Small Group Leaders are a part of a unique tribe of people. People who lay down their lives to serve other people. Men and women that are constantly serving by opening up their home, driving conversation, and encouraging others. Small Group Leaders don’t do this for the glory, they do it to glorify the maker and creator.

The most highly overlooked part of being a small group leader is not getting together with other small group leaders. It is critical for small group leaders to get together at least every few months to realign on the vision, to providing some equipping, and learn from and address challenges other leaders are having. Without this edifying and encouraging time small group leaders can get burned out, confused, and frustrated. Those attitudes lead to them not leading a small group in the future. So to keep small groups healthy, you need to have healthy small group leaders. It doesn’t take much, as this group of individual are usually smart, loving, and depend on the Lord. Just spending a couple hours together a few times throughout the year is usually enough to help them feel equipped and encouraged. 

This equipping and encouraging time for small group leaders is usually done through a small group leaders meeting. In this article, we will cover the purpose, agenda, and tips on how to have successful and fruitful small group leaders meeting so that the leaders are excited to keep marching forward on this work that will have eternal rewards. 

1. Purpose – Encourage & Equip

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together; as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

The purpose of small groups is a help and support people develop their faith and understanding in Christ.  Small groups should be a place that encourages growth in faith. Small groups do this through reading and studying the Bible, praying, and having fellowship together.

The purpose of a small group leaders meeting is to encourage leaders and equip leaders. Let’s walk through a typical leader meeting agenda and see how this can be accomplished. 

The benefit, or fruit, of this, is people who love God more through study, accountability, and encouragement. This bond of fellowship changes the way people view the church from a building to a body of believers. This participation in the body of believers reduces the number of people who leave and potentially fall short of what God could have accomplished in their lives. 

2. Align vision

We want small groups to support the church, not become a para-church. I remember the first time someone explained that to me. It really opened my eyes up to the fact that sometimes our ministry efforts don’t align with the church vision. It’s so easy for us as sheep to wander away from the fold as we pursue our own good ideas. These leaders meetings are a great opportunity to realign leaders. It’s a great idea to have someone from church leadership present. They can not only act as leadership support but also to help keep ministry efforts inline. These church leaders should know what the church vision is. Often each ministry within the church should be directly supporting this vision. Take this time to realign the goal of small groups to the vision of the church. If there is any discrepancy, now is a good time to identify that and work on it.

When the ministry does fit into the church vision, it’s a wonderful thing. Use this time to remind leaders what the vision is and what a strategic role they play. Encourage them on the criticality of their role and what an eternal impact there serving will have on God’s kingdom. 

3. Leader Purpose

This is a great transition into reminding everyone what their purpose is this vision by fulfilling the role as a small group leader. The question we should be asking is, how can leaders do the best job of fulfilling the purpose?

1. Live as an example

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1

Live out an authentic life for Christ. Next, live that out in front of people. Be who you are created to be, and let others be around. This is something that is so often overlooked by leaders. Leader view value at a different level. We consider what would be ‘great’ for us to learn, and then try to provide that package to others. When in reality leaders are looking for things that are not the same as the people around them. Leaders are often more mature and have already dealt with and worked on the challenges that face the others that surrond them. 

Personal Story

This is a story a close friend shared with me years ago. It is not my story, but it has impacted me deeply and apply the wisdom from it. 

My church friend Ted decided to reach out to underprivileged young man and spent time investing in him.  Let’s call the young man Scott. Ted would pencil off part of his schedule each week and spend time with Scott. He asked if he wanted a formal mentorship and Scott atreed. Ted would prayerfull and carefully plan the agenda of their time together. He would think about the lesson he was sharing, the practicality, and how he could equip Scott to apply this to his own life. This continued for about three years. One day Ted’s wife asked Ted to invite Scott over for dinner before they’re time together. Scott agreed and joined Ted, his wife, and their five children for dinner. At the end of their multi-year mentorship, Ted asked Scott of all the things they talked about and coverd, what was the most impactful and meaningful to Scott. 

Want to guess what Scott’s answer was?

Scott shared that he honestly didn’t remember much specifically from the three years they spent together, except for one thing. That one evening he got to join Ted and his and family for dinner. Scott shared how deeply that impacted him. He never had seen what a loving family looked like. He never had seen a family share a meal at a table toghter, encourage each other, and laugh together. He never had seen what a healthy marriage looked like. After that evening, he knew that is what he wanted and he was willing to depend on God to make him into the man that could someday love people that way. 

2. Serve

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

The role of a small group leader is to serve people. It’s to facilitate the small group. In no other context has the word ‘leader’ been more understood. The title leader exemplifies the servant leadership that Jesus performed. In what ways can we better serve our small group?

3. Be Missional

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Be on mission for the lost. Be ready with an answer when someone asks you the reason you have hope. Be in social circles that you can impact others for the mission God asked us to do. 

4. Protect

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. “

Acts 20:28-30

This is probably the hardest thing a small group leader has to do. Protecting in love requires discernment and prayer. But there will be times when there is sin in your small group. There might be times when people are in your small group that shouldn’t be. It will be hard, and uncomfortable, but deal with it so that you protect the members that truly want to grow in Christ.

5. Commitment to the Word

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Acts 20:32

Show that you trust the Bible as the ultimate source of truth. Refer to it. Open it, read from it. Go to the Bible for questions that come up in small group. 

6. Loving 

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Encourage small group leaders to more than love people only when they are at small group. Leaders should be great shepherds and love their flock at all times. Here are some practical ways leaders can do that:

• Plan a small group activity
• Invite people to your group!
• Know intimately what/ how to pray for them

4. Teaching

Leaders love learning. Often times leaders show up to teaching events that are not specifically created with them in mind. Often leaders just come so they can encourage others and support other leaders or teachers. It’s very rare that leaders have an opportunity to be taught on more mature topics, and specific relevant topics. Meeting as just ministry leaders provide a very special and unique opportunity that should be taken advantage of.

Take fifteen to twenty minutes to either provide some teaching or ask someone else to provide some teaching. There are so many topics that can be beneficial to this group of servants. Consider one of the following:

1. How to pray powerfully for your small group

2. How to deal with high needs people

3. How to tell if someone is saved

4. When to escalate issues to leadership

5. When to say ‘No’ to giving

6. How to deal with conflict

7. Opportunities available for training

8. Most common issues they see leaders deal with

9. How to help people with marriage issues

10. How to say hard things

In addition, this is the perfect time to recommend leadership material and resources like seminars, videos, and books that are specific to this type of church member. 

5. Challenges

There should be an opportunity for small group leaders to share what issues and challenges they are having within their small group. This isn’t a gossip, or negative speak opportunity. It can be focused on the problem, or getting to the root of the problem. And then leveraging the wisdom, prayers, and experience others leaders have had to help so that it can benefit them. 

Small group leaders desire this safe opportunity to share and get advice on key issues. These issues could be preventing more personal growth or deeper fellowship. To have key partners to share with and get a platform for feedback is extremely valuable and appreciated. Without an opportunity like this at a small group leaders meeting, they would have to initiate and reach out to a pastor. Often times this feels too big of a deal, and would rather handle it more quietly and passively. If the opportunity doesn’t present itself, often these issues will remain unaddressed.

6. Encourage

Even though leaders tend to be self-sufficient and independent, they still really appreciate encouragement. It’s a Godly thing to do to encourage leaders.

We see Paul encourage the churches. One specific example is when Paul encourages Timothy with a charge to remain faithful after Paul departs (1 Timothy). 

Use this opportunity to encourage small group leaders. Tell them how important their role is. Look for specific examples that you can charge them to remain faithful. 

7. Social / grow bond

Small group leaders share a common blood. They have all bled. They have all endured time in the trenches of listening, serving, feeding (physically and spiritually), and giving. The uniqueness of this role and the character required cannot be understated. 

Have them look around the room. These are their brothers and sisters. They share something in common. Encourage them to get to know one another more at a deeper level so that they can be there for one another and support each other when times are challenging. 

Agenda

A typical agenda for a small group leaders meeting looks like this:

1. Pray
2. Introductions

This should be their names, their small group name followed by a summary of what subject material their group is using, the size, and who’s in it. 

3. Review purpose

4. Align with Church vision

5. Review Small Group Leader Mission and Purpose

6. Teaching

7. Discuss Challenges

8. Encourage

9. Socialize

10. Next Meeting Schedule

Summary

Small group leaders are special type of person dedicated to serving and loving others as they pursue growth in the Lord by reading the Bible, praying, and participating in fellowship. This is a hard role. It can be supported by getting leaders together once in awhile and encouraging them and equipping them. 

Hopefully this article spurred some ideas on how you can do this, or equip other pastoral leaders to do this. Pastors love encouraging ministry leaders. Invite them to lead this out for you and share what’s on their hearts. 

The church is more than a building, it’s the body of believers. This is the bride of Christ. Help prepare her, it is worthy work.