Groups Leader Podcast

6: When Your Group is Big

• Episode 6

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In this episode, Kurt Garceau, Jake Rosekopf, and Jermaine Sheppherd talk about some of the practical upsides and downsides of having a big Community Group, as well as tools and skills for Community Group Leaders to utilize to make sure their group is healthy, vibrant, and growing.

EPISODE NOTES:

Community Groups at Vox Church, on average, range from 5-20 people.

Upsides of a big Community Group:

  1.  Increased chances of connecting with someone who is like you. 
  2. Increase of different life experiences and perspectives so people can learn and grow more.  
  3. Increase of opportunity to do fun things with a big group. 
  4. Increase of opportunity to meet each other’s needs. 
  5. Increased opportunity to develop future group leaders. 
  6. Increased community between members outside of the group.  

Downsides of a big Community Group:

  1. Potential for a lack of space.
  2. Potential for a lack of participation.
  3. Potential for a lack of shepherding.
  4. Potential for a lack of attendance.
  5. Potential for a lack of childcare.

Practical Tools and Skills:

  1. Subgroup - Start your group time together for fellowship, worship and if you have a video to show for the Bible Study.  Then break into multiple groups  (subgroups) during your discussion time. We suggest breaking up by gender and in groups of 8-10 for greater participation and deeper discussion. Make sure you have a sub-group leader prepared for discussion. (This is a great tool to actually find future group leaders) Come back together at the end of the discussion time and someone report from each group the highlights of their discussion.  Pray to end the time together. 

  2. Multiply -  Recruit more leaders to take on more leadership roles within the group, or develop another leader who can either launch his/her own group, or take a small part of the group and start a new one. Be proactive instead of reactive, and you'll never let your group become “too” big. 

  3. Split up responsibilities - What a great way to relieve the burden for a few people to do all the work required for a big group. This will create teamwork, a spirit of serving, and more committed group members who feel a part of the group.

  4. Recognition/communication of the size of the group needs talked about every so often. This will give people an opportunity to speak up if they believe the group is getting bigger than they are comfortable with. There are options! (Subgroup, multiply)

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details