It’s that time again! You know, the time in the summer when your focus turns to fall and starting groups to get women connected in smaller settings. Thinking about planning groups for fall may make you excited or already feel exhausted at the prospect. Or maybe you are completely lined up and organized already! Wherever you fall on the spectrum, this article is for you (except if you already are completely planned and organized—if so, please send in all your ideas for the rest of us!).
There are no set rules or pat answers as to what will work best for the women of your church and community, but there are some things that might help as you get the ball rolling toward fall groups. One of the most important things is to remember there is no condemnation or judgment if you are feeling burned out at the thought of planning for fall. You are a normal leader who sometimes feels tired, and you are not alone. It happens to all leaders, and the key is to not get stuck in that place.
Leading in ministry whether as a paid position or a volunteer can be challenging, so let’s start with some quick tips for enriching your own efforts as you lead.
- Remember the why. As you look to launch new groups, don’t give in to negative thinking. Remember why groups matter. You are organizing small groups of women together to study God’s Word. It’s a BIG deal, and it matters. You are organizing opportunities for women to connect and be encouraged, to meet Jesus, and to grow in their faith. This is life-changing stuff, and you are a major part of that. Knowing the why behind the time and energy you put into something can be a great motivator as well as a refreshing reminder.
- Think about who you are doing it for. Women will come to the groups you organize who may realize their need for a Savior. Lonely women will come who need to connect with someone, and your small groups will give them that opportunity. Women will study the Word and be transformed by it. Thinking about the women whose lives will be changed gives perspective and can fuel your efforts.
- Revisit past results. Just as journaling the activity of God in your life is powerful on a personal level, you can also remind yourself how groups have blessed people previously. Who has a story of what God did through groups? How have you seen God working in the lives of women, and what kinds of ripple effects have those groups played in others’ lives? Revisiting God’s activity will refuel your own passion to plan and organize so that you can continue to see and experience His power at work.
Launching new groups is not going to look the same at every church. There are so many variables at play. You, as a leader, must take into consideration the climate of your church and community. Through prayer, plan according to what will work best in your situation with the women you are trying to reach. So, although there is no set list of things to do, the following are some ideas that you might use to help as you plan and prepare for fall. Pick and choose what will fit best with your unique church and community.
Launching Small Groups
- Start with prayer. It is the overwhelmingly most important step in planning and organizing. Bathe everything you do in prayer and trust what you hear from God in response.
- No “lone rangers.” Recruit more help. You don’t have to do it on your own. Expand your leadership team. Get some other women involved in the planning process. You are probably wondering where to find these women. Pray that God will show you whom to approach about being more involved. Look for women who are natural leaders—those who have influence.
- Know your target audience. Who are the people you want to plan groups for? Talk to them. Find out what their needs are. You can chat with women at church or invite a few to coffee and pick their brains about what would motivate other women in their like stage of life. When you offer groups or events for women, they decide to get involved by deciding if it will meet a need they have or not. So, plan groups to appeal to what they feel is important. Don’t think that you have to compromise the integrity of Bible study in order to meet the needs of women who want community or parenting help. You can customize groups that study the Word and incorporate intentional fellowship or discussion about how God’s Word applies to different areas of life.
- Get creative. Offering a variety of groups and teaching styles can often reach more people. All women are not the same, and reaching them is not a one-size-fits-all style. When possible, have groups that are specific to the various interests of women around you. If you don’t have the numbers for different groups at one time and all the women study the same thing, then look for ways to use different styles of teaching and interacting. You can have discussion leaders with tables that focus on different needs of women, so that those who want to apply Scripture to parenting little kids, grandparenting, careers, missions, or whatever, can use the discussion time for that. Your women are not all the same so having a varied approach to reaching them can connect more women and infuse more excitement into the ministry.
- Women reach women. When you are planning and advertising about the groups available, ask a wide range of women to share what groups have meant to them and why others should get involved. You can do this through social media or whatever is available. Challenge women to post a short video about the benefits they’ve experienced from being in groups and tagging friends to invite other women to get involved. You can even offer a prize for the woman who gets the most views, likes, or shares of her video as an incentive.
Thank you for leading and being intentional about connecting women in groups. Prayerfully consider using these tips or others to reach the women in your community. What you do is so very important to the kingdom and the local church!
For more information about Rachel’s speaking and writing ministry, connect with her on socials @rachellovingood or her website rachellovingood.com.
