DSMN 630-B02
Small Group Ministries
Dr. Andy Gowins
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Sabrina Mawyer
February 17, 2019
There are several starter steps that must be taken in order to start a small group. The first
step to starting a small group is to organize a group of individuals who will make up the small
group. There are many different ways to find the people who will comprise the small group. The
best and most effective way to establish a small group is through prayer. Small group leaders
should pray and ask the Lord to guide them to the people who belong in the small group. A small
group leader typically has a lot of connections within the church and can personally invite people
to join the small group. Small groups can consist of members who are invited from the church,
work, within the leader’s own family or the neighborhood in which they live. Once the small
group is established, a group covenant should be formed. The group covenant covers the
expectations and responsibilities of the small group members.
It is essential that a small group that is just starting up keeps the focus on building
relationships. The small group should come together as a cohesive loving body of believers.1 All
members of the small group including the leader must focus on building community within the
group. However, the small group leader must lean into and embrace all aspects of their
leadership role. The bulk of the initial small group meetings should center around lessons and
activities that focus on strengthening relationships. Group members must build friendships and
come to a place of trust with one another before they will feel comfortable sharing their deep
thoughts with each other.
A group covenant is an important aspect of a small group. Successful small groups will
have a group covenant that outlines the rules and the purpose of the group. There are several
covenants that are found in the Bible which God used for promises. A group covenant provides
1 Jeffrey Arnold. (2004). The big book on small groups. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 73.
accountability for the group member.2 The group covenant is something that all members of the
small group have a hand in making. The small group covenant is used to address several things.
There are four important questions that the group covenant addresses: who we are, what we do,
how we interact, and who does what.3 The small group should include covenants of prayer,
priority, outreach, growth, openness, multiplication, availability, confidentiality, accountability,
and love.4
The group covenant addresses the issue of who are we. This question is often answered
within the daily goings of the small group, however some of the identity issues must be set when
the small group is formed initially.5 This covenant should identify the type of small group, who is
allowed to participate in the group, the expected attendance of the small group members, who
will be allowed to join the small group as it grows and how that joining will happen, and the
general logistics of being a small group which includes the whereabouts and timing of the
meetings, who is in charge of snacks and who is in charge of childcare.6
The group covenant also addresses the issue of what we will do. This question highlights
how the group plans to utilize its time. This part of the group covenant includes inward, upward
and outward movements. The small group will begin by being focused on getting to know one
another and forming relationships (inward) and engaging in a Bible study (upward). The small
2 Ibid., 67.
3 Ibid., 68.
4 Rod Dempsey. (2015). Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Small Groups, 1st Edition. [MBS
Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/MBS1867516/
5 Jeffrey Arnold. (2004). The big book on small groups. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 68.
6 Ibid., 68.
group will eventually stretch beyond themselves by doing service projects in the community
(outward).
The group covenant addresses the issue of communication of what are the ground rules.
Ground rules concerning communication are essential for ensuring that Christ-centered edifying
speech occurs during the small group meetings.7 There can be many ground rules concerning
communication. Some of these rules include making sure there is no gossip about people both in
and outside the small group, allowing everyone to have the same amount of time to speak,
honesty, not belittling group members for what they said and keeping conversations confidential.
The final element of the group covenant will address the issue of who will do what. It is
essential that every member of the small group has a role within the small group. This aspect of
the covenant defines which member of the small group will be in which role. By having this part
of the group covenant, it is less likely that there will be conflict over the group roles, especially
leadership roles.8 The group roles that are found in the covenant should include the group leader,
an apprentice leader, a group host, someone who leads prayer, and other roles.
There are several different types of small groups. These types include the home group,
discipleship group, ministry group, special needs group, affinity group, and house church. The
home group is a small group with a broad focus that gathers for community building, personal
growth and multiplication.9 The ministry group is a small group that focuses especially on
ministry and evangelism. The ministry group focuses on community outreach and evangelism
7 Jeffrey Arnold. (2004). The big book on small groups. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 72.
8 Ibid., 72.
9 Jeffrey Arnold. (2004). The big book on small groups. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 77.
efforts. The special needs group is a small group that focuses on relational and emotional
healing. The affinity group is a group that gathers together based on a common interest or
characteristic. An affinity group could be a group of young mothers, a group of students or a
group of men who work together. The discipleship group is a very small group that is focused on
mentoring and spiritual growth. The home church is a type of group that functions just like a
church but is held in a home. This type of group engages in full worship service and fellowship
times.10
I plan to start an affinity small group in my home. I am a mother to four small children
which will make it easier to engage other mothers with small children to join a group. The focus
of the group would center around all of the issues that naturally arise from raising small children.
This type of small group would be beneficial to all members with regards to being supportive,
providing a listening ear for emotional healing and being engaged in relationships at a time in
our lives that can be very isolating.
10 Ibid., 80.
Bibliography
Arnold, Jeffrey. The big book on small groups. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.
Dempsey, Rod. Leading Healthy, Growing, Multiplying Small Groups, 1st Edition. [MBS
Direct]. 2015. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/MBS1867516/
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