The Saddleback Small Group Difference
The core philosophy of the Purpose-Driven Small Groups movement
| posted 8/11/2008
| Topics: | Campaign, Host model, Infrastructure, Launching, Models, Purpose driven, Strategy, Structure |
| Filters: | Coach, Director, Pastor, Start |
| Purpose: | Discipleship |
| References: |  |
| Date Added: | August 11, 2008 |
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I'm often asked what Saddleback Church does differently in our small group strategy. My answer is, "not one thing." Because, in fact, we probably do several things that many other churches also do. But what has been so interesting is to watch how God uses the combination of many different things to reach people and connect them into life-changing small groups.
This combination of eight key principles is what we characterize as the Saddleback difference.
Purpose-Driven Groups, not Special Interest GroupsOur small-group strategy intentionally deepens the five biblical purposes of fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship into every group. We are far more concerned about healthy groups than the number of groups. Groupings of people that meet around "special interests" are strategic, but are not groups that are trying to balance the five purposes for healthy individuals and groups.
So, while our greeter's small groups (in the Greeter's Ministry) are very important and strategic, those groups don't generally focus on "health" of the person and group, but on greeting people to our campus. You need specialty groups that accomplish individual purposes, but you need small groups to bring "health" to your church.
Good Enough, not PerfectionOur small-group ministry strives to be effective, not excellent. We've made our biggest strides by pulling the trigger on ideas at the right moment, not by over-thinking every possible scenario that could go wrong. I love the passage of Scripture found in Ecclesiastes 11:4: "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done" (NLT). We don't make excellence an idol, and we are not idle because we're waiting for perfection! God wants us to be good stewards of our resources, not good stoppers of every idea.
Relational, not MultiplyingSmall groups need a simple mission. Too often small-group "theory" dictates that groups should be constantly multiplying. These strategies often place too much pressure on an average leader to be a "church strategist" instead of a relationship builder. We help small group leaders relax and use their natural desire to serve in ways that help their group grow closer.
When John and Mary walk in the front door of a small group, they're hoping that someone will be there who will greet them warmly, love them for who they are, pray for their challenges, encourage their growth in Christ, and praise their answered prayers. The last thing they want is those friends they are starting to trust—those people who they now feel ready to open up with—suddenly say, "OK, it was fun knowing you. Let's all pray about the new small groups we are going to start!" Life on life takes time. One piece of iron doesn't sharpen another piece of iron with one brush against it. Iron on iron has to happen many times in order for both to be sharpened.
Growth by Campaigns, not Disrupting CommunitySmall-group ministries live in a constant tension between fellowship and evangelism. Do the people in our small groups continue to grow closer together, or do we ask them to leave those groups so that we can grow the number of groups? What do we do about the people who have just recently joined a group? How long should a group stay together? These are all questions that get considered in every small-group ministry, often proving that there is no light without fire. It is, after all, a delicate balance.
We have grown to more than 2,500 adult small groups at Saddleback Church because we use a campaign to launch new groups every year. Since 2002, campaigns have increased small group participation at our church from 30 percent to 110 percent. We now have more people in small groups than attend our weekend services (on average). And rather than taking energy from our small groups by forced division or multiplication, the campaign approach actually adds energy to groups. There's an excitement to being involved in a church-wide effort.
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