Let me set up the whole concept of small groups with a particular Scripture. One of the most oft-quoted scriptures when it comes to evangelism or reconciling people to Christ is Proverbs 11:30. It says that he who wins souls is wise.
Now that Scripture can be taken to mean that:
a. the one who wins souls is smart, or
b. the person is doing a smart thing by winning souls, which I think we would all agree with.
But I think it can also mean that the one who has wisdom, moves in wisdom, and lives in wisdom will be able to win souls. The Hebrew word for wisdom literally means skill. So, if we were to insert that word “skill” into the verse, it would read, “He who wins souls has skill.” Meaning- it takes a degree of know-how, of skill, of knowing what to do-to actually see people’s lives change.
Odds are, the writer of this verse in Proverbs was not talking about winning people to Jesus- after all, Jesus hadn’t been born yet, so the likely interpretation meaning of the word “wins” is more along the lines of influence, particularly towards Godly morality and away from foolish living (perhaps the main theme of Proverbs).
So, another way of looking at the Scripture is this:
The one who influences souls towards God possesses skill.
Or, if you’d like, here is the Modern, bottom line translation: It takes skill, know-how, and wisdom to influence people’s lives.
One of the greatest ways to see that happen is in the context of a terrific, life-changing small group.
Having a terrific, life-changing small group is one of the great joys of campus ministry. Having a lousy, shrinking small group is one of the great drudgeries of campus ministry.
So how do you, to coin a phrase from a popular book, go from good to great? Here are three main thoughts.
- Define the purpose of your small group.
One of the greatest mistakes small group leaders make is trying to make it a one size fits all group. If you’re trying to have a co-ed outreach cell small group Bible study discussion group fellowship oriented discipleship time approach, odds are, you’re likely to fail, and at the very least, never grow.
Before you ever start, think about what the purpose of your group will be. Will it be a Bible discussion group for guys? Will it be a Bible study for girls? Will it be a co-ed topical discussion group? Having clear purpose for your group will help you stay on track and help the other members know exactly why they are there, especially so they in turn can know what they are inviting someone else to.
- Have clear goals.
If all you’re trying to do is get people together once a week for an hour, that’s an OK start. But you’ll never see the kind of growth and relational depth that you really want. Here are four suggestions:
- make it your goal for every member of your group to go through the purple book or One-to- One or another foundational tool outside the confines of your group.
- Make it your goal for your small group to get together at least once, if not twice a semester. Have everybody over to your place for dinner. Go see a movie or go bowling. Go to your school’s football or basketball game together. Something that will deepen your relationships outside the confines of your group time.
- Consider doing a group service project at least once a semester. Don’t underestimate the powerful effect that serving others together will have on you and your group. Serving other is a spiritual experience, and having this element of shared experience will deepen and grow your group.
- Start and end on time. There’s nothing worse than communicating what the time parameters of your group or meeting will be and then totally blowing them off. Be sensitive to the time constraints of your students’ schedules. If everyone wants to stay over and talk some more, than great- just communicate the group time is officially over. Plus, if you pull the plug in the middle of a great discussion, they’ll realize that something good was actually going on, and they’ll look forward to next week- kind of like a good cliffhanger in a book or TV series.
- Build each member personally.
Spend time with each member one-on-one outside the small group time. Meet each student for lunch once a week or every other week, where you can really get to know each person’s background and life story. Take turns picking the place to eat- that way, each of you will put a little thought into where you go and you’ll feel like you’re sharing life and personal interests with each other. This is where you can also implement a degree of accountability if you have introduced the purple book to them and they have agreed to go through it.
Whenever you show up, have something that will build that student’s life or walk with God, wherever they are. Videos or DVDs that you can lend make powerful tools. Pastor Rob Bell’s Nooma videos are a terrific tool- they’re about 12-15 minutes apiece and can be lent out and then returned the next day and discussed. It’s amazing –students have a hard time reading their Bible for 15 minutes but will watch a 15 minute video like it’s nothing- take advantage of that mentality and make it work for you. You can buy those at nooma.com or download them off iTunes. They’re a bit pricey but absolutely make a worthwhile investment.
If you’re a married man, bring those single guys cookies or something your wife made. Most of the students you’ll meet with are living away from home- and therefore Mom- and a little homemade TLC will go a long way. Ladies, bring them a nice devotional book or something similar that can both create warm fuzzies and break down spiritual walls.
A CD of great Christian music from a group or band that really ministers to you will make a great reference point of discussion and get them listening to -and therefore thinking about- something besides Britney Spears or T-Pain.
At the end of the day, most students in your small group will buy into you before they buy into Jesus or your campus ministry- if they can see that meeting with and hanging around you grows them and changes them into a better person, they may just consider following the one you are following. You will have won their trust, created buy-in to the goals of the group, and hopefully made a great relationship in the process. You’ll enjoy your work and they’ll reciprocate what you initiate.
So again, define the purpose of your small group. Have clear goals, and build each member personally. You’ll watch each person- and your group-grow as you invest.
Having a great small group is a highly effective means of building community and discipling students. But, great small groups don’t happen by accident. They take time, intent, prayer, and consistency. With some hard work and clear vision, your small group can be one that grows and multiplies.
Our prayer is that you would grow in your leadership capacity, your walk with Jesus, and your ability to draw others to Him.
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