Leading Effective Small Groups

Growing Your Local Fellowship

If we remember that the OCF purpose is to unite officers for fellowship and outreach and that our vision is to see a spiritually transformed military; and if we recall that the Bible Study is not an end in itself but a means to carrying out the Pray and Obey – both nationally and locally – then a single small group hardly seems adequate to meet these objectives.

One element of a transforming effect on the military society at your installation should be a network of small groups. This network provides opportunities for more people to be involved, more leaders to gain experience and specific units to be targeted. It also lays a larger numerical foundation for other special events and establishes a "critical mass" which serves to encourage believers.

Believe it or not, the most difficult local fellowship to lead and maintain is the single small group fellowship. It always seems to hover on the verge of disbanding with the next set of PCS moves. Furthermore, it keeps the leadership base small so that a few people have to cover all the needs and interests. People wear out when that happens. On the other hand, people are rejuvenated when they are a part of a growing, dynamic, Christ-centered fellowship.

Don’t let your lack of vision or selfish clinging to a group of close friends cause you to be shortsighted in your vision of ministry. Don’t be overly concerned with whether or not you can lead the larger fellowship. If you plan to grow right from the start and take the intermediate steps of developing new leaders, you can expect God to help provide the assistance you need. See this as a step of faith and be alert to see the ways God will provide. This is the kind of faith that pleases God and encourages the believer.

There are some practical issues you will need to consider as you embark on this vision. Let’s list several with the hope that you will see possible solutions rather that overwhelming obstacles.

1. From the start, think in terms of two leaders per group. It is likely that the very group of which you are a part began with two key individuals.

2. As your group expands, think in terms of having/developing four key individuals. They do not need to be equally qualified, but should have basic qualifications (to include a vision) and a willingness to assume responsibility. If along the way, you took upon yourself most of the responsibilities, you will have burned a bridge in front of you. Not only will people not become trained through experience, they will think that they have to do everything just like you did everything. You are unique and important. But don’t try to become indispensable!

3. If the two key people in your primary group are close personal friends, address this issue early on so that the closeness does not become a hindrance to dividing and multiplying. There are plenty of other opportunities for close friends to get together.

4. Avoid the temptation to move to a bigger structure (home or chapel) only to make it possible for you can grow bigger and stay together in one study. If moving to a bigger home allows you to meet together for singing and refreshments but affords the opportunity to have two separate studies in different parts of the house/building, this can be an advantage and a half step to overcoming opposition to dividing the study. Doing so still has a major drawback in that you are not expanding through the use of different nights or different geographical locations.

5. You should have a growth plan. This should grow out of a Pray and Obey. Having an overview plan which you can refer to as you implement the plan should remove some objections or at least reveal them for what they are – shortsightedness or selfishness.

6. Take advantage of new, experienced OCF members arriving in your area to grow the number of small groups. They may start out immediately as a new group or come to your group for a few weeks with the full intent of branching off with the parent group providing at least prayer support.

7. If you have significant people or numbers in your group who resist the division, consider simply finding two or three couples willing to do so and have a commissioning service for them. Send them out with your blessing.

8. As you review the format of your study – day, topic, childcare, etc – be alert to opportunities to divide along important differences. Don’t view this as stubbornness on the part of some; see it as God giving you an opportunity to divide and multiply. There certainly is a biblical example in the sense of Paul and Barnabas.

9. Do plan to bring the groups together. This may be frequently at first and naturally settle into a more reasonable schedule as new relationships replace or augment old ones.

10. With multiple studies, institute Leaders’ Team Meetings if you haven’t already done so. This will keep the plan before you, offer an opportunity to coordinate and provide a forum to assist in the training of new leaders so that the process continues.