipping system

Covenant
Group

Task,
Decisn or
AdmnGrp

High accountability
Ministry skill development
Character develpmnt environment
3.

Trainings:
Classes/Seminars
Retreats/Events

- More commitment
- Planned content study, cycled through calendar
- Equipping, practical need meeting study

Open
Cell
Special
Needs

Closed
Cell

- More commitment, smaller

- Intimacy & Accountability grow
- Moves to closed group

B
2.

Like Subcongreg, but more commitment to mutual ministry

Deeper need based affinity, yet open support group

A
Affinity Group or
"Sub congregation"

Bridging
Events

- Fellowship & Affinity around basics,

- Medium sized, low commitment, open

Transition (Evangelism, Entry to sub-congregtn or specl needs grp, or cell)

Short term events, Felt need meeting but casts vision for ongoing group life
1.

Celebration

Inspiration, warmth, joy

Unity & Godward focus
Open to all, seeker sensitive

Evangelistic Open!
Cell Grp
Warm welcome for seekers.

Outreaches events, community service, network of personal

relationships & witness, compassion & need-meeting ministries