IN LARGE CHURCHES AND NOT SO LARGE CHURCHES LIZ GYORI AND DAVE ROBERTSON Developing Small Group Leaders

Liz: First United Methodist Home Broadway UMC – Chicago, IL

Dave: Current United Methodist Home – Olathe, KS

“It is easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects – education, building, missions, holding services…the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men (people) in Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.” C.S. Lewis – Mere Christianity (p.171)

Steps in the Development of Small Group Leaders Identify Recruit Empower Deploy Sustain

Steps in the Development of Small Group Leaders Large Church Identify Recruit Empower Deploy Sustain Not So Large Church Identify Recruit Empower Deploy Sustain

Identify Large Church – Train existing good leaders to spot potential in members – Staff engagement at larger learning events – Regular follow up and discussion within staff and with existing leaders Not So Large Church

Recruit Large Church – “Formal” Workshops Didn’t Work – Catch People’s Attention / Break Through the “Clutter” – Understand barriers and reduce / eliminate them Not So Large Church

Empower Large Church – Make Training Easily Accessible: REZed online learning – – “Taster” 4 week trial groups before Sunday VIBE service Not So Large Church

Deploy Large Church – Assist with connections - personal touch always best – Mixed results with online forms Not So Large Church

Deploy Large Church – Provide structure, make it turn-key with Leader Kit contents Not So Large Church

Sustain Communicate, Connect & Inspire Large Church – Twice-yearly all- leader gatherings for recognition and training – Add REZed content based on leader input Not So Large Church

Sustain Communicate, Connect & Inspire Large Church – Group Life Enrichment Programming – groups can interact, take teaching respite Advent and Lenten series Cultivate course Sacred Art and Architecture Not So Large Church