This is Kerrick Thomas – I co-wrote “Activate” with Nelson and he asked me to share this recent question and answer about transitioning small groups in a church with a more traditional structure:

Q: Hello!  I am currently reading your book Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups.  I am the associate pastor at a Christian Church.  We average a little over 200 in two worship services.

We have “tried” small groups in the past and I am very interested in your method.  My question has to do with getting the rest of the work of the church done.  You mention how people can’t be going to worship and a committee and a women’s group AND a small group.

So what do we do with our Worship Ministry Team, and Property, etc?  Would that become a small group?  We have three full time staff, the senior, me and a youth/children’s minister.  We are a traditional structure with committees meeting monthly, Christian Women’s Fellowship meetings, elders, etc…

How do we focus on small groups but still keep the church “running”?

A: To begin with, The Journey is a staff led church and have the benefit of not having to ask our church attenders and members serve on committees.  Instead, we try to get them more actively involved in front-line ministry.  With your current structure, you would probably still have to have your committee meetings on top of your small groups.

However, our women’s and men’s ministries are operated through small groups.  We don’t have other weekly or monthly meetings.  We have women’s and men’s small groups.  And then at times the small groups will sponsor retreats/events, etc.

We also do community service through our small groups.  And though our Worship Arts Team works separately from small groups, we do ask our vocal team and musicians to be in  Worship Arts Small Groups.

The goal is to have as many of your areas of ministry as possible running through the small groups system so that you don’t have competing ministries.

I hope that helps!

God bless…

Kerrick

P.S. For all the answers to your small groups questions, check out The Small Groups Intensive: https://nelsonsearcy.infusionsoft.com/cart/store.jsp?view=4&i=p285&navicat=39