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By Brent Lacy

The goal of small group ministry is not to have one great small group. It is to have a church where everyone is in genuine community.

That requires multiplication. One group can serve 8 to 12 people. A church of 65 needs 5 to 8 groups to give everyone a place to belong.

Here is how to multiply small groups in a small church without losing what makes them work.

Why Groups Need to Multiply

A small group that never multiplies eventually becomes a closed social club. The relationships deepen, which is good. But the group becomes resistant to new members, which is not.

Multiplication is not about growth for its own sake. It is about making room for more people to experience genuine community. A group that multiplies is a group that takes seriously the call to make disciples, not just maintain friendships.

When to Multiply

A group is ready to multiply when:

• It has been meeting consistently for 12 to 18 months
• It has reached 10 to 12 members and is getting too large for genuine intimacy
• There is at least one person in the group who is ready to lead a new group
• The group has a healthy culture of honesty, confidentiality, and care

Do not multiply a group that is not healthy. A dysfunctional group that multiplies produces two dysfunctional groups.

How to Multiply Without Losing Community

The biggest fear about multiplication is that it will destroy the community that has been built. That fear is understandable. Here is how to multiply in a way that honors the existing community while creating space for new ones.

Plant, do not split.

The language matters. “Splitting” a group sounds like division and loss. “Planting” a new group sounds like growth and mission. Frame multiplication as sending, not dividing.

Identify the new leader early.

The new group needs a leader before it launches. Identify that person 3 to 6 months before the multiplication happens. Invest in their development. Let them co-lead the existing group as preparation.

Let the new leader take some members with them.

The new group should not start from scratch. Let the new leader take 3 to 4 members from the existing group to form the core of the new one. This gives the new group a relational foundation and gives the existing group room to add new members.

Celebrate the multiplication.

Mark the moment. Have a final meeting together as the full group. Pray over the new leader. Celebrate what God has done in the group. Send the new group out with blessing, not just logistics.

Developing New Leaders

Multiplication requires leaders. The most common reason small churches do not multiply their groups is that they do not have enough leaders.

The solution is not to wait for leaders to appear. It is to develop them intentionally.

• Identify potential leaders in your existing groups, people who are relationally warm, spiritually mature, and willing to be vulnerable
• Invite them to co-lead the existing group as an apprentice
• Provide simple training, see the small group leader training guide
• Give them increasing responsibility over time
• Launch them into their own group when they are ready

Starting New Groups

Not all new groups come from multiplication. Some start fresh. Here is how to launch a new group successfully.

• Start with a committed leader, not a curriculum
• Invite 6 to 8 people personally, do not make a general announcement
• Commit to a specific series (6 to 8 weeks) before evaluating whether to continue
• Establish a group covenant at the first meeting
• Connect the new group to the church’s small group culture and support

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