Leading Small Group Programs

By Doug Franklin August 18, 2009

There is no question, small groups are an incredible tool for discipleship. But, where small groups break down and become ineffective is when the leadership of the program is weak. So leadership becomes the engine of a powerful small group program. Are you with me so far?

When small groups are firing on all cylinders, there is a person mentoring, guiding, equipping and encouraging the small group leaders (SGL) all year. We call this person a coach. The problem is that most small group programs don’t have someone acting like a coach. Instead, they have a person in charge of getting enough SGL for the year and that’s where the job ends. The goal is not to “get them” but to help them become transformational in the lives of the small group members. A strong coach walks the road with SGL’s equipping and encouraging as they go. Don’t abandon your SGL’s, stick with them and help them grow.