This is Part 2 of the Construction series on Thursday Leadership Lesson. Last semester, we talked about laying a solid foundation. This semester, we are focusing on the skills and resources needed to build teams, ministries, and groups. It’s about making disciples.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus instructs us to make disciples. Not find them. But make them. That means there is some assembly required. One of the first steps in the assembly process as you construct your small group is to assemble your team. It would be silly to try to build a house by yourself, and it feels kinda silly to not have many people at your group. I know this from personal experience since my first small group leadership experience consisted of a grand total of 2 people at the first two months’ worth of meetings. Those two people included my co-leader and myself. We wound up watching the Muppet Show on many group nights.
Step One: Invite
Obviously, the first method of recruitment is the Discipleship Atlas. You pick a creative and catchy name, include the fun picture of your leadership team, and offer all of the amazing reasons for a person to join your group. But the Atlas is not your best recruitment method. It’s only the first step– getting your group on someone’s radar screen. Or their reticular activating system, as Pastor Mark would say. The next thing you should do is actively recruit people for your group. Think about the people who are already in your sphere of influence– at your workplace, at your gym, in your neighborhood, involved in your extracurricular activities– and invite them. Set a goal to meet at least one new person at church this weekend and invite them. The groups that grow the best are the ones that grow because a leader reached out and made a personal connection. Don’t just rely on the church welfare programs of Atlas and announcements. Actively invite people to be a part of your group.
Step Two: Assign Roles
A good leader can do everything. A great leader will do very little. Delegation is one of the most powerful tools of good group construction. Delegation is a smart leadership move. But more importantly, it’s also a Biblical move. 1 Corinthians 12 tells us that we are all part of the Body of Christ and have a unique role to play in it. Delegation is part of discipleship. It’s about giving each person in the group the opportunity and freedom to be and play the part of the body of Christ that God created them for. Delegation helps you as the leader concentrate on leading. It helps the individuals in the group grow in their gifts. And it helps the whole group function in the optimal way that God designed his body to function.
Think about who in your group could play the following positions in your small group:
- Meeting hosts
- Snack providers
- Prayer request recorder and emailer
- Prayer group leader
- Group informational emails
- Group service project planning
- Group social activity planning
- Preparing and cleaning the meeting space pre- and post- meeting
Think in terms of spiritual gifts. What roles could people with the following gifts play in your group?
- Mercy
- Hospitality
- Administration
- Leadership
- Teaching
- Worship
- Healing
- Prophecy
- Shepherding
- Encouragement
- Helps
As you help direct people into roles, each person begins to take ownership of the construction project, and they place themselves in a position of allowing Jesus to build them, as living stones, into his temple (1 Peter 2:5). This is the first step in group construction and disciple-making.
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