10 Keys to a Healthy Group (part 2)

6. Get together often, not just once a week.
If it is true that life change is accelerated in relationships (and I believe the biblical model demonstrates that it is), then at least one of our goals should be to build genuine relationships with those in our community group. Connecting once a week is not enough. Someone said that the quality of a group meeting is determined by contacts between meetings. Get together for coffee, to play games, contact each other through emails, phone calls, etc. If you want to go to a deeper level, you’ve got to invest relationally with those in your group.


7. Model transparency, don’t fake it.
I love the saying, “If you want to know the temperature of a small group, put the thermometer in the leader’s mouth.” As a leader, you need to go first. If you’re not modeling authenticity and transparency, don’t expect others to be all that open either. Model healthy transparency and honesty for your group. Be sure that people know that this is a safe place where they can share and be real. Set the ground rule, and make sure all agree: what people share in confidence stays in the group. Also, don’t allow people to turn your time into a “gossip” or “bashing” session. Nip unhealthy patterns in the bud—and deal with the person’s issue.


8. Prepare, don’t wing it.
Expect God to do great things in your group and be sure to do your part by investing in preparation. Don’t allow yourself to get into the bad habit of waiting until the last minute to prepare for your community group. Revise, enhance, and change questions if you think it is needed. Be creative and think of ways that you can capture people’s hearts and minds as you prepare for your group.


9. Cast vision, don’t drift.
Bill Hybels has said, “Vision leaks.” Perhaps one of the most strategic things you can do as a leader is to continually cast vision for your community group. Without regular vision casting the average community group will lose its sense of purpose and direction. Be passionate about the vision of your group; your passion will be contagious. Be creative and cast vision regularly.


10. Make a covenant, don’t neglect ground rules
Many problems that small groups face can be headed off by putting down on paper what the expectations for the group are and revisiting them often, as well as clearly defining the purpose/wins of the group through a covenant. It is important to state what is expected of members and to let them have input into what that should be and look like. At LifePoint, our groups share a common purpose: Deepening our walk with God, Developing Biblical community with one another, and Deploying our gifts to serve the world and the church. It is through our common purpose that we accomplish the mission of influencing people to find and follow Jesus. For more on the covenants and ground rules, see the resource “Clarifying the Win in CG’s.”