Small Group Leadership

If you are an aspiring or current small group leader of other Christians, how can you develop in that role? Below are six suggestions that will help you develop as a small group leader for years to come. While our development as small group leaders takes time, God is faithful to empower us and provide us with everything we need to care for his people.

1. Establish or reestablish your own habits of Bible reading and prayer. If you prioritize the Word and prayer in order to know God better, that is precisely how and where you will lead others. If you don’t, then how and where are you leading them?

2. Get connected and stay connected to your church’s leaders. If you lead a small group but don’t have a small group coach, then ask your church leaders to help you find one, whether one of the pastors or otherwise. If you do have a small group coach, then meet regularly so that you can address challenges you are facing, receive encouragement, and, most importantly, pray for extended periods of time. Having regular meetings will not only help you receive the support you need to lead effectively, but it will help you align your group with your church’s vision for small groups.

3. Read and reread How to Structure Your Time with Other Christians, ideally with your small group coach. The questions I list there will get answered one way or another, whether intentionally or by default, so be intentional and prayerful as you think through the purposes and structure of your group.

4. Be a lifelong learner regarding how to help people through their Suffering, Temptation & Sin. As a small group leader, if you create an environment where people feel comfortable being honest and open about their lives, their pain and struggles with sin will surface quickly. The resources on that page will help you to become a student of the problems people face.

5. Be a lifelong learner of Preaching & Teaching the Bible and Interpreting Bible Passages. Remember that one of your primary responsibilities as a small group leader is to help others understand and apply God’s Word.

6. Study the resources below, for they explicitly equip small group leaders.

Leading a Small Group

*Leading Small Groups by Chris Surratt (1): A clear, practical guide on how to lead a small group.

Making Small Groups Work by Henry Cloud & John Townsend (1 or 2): Similar to the previous book but with a greater focus on the way Christians relate to one another.

*Leading Small Groups with Purpose by Steve Gladen (2 or 3): The author explains how we can pursue these purposes as a small group leader: fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship.

Leading Life-Changing Small Groups by Bill Donahue (2 or 3): A comprehensive and balanced guide for leading a small group.

Leading a Small Group Ministry

*Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders by Bill Donahue & Greg Bowman (2 or 3): The best resource available for training individuals to coach (or mentor) small group leaders.

*Activate by Nelson Searcy & Kerrick Thomas with Jennifer Dykes Henson (2 or 3): This book outlines twelve “Big Ideas” to help us rethink our approach to small groups, and it also presents a practical system for implementing a small group ministry.

Small Groups with Purpose (2 or 3) and Planning Small Groups with Purpose (2 or 3) by Steve Gladen: These two books explain how to create and implement a “purpose-driven” approach to small group ministry.

Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry by Bill Donahue & Russ G. Robinson (2 or 3): A comprehensive guide for starting and leading a small group ministry.