This worksheet will help you get a group off the ground. Whether you are starting from scratch or being birthed out of an existing group, use this to think about the issues you’ll have to solve to start strong. Use it for as long as you need to until the group is established. Then, once you get going, don’t stop inviting!
The first box helps you identify who the members of your team will be. They might be co-leaders from the start, or people you will ask to help with the intention of developing them into co-leaders. Don’t launch without a team!
The second box helps you nail down the practical details of your new group’s meeting schedule. Determine this with your team so you can make a clear invitation.
The third box on the left defines your invitation strategy. With your team, you will have to decide your target demographic, that is, what people you are trying to reach. Then brainstorm together all the names you can think of to invite to join the group. Everyone on your team will invite from their own circle of influence. As you meet people in the lobby after church, invite them too – even if you’ve never met before. “Crowd invites” refers to ways the church may help you publicize your group. Talk to the pastor about getting your group featured in some way: during the service, on the website, or similar. But don’t put too much weight on crowd invites. Most people join a group because they were invited personally.
The fourth box, on the right, helps you think about what curriculum to use as the group begins. Think about the needs of your target audience or of the people who say they want to come. You might start with Foundations or use SermonLink, or you might find something on a specific topic of interest. Write down the decision you make. Take notes about anything else related to launch, such as a special kick-off event, or the assignments made to each member of the team.
You only get one chance to start a group! Take time to gather a team and think through the process. This worksheet will help you succeed.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- Why do small group leaders need to be intentional about the launching process?
- Why to you think personal invitations are so much more effective than large group publicity?
- What are some other group launch issues that your team would want to make plans for?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
