Whenever possible and healthy for the group, we encourage groups to maintain an “open chair.” This means that the group fosters an attitude of openness to newcomers and maintains an environment that would make a newcomer feel welcome. The group does not need to be advertised by our staff as open. The vision behind this is simple, Hope Community Church has a constant stream of people in need of gaining community, and small groups are the most effective way for those people to meet others and grow in community in the body of Christ at Hope. As long as groups remain open to new people (in terms of invitation by group members), we will always have a place to send those seeking the community you have already found in your group.
Personal invitation is the most effective way of getting new people who are in need of Christian community into your group. Sunday mornings and church events create a place for this personal invitation to occur. Create a vision in your group in which members are welcome and encouraged to invite people in their lives, or just in their pew, to check out your group. What a great opportunity we have in our groups to share Christ’s love with so many people! You may find that your group grows and you have a group so large that you are having a hard time meeting in one space! That’s great. The Small Group Staff will help you plan a strategy for planting a new small group from your own. (See Planting a Small Group)
Vision for planting your group
Why plant a new small group from your existing group? The growth at Hope described above provides some background information as to why this is necessary. The need for space in small groups grows every week. The bottom line is: Hope needs more groups.
Before we continue, we would like to be very clear: Hope does not desire numerical growth of the small group ministry just for the sake of having a large ministry. We only hope for numerical growth if it reflects and is a result of more and more people deepening their faith walk and truly becoming disciples of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God.
Planting is not a new concept that came with advent of small groups in the church. Jesus modeled this during his earthly ministry. Matthew 10:1 shows Jesus sending out the 12 apostles to do ministry. This happened just after Jesus declares, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus understood that there was a need to increase the number of laborers, in order to go about the business of making disciples.
Again we see Jesus sending out 70 more people in Luke 10:1. Jesus knew that building up leaders to minister to more and more people was the best way to reach the world. After his resurrection, Jesus calls His followers to one final command, that command is spiritual multiplication.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV 1984)
