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As the summer months approach, many small groups tend to take a break or slow down their activities. With vacations, family gatherings, and outdoor activities, it’s easy to see why the rhythm of small group meetings may be disrupted. However, I want to challenge you to consider the importance of staying connected as a community during the summer. By staying connected, you will:
- Deepen Relationships
Summer is a season of connection and community. By staying connected as a small group, you have the opportunity to deepen your relationships with one another. Plan social gatherings, barbecues, or outings to enjoy the warm weather together. These relaxed settings provide space for authentic conversations, shared experiences, and the building of lasting friendships. It’s during these informal moments that strong bonds are forged, and trust is developed.
- Support Members During Life’s Transitions
Summer often brings transitions in life, such as graduations, job changes, or moves. By staying connected, your small group becomes a support system during these times of transition. Celebrate milestones together, pray for one another, and provide a network of care and encouragement. Life’s changes can be challenging, but having a small group community to lean on can make all the difference in navigating these transitions.
- Engage in Service Opportunities
Summer presents unique opportunities for small groups to engage in service and outreach. Look for ways to serve your community together, such as organizing a neighborhood clean-up or volunteering at a local charity. Use the summer months to shine the light of Christ through acts of love and service. By staying connected, you can make a greater impact, extending God’s love beyond the walls of your meeting space.
- Embrace Flexibility
While the summer may bring challenges to your regular meeting schedule, it also offers the opportunity for flexibility. Embrace this flexibility by adapting your meeting format to accommodate vacations and other commitments. Consider meeting outdoors, hosting virtual gatherings, or exploring alternative meeting times. By embracing flexibility, you create an environment that allows everyone to stay connected and involved, regardless of their summer plans.
Staying connected as a group during the summer months is a decision that matters. Don’t let the summer months be a pause button on your spiritual journey; instead, view it as an opportunity for growth, connection, and outreach. Let your small group be an example of what it means to live in authentic community throughout the entire year.
Do you remember when church small group leaders gathered together for training and encouragement? Well, those days are back! Lifeway has partnered with The Small Group Network for a brand new in-person groups conference called “Align.” Align is a one-day conference that will help you learn the Small Group Ministry essentials. This training is designed […]
After a year and a half of days and months seemingly blurring together during the pandemic, a lot of us are starting to see the light at the end of the lockdown tunnel—and just in time for summer. Summer (hopefully) means more fun time spent with family and friends. Kids are home from school, and […]
Bob and Crystal were a really nice married couple who joined our small group. At the first gathering for the semester at a restaurant, Bob seemed to jell with the guys, and Crystal jumped right in with the other women in their conversations. I was excited about what this new couple would contribute to the […]
Remember when “murder hornets” were the biggest thing we had to worry about in 2020? With all that’s taken place in the first nine months of this year—COVID-19, lockdowns, racial injustice, protests, political tensions—it feels like we should all just take a beach vacation for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, that’s not possible for […]
We’re talking a lot about health in our current environment, and rightly so. There have been over four million cases and 146,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States alone. Monitoring and taking care of our personal health is vital right now. In the same way, church leaders need to monitor and invest in the […]
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of the word “system” is: “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.” We’re sometimes afraid of systems in the groups world because we feel community is supposed to happen organically, not through an organized scheme. But at its core, a […]
After we have experienced genuine biblical community in a small group, the thought of anyone leaving that community is very hard. We want to keep what we are experiencing for as long as we can. But the mandate to continue making disciples is clear. The only way to make room for more people to start […]
One of the most common questions I receive from church leaders is: “How do we make our church a church of small groups instead of a church with small groups?” For clarification: A church of small groups is typically not program driven. They’ll have the basic ministry options of worship, kids, students, missions, and groups. […]
We are now going on several months where screen captures of Zoom meetings have become the new selfie. In this time of social distancing, a lot of our social contacts are through a camera lens and a video screen. In so many ways, we should be very thankful for the technology that has allowed us […]
On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Dan Darling and Trillia Newbell about the new small group study: The Church and the Racial Divide. Daniel Darling