Running an effective small group ministry is a lot of work. There are many details that are involved with keeping things organized and running efficiently. Once your group is up and running, the biggest challenge is proper communication. Can we get an amen? Pastors and leaders should already know the importance of communication to the church body as a whole. There is nothing that can cause issues in a church more than lack of communication. In the good ole days, a newsletter, bulletin, church website, or pulpit announcements were enough. Not today – we now live in a tech savvy culture where instant communication is at our fingertips in multiple forms. So, what should a church strategy look like today, especially as it relates to a small group ministry?
There are several things to consider when it comes to a communication strategy with your small groups. Basically, you will want to set up some general guidelines for all your groups, but then allow your leaders to customize to their particular group. Here are several things to consider to help your church grow with good communication in your groups:
1) Have someone on staff or a strong layperson lead this initiative and monitor its progress to measure its effectiveness.
2) Be willing to make adjustments within each group for maximum success. Each group will be unique and your willingness to bend the rules to meet the communication needs of the groups should yield great results.
3) Cater the communication to the needs of the group. Sometimes you can have too much information being sent to people who don’t want it. Give the group members choices to receive or limit as much info as they would like.
4) Be careful of too much automated communication. Small group ministry draws people closer to one another. Personal communication is an important piece to the dynamics of your group. How one feels about being part of something unique and special as you do life together goes a long way of keeping them hungry for more.
5) Leverage technology by connecting with your group anywhere at any time. The tools available today make it real and attainable. This instant access when utilized properly can help your group maintain that closeness even when you are not together.
Small group ministry continues to evolve, but the two key components that will keep it successful in the future is the need for growth in Christ and the need for community. For more tips, best practices, PLUS how Realm – a powerful new approach to church software – can help you build a solid communication plan, check out “Grow with Good Group Communication.”
