# Small Groups With Purpose ![rw-book-cover](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51DasRAPFSL._SL200_.jpg) ## Metadata - Author: [[Steve M. Gladen, Rick Warren (Foreword)]] - Full Title: Small Groups With Purpose - Category: #books ## Highlights - I always tell new attenders at Saddleback, “You will not really feel connected to Saddleback until you join and participate in a small group.” ([Location 89](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=89)) - It is impossible to feel truly connected to a crowd, even if that crowd is only fifty people. Crowds are great for worship, but they simply cannot provide personal attention, encouragement, prayer support, a listening ear, and accountability. I need those things. So do the people of your church. So do you. ([Location 91](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=91)) - As you look at your life story, where do you see the hand of God? ([Location 259](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=259)) - Is there anything you are clinging to that might be a hindrance to God moving you into a new direction? ([Location 262](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=262)) - 1. Bold Faith, Not Cautious Planning From the beginning, when Saddleback Church was just a dream in the heart of twenty-six-year-old Rick Warren, bold faith has always taken precedence over cautious planning. “Very little of Saddleback’s ministry was preplanned,” Rick writes in his book The Purpose Driven Church.[2] Instead, Rick followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and quickly responded to circumstances surrounding him. ([Location 305](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=305)) - 2. Purpose Driven Groups, Not Special-Interest Groups In his book The Purpose Driven Church, Rick writes, “We don’t expect each small group to do the same things; we allow them to specialize.”[5] That was in 1995. As time went by, we began to learn more about two groupings of people we have at Saddleback: small groups and specialty groups (see figure 2.1). Groups of people who meet around special interests or ministries of the church are strategic, but they are not trying to balance the five biblical purposes (fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship) to create healthy individuals and groups. ([Location 341](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=341)) - at Saddleback we expect every small group to focus on health through balancing the five biblical purposes: fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship. We call these purpose driven small groups. ([Location 352](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=352)) - I suggest that rather than beginning with what your church has always done, start by asking yourself what kind of people you are trying to produce. Then begin exploring what delivery system would be best for fulfilling that outcome. ([Location 372](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=372)) - 3. Effective, Not Perfect Our small group ministry strives to be effective, not perfect. We never let problem solving get in the way of a decision that must be made. Our biggest strides have been made by pulling the trigger on ideas at the right moment, not by agonizing over every possible scenario that could go wrong. ([Location 374](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=374)) - Ecclesiastes 11:4, which says, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done” ([Location 376](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=376)) - 4. Intentional Focus, Not Flavor of the Day In order for a small group strategy to be successful, a church must know how it will define success. Everything we do in the small group ministry falls under our vision and mission. Our vision is the reason we are here: to see every person, from the core of our church to the ever-growing community, connected in a healthy small group. Our mission is what we do: we help spiritual seekers become transformed believers who model purpose driven lives and motivate others to do the same. ([Location 388](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=388)) - Too often, small group point people focus more on getting people into small groups than on defining the purpose of the small group ministry. ([Location 397](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=397)) - If someone asked you what your church’s plan is for connecting people into small groups, could you articulate it clearly? Better yet, if I went to your church and asked some of your key leaders, could they articulate the strategy? How about the members of your church? Could these people describe the process that people go through from the time they walk in your door as guests in the worship service to the time they are plugged into some kind of small group? Does everyone in your church know the process your church has developed to facilitate placing people into small groups? If you do not have an intentional focus and strategy, a lot of your people will walk in the front door to attend the worship service and then go their own ways to do ministry. Or worse yet, they may slip right out the back door, never to be heard from again. ([Location 402](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=402)) - 5. Leadership Potential, Not Proven Leaders If you wait for perfect people to lead your small groups, you’ll be waiting until Christ’s return. You don’t need all-star, supertrained small group leaders to create a successful small group ministry. All you need is people who are willing and obedient. Remember, God doesn’t call the equipped; he equips the called. ([Location 417](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=417)) - Prior to coming to Saddleback, my small group strategy was to fully equip leaders through training before actually allowing them to lead. At Saddleback I worked with a team to develop a different strategy. The idea is to give people an entry-level opportunity to lead a small group. They don’t have to be seasoned veterans of the faith. They don’t have to be experienced leaders. We have made it very simple for people to take a first step into leadership. ([Location 422](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=422)) - 6. Simple Systems, Not Complex Structures I have become convinced that the long-term success of leaders is determined by the support and resources they receive. ([Location 430](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=430)) - If you are going to ask people in your church to step up and take the risk of leading, shepherding, and giving pastoral care, it is vital to provide resources and support for them. ([Location 437](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=437)) - No matter how good your small group strategy is, though, your growth will be limited unless you have an infrastructure to support it. At Saddleback we look for small group leaders who are natural in caring for people to begin training for broader leadership roles. We then develop and support them through our Small Group Leadership Development Pathway (this is discussed in detail in chapter 13). This pathway helps them understand the ministry, teaches them how to recognize God’s call in their lives, and then trains them in head and heart fundamentals so they can be even more effective in the ministry. The Small Group Leadership Development Pathway provides the support our leaders need by building an infrastructure of volunteer community leaders (leaders of leaders) to develop, guide, and encourage our small group leaders. ([Location 438](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=438)) - Some people believe every small group should receive equal care. At Saddleback, however, we have found that not all groups are equal, so we believe in strategic care, not equal care. Some groups have very mature leadership. Some groups are brand-new. Some are full of baby Christians. Others have been liberally sprinkled with challenging types of people. Of course we love them all, but we shouldn’t put the same effort and attention into them all because some will need more and others will need less. We have found that equal care can actually hinder leadership development and health. ([Location 444](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=444)) - 7. Churchwide Alignment Saddleback was the first church to use the campaign strategy— uniting the entire congregation around a single, multiweek DVD study that is executed through the weekend services and small group gatherings. ([Location 450](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=450)) - Small groups are not optional at Saddleback. Our job applications clearly state, “If you accept a position on the staff, we expect you to be active in a small group.” This book will explain how you can influence not only your staff culture but also your church culture through ministry alignment and making use of all of your avenues of communication. ([Location 456](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=456)) - 8. Growth by Campaigns, Not Disrupting Community Small group ministries live in constant tension between fellowship and evangelism. We want small group members to develop deep relationships, but we also need to integrate new people into groups. Many churches handle integration of new people by asking existing groups to add new members or to break up and multiply into two or more smaller groups so they can add new members. All too often the result is that group members resent the intrusion, and a frustrated small group point person has to try continually to sell a concept to the small groups that they simply do not buy. We have found that it is better for all concerned to start new groups than for existing groups to multiply. ([Location 459](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=459)) - So how do we integrate new people? In short, through campaigns. We have grown to more than 3,500 adult small groups by using campaigns to launch new groups each year. Since 2002, campaigns have increased small group participation at our church from 30 percent to 120 percent—seriously! Since 2004 we have had more people in small groups than attend our weekend services. Rather than taking energy from… ([Location 465](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=465)) - We also do not subscribe to the theory that a small group needs to be kept at an optimum size. Some people are just natural gatherers. They start out with a few people in their small group and then keep inviting others until quite soon they have… ([Location 468](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=468)) - We believe ratios are more important than size, so through subgrouping we help maintain ratios of attendees to leaders at optimum levels so that participation and group health are not jeopardized. In other words, we tell our small group leaders they can grow their group as big as they like and we’ll show them how to foster an… ([Location 473](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=473)) - 9. Empowered Group Members, Not Passive Spectators One of the questions we are always asked is, where do you find leaders? We have discovered tomorrow’s leaders are today’s group members. As we begin to share ownership and rotate leadership through the natural flow of group life, we find our best potential leaders in this setting. This is also… ([Location 476](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=476)) - 10. Master Teacher Curriculum, Not Leaders as Bible Masters People often are reluctant to become a leader because they have limited biblical knowledge and/or limited time to prepare for group meetings. One of the things we learned through our campaign strategy was that providing an easy-to-use, DVD-based curriculum takes a huge load of responsibility off the shoulders of the small group leaders. Providing a video-based study in which the virtual master teacher leads the group through the study at the beginning of the group session proved to be a win/win for us and the hosts, who merely had to facilitate… ([Location 479](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=479)) - How is your small group ministry unique? What are the characteristics of your church or ministry that… ([Location 488](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=488)) - In one sentence, write down what you are trying to accomplish with your… ([Location 490](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=490)) - What is your system for developing leaders in your church? ([Location 497](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=497)) - What is your system for developing small group leaders? ([Location 498](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=498)) - What is your strategy for connecting people into small groups? ([Location 500](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=500)) - What resources and support do you provide for your small group leaders? ([Location 501](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=501)) - Small groups were foundational to the early church, but what did they do? As we examine this question, we can begin to develop a plan for our own small group ministries. The answer is given to us in Acts 2:42–47: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. The small groups described in Acts that met in homes were a strategic part of the greater church, and the Bible tells us these groups were purpose driven groups. Both the small groups and the greater church (all of the believers) focused on all five of the biblical purposes; they fellowshipped, discipled, ministered, evangelized, and worshiped. And it is particularly significant that they balanced the biblical purposes, which is the basis for health. ([Location 519](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=519)) - 1. They Fellowshipped Membership in the body of Christ means we can identify with a family—God’s family. ([Location 534](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=534)) - 2. They Were Discipled and Grew Spiritually The Bible says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). ([Location 541](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=541)) - Doing a Bible study is just one piece of discipleship. Unfortunately, it is often the only piece that most groups accomplish. With intention and focus, however, group members can begin to look at discipleship as not only learning about the Word of God but also living out its truth in every aspect of their lives through the five biblical purposes. They can begin to identify and take their spiritual next step as well as help others identify theirs. ([Location 545](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=545)) - 3. They Ministered to Each Other “They gave to anyone as he had a need” (Acts 2:45). That’s ministry: believer to believer. ([Location 548](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=548)) - 4. They Evangelized the Lost This was their mission: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). ([Location 553](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=553)) - Small groups are a great place to prompt members to begin praying for their neighbors and friends and even planning activities designed for building bridges with those who are not followers of Christ. Evangelism can happen personally, locally, and globally. ([Location 560](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=560)) - 5. They Worshiped “They devoted themselves . . . to the breaking of bread and prayer. . . . [They were] praising God” (Acts 2:42, 47). ([Location 562](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=562)) - We need to work at cultivating times of worship in our small groups during which we focus on God’s presence and express our love through song, prayer, praise, and other experiences. At the heart of worship is surrender, and small groups can help people live out being a living sacrifice. We are told in the book of Romans: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (12:1). Group life encourages transparency among members as they receive the support they need to succeed in their Christian walk. This increased transparency provides the fertile ground for worship to happen. ([Location 565](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=565)) - At Saddleback we use tools called the Personal Spiritual Health Plan and Group Health Plan to help groups begin the process and develop a plan to bring health and balance. ([Location 577](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=577)) - If your church doubled in size tomorrow, could your people still get their needs met in your present care system? Are your small groups a strategic part of your church? ([Location 585](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=585)) - A healthy follower of Christ is: • surrendering his or her heart and life to Christ on an ongoing basis • experiencing fellowship with other Christians • growing in Christ through being and action • discovering and using his or her God-given gifts and abilities • reaching out and sharing the love of Christ with nonbelievers ([Location 603](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=603)) - For us, the target became health through balance. How do we define that? Take a look at 2 Corinthians 4:18, “But we as Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him” (TLB). As we begin to reflect Christ and become more like him, the focus of our lives will shift away from self-centeredness and toward serving him through every area of our life. That is health and balance. ([Location 610](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=610)) - we agreed that small groups are the best environment to produce health through balancing the biblical purposes in each person’s life. Why small groups? 1. They are biblical. As seen in Acts, from the beginning of the church, Christians have gathered together around the biblical purposes to worship Christ. 2. They are convenient. A small group system supplies you with a venue in which it is easy to disseminate information with transformation. 3. They are economical. Small groups meeting in homes do not put a strain on your church building or resources. They are self-sustaining. 4. They are unlimited in size. As your church grows, just add more groups! 5. They are unlimited in reach. Wherever you have people, you can have a small group. 6. They provide accountability. Each member has an immediate support system. 7. They provide a safe environment. Members can explore their gifts and serving possibilities without feeling vulnerable or exposed. 8. They provide focus. If correctly directed, a small group is a collection of people working on common goals—not just one person teaching while the others listen. ([Location 616](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=616)) - Our small group ministry is not just another program. It is an embedded and integrated piece of everything we do as a church. It’s our infrastructure. It’s where care happens. It’s our delivery system for all spiritual formation. It is our method of balancing the biblical purposes and fostering healthy lives. ([Location 636](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=636)) - Define Success on All Levels Every church operates on various levels. Unfortunately, all too often those levels are working against each other. We sought to create alignment—every person and every ministry working to create a healthy church. It’s important that you have harmony through all levels: The Church—church structure and activities get people into groups Small Group Ministry—strives to bring health and balance to all groups Small Group—individual groups balance the purposes for health Individual—balances the purposes in his or her life and heart for health What is the purpose of your church? Do you have vision and mission statements? And if so, are they more than well-constructed words? Are they a reflection of who you are as a church? Do the people of your church know your vision and mission, and are they in agreement with it? The best way to get the people of the church in alignment with its vision and mission is by repeated exposure to them through small groups. In order to accomplish this, your small group ministry vision and mission statements must be in alignment with those of the church. The idea is for everyone to be moving in the same direction—toward a healthy and balanced life centered on Christ. ([Location 638](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=638)) - Our small group ministry vision and mission statements are both in alignment with the purpose statement of the church. Everything we do in small group ministry falls under those two statements. The purpose statement of Saddleback Church is: To bring people to Jesus and membership in his family, develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name. The vision and mission statements of Saddleback’s small group ministry are: Vision: to see every person, from the core of our church to the ever-growing community, connected in a healthy small group. Mission: to help spiritual seekers become transformed believers who model Purpose Driven lives and motivate others to do the same. ([Location 651](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=651)) - Share stories from your own small group experiences. Tell them how much your small group means to you. Vision casting for small groups has to make sense to your people, but for it to be the most effective, it is important to touch their hearts. ([Location 667](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=667)) - Notice that Jesus’s heart broke for an entire city. It is a common mistake for pastors to see their influence as limited to the members of their church. It is also a common mistake for small group leaders and even small group members to see their influence as limited to their small group. Instead, we must learn to see our responsibilities to the people who live within our sphere of influence in our cities, communities, and neighborhoods. ([Location 683](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=683)) - Have you ever noticed that when you are tuned in to something, you begin seeing it everywhere? You decide to buy a car and you research a certain make and model. Suddenly you see that car everywhere, not because the car is any more popular now than it was before you began your research, but because your eyes are tuned in to that car, so you notice it. Imagine if the people of your church were tuned in to the “harassed and helpless” (Matt. 9:36), whether that means the Christian sitting next to them in a small group meeting or the nonbeliever who works behind the counter at their favorite coffeehouse. Imagine if they could see people through the eyes of Jesus. How would it change their interactions with each other and with the world at large? ([Location 689](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=689)) - Your small group ministry will not be any stronger than its leaders, and your leaders will not be any stronger than you. If you aren’t modeling a shepherd’s heart, your leaders won’t buy into the vision. If your heart is not invested in your people, don’t expect them to invest their hearts either. ([Location 696](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=696)) - Sharing the Vision A great way to share the vision of a shepherd for every sheep is by encouraging your leaders and group members to share experiences with new believers and to spend time with nonbelievers. ([Location 699](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=699)) - Every year our small group team members work around a central theme. Why a theme? It helps the team stay focused on an area I feel the Lord is bringing to my attention. Through prayer, fasting, and seeking the Lord, I use the theme to center the team on a particular area we need to shore up to help accomplish the vision. I give them Scripture and a medallion as a reminder of that theme. In addition, we all go through a book together and use our team meetings to discuss that theme and how we might incorporate it into that year’s small group strategy. This might seem like overkill, but I have found we all have short memories. The business of life often derails us, and we lose our focus as we deal with the realities of day-to-day living. To combat that, we leaders must continually keep that vision in front of us, and we must continually keep it in front of our team. (For a list of the themes I have used, visit www.smallgroups.net/themes.) ([Location 726](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=726)) - Your people have to know what the goal is: health and balance. It is not merely getting people into groups, it is transformation. ([Location 733](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=733)) - Purpose Brings Focus Without a clear purpose, your small group ministry will flounder and your small group members will see little value in joining beyond fellowship. Too often small group point people focus more on getting people into small groups than on defining the purpose of the small group ministry. ([Location 738](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=738)) - Once your group leaders and group members have caught and embraced the vision, it’s important to provide direction for their momentum. One of the easiest ways to do this is to provide group guidelines in writing for every group leader. For an example of the small group guidelines that Saddleback uses, see www.smallgroups.net/resources. This lays the foundation for a healthy small group experience and gives the leader an easy way to set expectations and move group members in the same direction. ([Location 772](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=772)) - We recommend our groups go over the guidelines during their first session together. ([Location 778](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=778)) - The duty of the small group point person is to help his or her small group leaders by providing direction and suggestions on how they can create and nurture an environment that is conducive to diving below the surface. Following are some practical ways we at Saddleback encourage our small groups to accomplish this. ([Location 780](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=780)) - Meet in Decentralized Locations We believe meeting off campus rather than in the church building promotes deeper fellowship within the small group. ([Location 783](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=783)) - Encourage Frequency for Health We encourage our groups to meet weekly. ([Location 795](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=795)) - Facilitate Conversation, Don’t Just Teach Figure 5.2 Small group leaders need to move beyond being teachers who dispense information to passive listeners to being facilitators who encourage the exchange of dialogue and discussion among all group members (see figure 5.2). ([Location 799](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=799)) - Let the Bible Be a Normal Part of Their Daily Life Sometimes groups can get to a point where the only time the Bible is shared is in the study part of group life. Encourage group members to make the Bible part of their daily routine, not just something they read for small group study. Encourage your small group leaders to ask simple questions such as, “What verse spoke to you this week?” Just as food is nourishment for our body, the Bible is nourishment for our soul. ([Location 806](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=806)) - Shared Ownership Through our training and verbal vision casting, one of the things we encourage is shared ownership of the group. This begins soon after the group is established through some shared responsibilities. Then it is later expanded when group members become purpose champions—group members who are passionate about one of the five biblical purposes and who then encourage other group members to fulfill that purpose. ([Location 813](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=813)) - Rotate Leadership While one person remains the official leader of the small group, we encourage our small groups to rotate leadership among members. This accomplishes two things: (1) It develops leadership skills in potential leaders. (2) It forces group members to step out of their comfort zone and gives the entire group the opportunity to support that member in doing so. ([Location 837](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=837)) - Attend Services Together Because our church is large and has multiple services, we encourage groups to meet and attend the same service together. We think it is so important that we make it part of our small group guidelines. This helps build community. ([Location 857](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=857)) - Grow through Conflict ([Location 861](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=861)) - Remember, the enemy doesn’t want us to grow closer together and experience true community. So advise your small group leaders to expect the lows, and train them how to use conflict to mature through the tough times. ([Location 872](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=872)) - Minister to One Another When we care about one another and we know one another’s needs, it’s easier to put love into action. We don’t hesitate to help. ([Location 873](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=873)) - Be Lovingly Passionate in Evangelism When we know a small group member is hurting over loved ones who don’t know Christ yet, we are more motivated to pray for them to be saved. It is also easier to invite nonbelievers into a group atmosphere for a social gathering than to invite them to a small group or church. ([Location 897](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=897)) - Go on Mission Trips Together Few things push small groups beyond their comfort zone more than a mission trip. ([Location 917](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=917)) - Encourage Members to Meet Socially An important part of building a healthy small group is extending the sense of community into social settings, which gives group members a chance to see another side of each other. ([Location 964](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=964)) - Share Family History When group members experience genuine community and unconditional love, they become more willing to be honest and vulnerable with one another. When we are part of a true community, we feel safer to talk more openly and share parts of our history that may be painful. ([Location 971](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=971)) - Vacation Together Ephesians 2:19 is a key verse about fellowship. “So you are no longer strangers and outsiders. You are citizens together with God’s people. You are members of God’s family” (NIrV). Godly fellowship enables us to experience true family. We encourage our groups to have parties, eat meals together, go to sporting events, and even take vacations together. ([Location 985](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=985)) - Follow Each Other on Social Media Groups that use social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter create an ongoing conversation with each other. Members know more of what is going on in each other’s daily lives through constant updates or tweets. ([Location 999](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B005BOXOMQ&location=999))