Small groups can be powerful tools for discipleship—but only if we guard them from subtle dangers that slowly drain their purpose. These six small group killers can keep your group from growing deeper, stronger, and more faithful.
You may think you can follow Jesus alone, but the Christian life was never meant to be a solo journey. The church is God’s way of showing that we grow best—and stand strongest—when we walk together.
We often retreat into isolation thinking it’s safer than being known, especially when past relationships have left scars. But while isolation may feel secure, authentic Christian community is where true healing, growth, and transformation take place.
We weren’t created to do life alone—no matter how strong we think we are, we all need the support of others. From the beginning, God made it clear: isolation isn’t good, and community is essential.
Hebrews 10:23-25 – Being involved in the life of a church requires more than having your name on the roster of a group. Discover how to move from being a name on a list to developing relationships that further your discipleship.
We need more than just a class to attend and record our attendance. We need people to encourage our spiritual growth.
In order to follow the Lord, we must continually make progress in the areas that matter most. Consider how you are using the church’s opportunities for your sanctifying growth.
It’s great to have a personal desire to follow Jesus on the second mile but to do so successfully, you need some people around you heading down the same path. We need friendships that encourage our discipleship.
Our churches need to focus on developing solid lessons for trained teachers to facilitate in small groups, but we need something more. We need people to walk alongside us to apply biblical truths in our lives.
We want our people to grow in the gospel and go with the gospel. That’s why our groups are designed to facilitate both discipleship and missions.
Psalm 119:49-64 – The company you keep will dramatically affect how well you follow biblical principles. Beware the wicked and befriend the wise.
While we all need to be encouraged, we all don’t need to be encouraged in the same way. Depending upon how we are wired and what is happening, we need something different from those around us.
In our age of pseudo-community provided by digital technology, we are missing out on the connection we were designed to meet and need. If you struggle to find your footing right now, it may be because you aren’t standing beside others.
No matter how badly we’ve been hurt, we cannot escape our need for others. Relationships are challenging yet key for our survival.
One of the greatest blessings is when a small group begins to feel like a family, but that is also one of the greatest dangers as well if it prohibits others from experiencing the same thing. Are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of others?
Christians should know better than anybody that no one is too far gone. We serve a God who has done the impossible time and time again. So when people come to church in dire situations, do you still believe that there is hope?
The church should be the most friendly, outgoing, warm, hospitable group of people in all the world, but that has not been all of our experiences. The longer we belong, the more difficult it is to remember what it was like before we did.
We all want those people in our lives who will ensure we never walk through dark days alone, but are we that kind of friend to others? Do we provide what we actually expect? To grow deeper relationships takes time and effort. It’s time to go the second mile in intentional availability.
You are committed to a church. That’s great, but how do you navigate the complexities of life when most of the challenging moments happen outside of your church gatherings? We need each other more than once a week.
As the people of God, we need relationships with one another, but we often settle for names on a role instead of relationships for life. Impactful relationships always start with intentionality. We have to commit to being together. It’s time to go the second mile in rejecting shallow relationships.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to help one another follow Him ever more so closely. But how exactly are we supposed to do that? It starts by being intentional with one another regarding our personal commitments to Jesus. It’s time to go the second mile in creating careful accountability.
As your small group gathers, your lesson plan can include robust theology, interactive questions, thought-provoking activities, and memorable illustrations, but if it doesn’t translate to application, you are missing out. It’s time to go the second mile in experiencing intentional accountability.
You can listen to the greatest sermons, hear the greatest teachers, read the greatest books, and subscribe to all the greatest posts, but you aren’t actually destined to grow in Christ. Studying the Bible isn’t enough. It’s time to go the second mile in working toward biblical application over information.
We need each other. As Christians, we know that life is difficult and that it is unwise to attempt it alone. But how do we develop authentic relationships that maintain needed trust? Having a safe place to share life is vital. It’s time to go the second mile in having authentic and safe groups.
Getting a small group to talk is a challenge, but getting that overly excited conversationalist to talk less is even more challenging. We have all had that person who limits the opportunity for others to talk. How do you handle it? It’s time to go the second mile in handling the conversation monopolizer.
You know people in your church, but do you really know them? Do they really know you? Our suspicion of people grows by the year, and we will only experience minimal growth if we limit ourselves to reserved relationships.
Your church is as healthy as the groups assembled. Your groups are as healthy as the leaders available. Like it or not, the maturity of any group of people rises and falls on the pace that the leaders set. The leadership in your church is critical. It’s time to go the second mile with game-changing group leaders.
We’ve all had heroes in our lives. They are the people who inspire us to do better, to do more, and to make our lives count for something valuable. Your church needs the type of leaders that set the bar for others to follow in their example. It’s time to go the second mile with leaders worth imitating.
Within the church, we understand that we can’t have perfect leaders, but somewhere along the way, we’ve grown to accept pathetic leaders. What happens when we water down the requirements for leaders? The whole church drowns. It’s time to go the second mile with demanding for more than burdensome leaders.
We live in a time when the world is biblically illiterate. Why has this happened? It might be because the church has diminished its confidence in the knowledge and application of God’s Word. We need more than spiritual intentions, we need biblical truth. It’s time to go the second mile with your small group.
If you grow up going to church, you know that the most typical Bible study scenario is one where the teacher reads a verse and then asks the group, “What does that mean to you?” More than what it means to you, we need to know what it means to God. It’s time to go the second mile in discerning subjective truth.
Christians need to ground themselves in relationships that foster consistent community. When it comes to the content guiding small groups, the possibilities are endless. What if the numerous options for curriculum are actually stifling us? It’s time to go the second mile in discerning spiritual studies.
As the state of the world lengthens the timing of social distancing and normalizes our acceptance of it, we are in danger of becoming used to isolation. Loneliness is a standard emotion for many people and the consequences are devastating.
As disciples of Jesus, we have the good news that this world needs to hear, but are we sharing it? Instead of waiting for people to come to you in need, have you ever considered inviting them to walk with you as you follow Jesus? I promise that it’s not as difficult as you think it is. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in bringing friends along.
Whether you are starting a group or continuing a group, we often need to be reminded of tangible goals so that we won’t get stagnate.
For anyone who has committed to a local church but never felt connected, I want to help you. The reason some never experience deep relationships is because interaction is never pursued outside the weekly gathering. You can’t connect through 1 hour a week. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in committing to intentional checkups.
When social distancing hit, most churches went to groups online. While we were all thankful for apps like Zoom, we also feel the fatigue from it all. As we navigate the upcoming months, you need to commit to yours and others’ spiritual growth. It’s time to go the 2nd mile in prioritizing your weekly group.
Oftentimes in ministry, I want to discover what is the secret ingredient in the life that continues to grow in Christ and what is lacking in those who experience downfall. Where I used to think it was diligence or dedication, I have learned that many people continue to grow simply because they surround themselves with solid friends who want to …
We all want change, but few of us were willing to do the work with one another to see that change happen. Discipleship happens within the context of intentional relationships. If you have gotten tired of spiritual stagnation, it’s time to go the 2nd mile with your small group. 6 Helpful Tips Listen to podcast below or subscribe to your …
A Gospel Group connects disciples together who are committed to growing in the gospel and going with the gospel. Psalm 1 Acts 17:10-12 If we aren’t careful, certain practices or allowances can take place to run the dynamics of a group. Here are 6 group killers: Subjective Content If the Bible isn’t your textbook, you might find temporary encouragement but …