Tools for Evaluating

Your Small Group www.WillowGroups.com

Ministry
By Russ Robinson,
adapted from Contents
“The Point Leader’s Tool Box”
workshop presented at the Leader’s Guide
» How to Use This
Willow Creek Association Small Groups Conference Material

Training
Materials
Point leaders for effective small group ministries must be able to 1. Have Clear Ministry
evaluate the effectiveness of their groups, both on an individual group Objectives
level and ministry-wide. Identify the six key components of an effective 2. Choose a Point Leader
small group ministry that will help you assess the strengths and 3. Build a Coaching
weaknesses of small groups in your church. Structure
4. Define “Small Group”
5. Have an Open Group
Mindset
6. Develop Your Leaders

Additional
Goal: Resources
To gain clarity on the most crucial small group leadership problems
and learn strategies on how to solve them.

AND
CHRISTIANITYTODAY
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
© 2006

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 LEADER’S GUIDE Small
Group Tool
Box
How to use “Tools for Evaluating Your
Small Group Ministry”
The following materials can be used for either personal or group training to increase
the effectiveness of evaluating small group ministries. Leader’s
Guide
» How to Use
Training Others This Material

If you use this material to train other small group leaders, you may want to modify the
handouts as necessary. Personalize them by printing on church letterhead or adding your
Training
church logo to the design. Each handout can be used in separate, brief training sessions, Materials
or you can combine all of the material into one session. 1. Have Clear
Ministry
Read through the materials and any listed Scriptures ahead of time. Then prepare the Objectives
materials as needed: 2. Choose a
Point Leader
 Make enough copies for all of the participants. 3. Build a
Coaching
 Provide food, drink, and other materials that will make your training Structure
sessions more comfortable.
4. Define “Small
Allow five minutes for everyone to read through each handout. Then discuss the questions Group”
provided, or consider questions such as: 5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
 “Why are these principles important for a successful small group?” 6. Develop Your
 “How well does your small group currently incorporate these Leaders
principles?”
 “What one or two practical things could we do in the next year to Additional
improve in this area?” Resources

Pray
Pray for your small group leaders, that they will expand their knowledge and practice of prayer.

Ask God for clarity and skill in using these tools to evaluate the effectiveness of your small
groups.

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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Tool #1: Have Clear Ministry Objectives
Be clear about the destination before you start the small groups journey.
The key question: Are we a church of small groups or a church with small groups?

Leader’s
Assess Clarity Guide
In order to have an effective small group ministry, the point leader must have clear » How to Use
This Material
ministry objectives. It is important to understand that churches may have different
objectives for their small group ministries. There is not one set of objectives that fits all
churches. Clarity is the issue. Does everybody understand what the church is trying to do Training
with small groups? Have the senior church leaders agreed to the importance of groups? If Materials
the senior church leaders do not have a high degree of clarity about where the small 1. Have Clear
groups point person is trying to go with small groups, progress will be extremely difficult. Ministry
Objectives
In order to determine whether there is a clarity issue, watch people’s behavior rather than
their words. Do they behave consistently with your model? Or are they only paying lip- 2. Choose a
Point Leader
service to it and then reverting to business as usual?
3. Build a
Coaching
Structure
Adapt a Model 4. Define “Small
Group”
It is helpful to have a model to follow so you can supply yourself with clarity. The model
builds language into the system to help you build where you’re going. No matter what 5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
kind of model you pick, adapt it to your situation. If everybody in key leadership agrees on
6. Develop Your
at least the basic model to start with, the result is clarity. Leaders
There are two basic models:
Additional
1) A church of small groups: small groups is the primary organizing principle of every ministry within
Resources
your church.
2) A church with small groups: small groups are one of many ministries operating within your church.

Set Challenging Goals

One way to test your ministry’s clarity is by setting both qualitative and quantitative goals
that align around your objectives. How many people are we going to connect in this
particular ministry? How soon? Once people realize that they will be accountable in
moving toward the goals, it will start pushing people to address whether they are truly
aligned with the vision.

Achieve Ministry Alignment

If you are trying to build a church of small groups, insist that all ministries align with the
overall objective. There are two kinds of alignment: vertical alignment, where everybody
is going toward the overall goal of building a church of small groups; and horizontal
alignment, where they start to align with each other to understand that this is a whole
church approach to small groups ministry.

HANDOUT #1
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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Tool #2: Choose a Point Leader
Select and empower a point leader who has the right gifts.
The key questions: Do we have a point leader? Do we have the right one?

Leader’s
Point Leader Strategies Guide
If the church cannot hire a point person, it has two choices. The senior pastor can be the » How to Use
This Material
point leader or the church can find a key lay person who is empowered to drop their other
responsibilities and give their attention to groups. This is someone who can work with the
senior pastor to make progress. Whichever strategy is chosen, make sure point leaders are Training
identified and clearly established in their roles. Churches make more rapid advancements Materials
when they assign people to make sure the desired progress is taking place. 1. Have Clear
Ministry
Objectives
2. Choose a
Essential Qualities of a Point Leader Point Leader
An effective point leader will have the right spiritual gift set. The spiritual gifts of 3. Build a
teaching and shepherding are helpful as well as leadership and administration. Coaching
Leadership is the ability to envision and mobilize people toward a cause. Administration Structure
is the ability to take a vision and put process to it. You need someone able to think 4. Define “Small
Group”
conceptually—who can look at an entire church and determine the next logical steps in
order. Look for someone with a proven history who has actually built something. For 5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
example, someone who has built a sales structure in the marketplace can spot the
6. Develop Your
potential strengths and weaknesses of a group or organization. Look for someone with a Leaders
solid spiritual life. This is someone who can talk about life and spiritual transformation in
community and actually live that out.
Additional
Resources
Job Description of a Point Leader
The primary job for the point leader is to be a vision caster. A point leader champions the
movement of small groups throughout the church. They deploy people into small group
leadership using a sound selection criteria. They must ensure the effectiveness of small
groups. They make sure that when people show up in small groups, they experience what
they’re supposed to—a connection with other people, an ability to receive care in that little
community and a small group leader who is interested in their next step of spiritual
development and is investing that in them. The point leader makes sure the group is
aligning to the church’s overall mission.

HANDOUT #2
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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Tool #3: Build a Coaching Structure
Institute a group leadership structure to allow for sustainable growth.
The key question: Have we tackled the needed design issues including the organizational
pyramid, span of care issues and providing leaders of shepherds?
Leader’s
Guide
The Role of Coaches » How to Use
This Material
Many churches will start small groups and then select one point leader who can oversee
those groups. However, when building a small group ministry, regardless of model, there
needs to be an organizational structure. In just about every small group ministry, there Training
will be small group members, small group leaders, some kind of overseer and then the Materials
next level which may or may not be paid staff. The middle role of coach tends to get 1. Have Clear
neglected especially in the early developmental stage. Ministry
Objectives
If you start small groups without paying attention to coaching, you will create a
different kind of problem. Without coaches in place, small group leaders often feel 2. Choose a
Point Leader
neglected because the point leader becomes too busy. Instead of not having enough small
3. Build a
groups because you haven’t started them, you will not have enough small groups because
Coaching
small group leaders will fade for lack of shepherding. You will succeed in correlation to Structure
how you invest in building up coaches and getting them in position to care for leaders. 4. Define “Small
Group”
5. Have an Open
Identifying and Training Coaches Group Mindset
6. Develop Your
Avoid building up a lot of groups and then having to find coaches. It is better to have five Leaders
groups and identify the first coach; ten groups and identify the second coach, and so on.
You can even have the point person function as coach while they raise up another coach
along the way. Additional
How do you find coaches if you have a lot of groups but no point leader? First, find a Resources
point leader. This person can then identify and place coaches.
Training coaches is one of the hardest things to do in small group ministry. Figure out
their role in your church’s context. Sometimes the training is centralized, sometimes
decentralized. One way to develop coaches is through the use of a “turbo group”. A point
leader would form a leadership development group where all participants are apprentices.
Then, at some point, they would end the group and spin all the leaders out at once to
coach other leaders.

Training Topics for Coaches

 Vision for radical reproduction
 Identifying and developing an apprentice
 Personal growth plan
 How to visit a group
 Leading a huddle
 Conducting one-on-one meetings
 Advanced people skills
 How to strategically prioritize your life
 How to love and shepherd your leaders
HANDOUT #3
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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Box
Tool # 4: Define “Small Group”
A broad definition of small group allows the church to provide a variety of
experiences.
The key question: Have we been clear on the definition of a small group?
Leader’s
Guide
Group Levels » How to Use
This Material
Do you have a broad enough array of small group opportunities so people can connect
where they are ready to connect? If you do, your small group movement will spread Training
through your church more readily. If you narrow that definition too much you are going Materials
to have a difficult time connecting many people to group experiences. One strategy is to 1. Have Clear
think of groups as having various levels of intensity. Ministry
Objectives
 A 101 group: This is simply a a prayer and share type of group. It is not 2. Choose a
an intense group experience but can be a great first step for someone who has Point Leader
never been in a small group. It can often be a task or serving group. 3. Build a
 A 201 group: Here, the intensity is raised a notch perhaps by adding a Coaching
Structure
devotional experience.
4. Define
 A 301 group: This type of group is the traditional Bible study which “Small
meets twice a month for a couple of hours and uses some kind of curriculum. Group”
 A 401 group: Here, the group does life together and spends as much 5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
time together outside of the group as inside of the group.
6. Develop Your
Task groups or serving groups are one of the best places to start connecting people into Leaders
community because they are already getting together for a reason. If these groups
incorporate a 101 group experience to their serving, they demonstrate the value of
community in your church from the start.
Additional
Sometimes, the 101 group can be viewed as a less valuable community experience than Resources
the others. However, people are on a journey in community. For the person who has
never been in a group, having a great 101 experience may make them more receptive to
move to 201, then 301 and then 401. If you ask people new to groups to head straight for
the 301 group, many of them will not be interested.

All Groups Need a Defined Leader

Build your definition of a group around leadership. Have an identified leader of every
group. In every group, the leader should facilitate people connecting with each other and
create an environment where they can get cared for if something happens in their life. The
leader should also help people take their next step spiritually. If the group facilitates
connection and encourages people to grow spiritually, it should be called a group
regardless of the level.

HANDOUT #4
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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Tool #5: Have an Open Group Mindset Box
Cast a courageous vision: Groups should stay open to new people.
The key question: Is the typical small group in your church open to new members?
Leader’s
Cast a Courageous Vision Guide
» How to Use
The best tool to keep groups moving and expanding is an open group mindset. It is a This Material
reality: when a new group forms, it quickly goes from open to closed. When people are in
a satisfying group experience, they know they have something valuable and want to Training
protect it. There is a fear that anyone new is going to violate what the group has going. Materials
Keep the open group on the front burner as an issue. Be clear that the goal is getting
1. Have Clear
everybody connected in a life-transforming community. If you don’t have clarity, groups Ministry
are going to start complaining about having to be open. Objectives
2. Choose a
Point Leader
Consider Group Size 3. Build a
Coaching
You may want to increase the size of your groups. If most of the groups in your church are Structure
small (under six people), you need to envision the leaders to open up to more members. 4. Define “Small
If your church has 100 groups and increases group size from six to ten, it can add 400 Group”
people to community without having to identify another leader. If the average group in 5. Have an
your church is large (10-12 people), you need to focus on developing apprentices because Open Group
these groups are ready to multiply. Mindset
6. Develop Your
Leaders
Model the Open Chair
Additional
Use the open chair or some other modeling device that can be a catalytic mechanism for
keeping groups open. Help people understand how the open chair is supposed to work. Resources
They may hear you say, We want you to keep your groups open so we can send you our
people—as in people who are perceived as social losers because if they were worth
anything they’d have found their way into a group by now. Tell group leaders this is all
about spiritual adventure and how God is reshaping a community.
When you see a person who is on the outside looking in, don’t invite them to your
meeting right away. Just start to befriend that person. Introduce the other members of
your group to that person. Evolve around natural relational lines, and your group will say,
You know what? We’ve all gotten to know so and so, and it’s fairly obvious that they’re
part of the spiritual adventure that our group is on, that God wants us to connect them
in.

Marks of Seeker-Friendliness
These elements indicate whether your group is seeker friendly:
 Emphasize process over content
 Expect seekers to be seekers
 Model authentic community
 Create a safe environment
 Use appropriate language
 Use study materials carefully
 Make sure other seekers are there
HANDOUT #5
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TRAINING MATERIALS Small
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Tool #6: Develop Leaders Box
Select qualified people to lead groups and then create a leadership development
culture.
The key question: Do we have processes in place that will help us select and develop all
the leaders we will need? Leader’s
Guide
» How to Use
Group Ministry is Leadership Intensive This Material

The biggest issue concerning the expansion of small groups is difficulty developing
Training
leaders. Do the math. If your system has small group leaders, apprentices, coaches,
coaches’ apprentices, and overseers the result may be that a quarter of your church is Materials
involved in church leadership. 1. Have Clear
Think about it. Suppose you wanted to make a list of all the gifted and trained leaders Ministry
Objectives
in your church. You might start by determining who is the best leader in the whole
2. Choose a
church. Then find the second best leader and so forth ranking your leaders all the way
Point Leader
down. If you have a church of 400 and you have to find 199 leaders, you will run out of
3. Build a
people you feel great about before you hit the 100th person. There are certain things you Coaching
can do, especially when you’re at the early stages, to figure out who are the best leaders in Structure
the church and get those in the game. Then you’re going to have to develop the rest, 4. Define “Small
probably through apprenticeship. Group”
5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
Create a Leadership Development Culture 6. Develop Your
Leaders
As a small groups point person, champion and model leadership development. Help
people understand the leadership gift and how it works. People need to know where to
use it and where to refrain from using it—and where leadership is a role regardless of
Additional
whether you have a gift. Weave leadership lessons into everything you’re doing. Resources
Keep people clear on the difference between an assistant and an apprentice leader. The
leader may start thinking of their apprentice as somebody who does what they don’t want
to do, and not the person they are trying to develop and position for eventual leadership.

Start “Turbo Groups”

One way to develop leaders is through the use of a “turbo group”. This is generally a
short-term group designed exclusively for apprentice leaders. It is often led by the point
leader or an experienced coach with the exclusive intention of developing new leaders.
During the duration of the group, the apprentice leaders will take part in intentional
leadership development in the context of a healthy group experience. At the end of the
group, the apprentices will birth out to form their own groups.

Develop Leaders along a Vision and Skill Continuum

The development process is not the only method of training. Your leaders are going to
learn a lot while they are in the field, which is why coaching can become so significant.
They will grow in skill as they lead. But as they become more skilled, you cannot neglect
vision. As leaders do the work of ministry, they get tired, disillusioned and sometimes
hurt in ministry. To help them serve for the long haul, a point leader must continue to
build their vision for life in community.
HANDOUT #6
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 Small
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Additional Resources
Books, downloads, and websites to help improve small group leadership skills.

BuildingGroupLeaders: Small group ministry training resource from Christianity Leader’s

Today International Guide
» How to Use
 BuildingGroupLeaders.com This Material

Training
Building Church Leaders: Leadership training resources from Christianity Today Materials
International 1. Have Clear
Ministry
 www.BuildingChurchLeaders.com Objectives
“Healthy Small Groups” Training Theme and PowerPoint 2. Choose a
“Growing Small Groups” Training Theme and PowerPoint Point Leader
3. Build a
Coaching
Structure
WillowGroups: Small groups resources site of the Willow Creek Association 4. Define “Small
Group”
 www.willowcreek.com/smallgroups 5. Have an Open
Group Mindset
6. Develop Your
Building a Church of Small Groups by Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson Leaders
(Zondervan, 2001; ISBN 0310240352)
Additional
Resources
Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Practical Guide for Those
Who Lead and Shepherd Small Group Leaders by Greg Bowman and Bill
Donahue (Zondervan 2005; ISBN 0310251796)

How to Build a Small Groups Ministry by Neal McBride (NavPress, 1995; ISBN
0891097694)

The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry by Bill Donahue and Russ
Robinson (Zondervan, 2002; ISBN 0310267110)

Walking the Small Group Tightrope by Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson
(Zondervan, 2003; ISBN 0310252296)

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