Every type of ministry has their own function, goal, flow, and general style. Ultimately if we are called to start a new small group or home ministry it should be something we are passionate and knowledgeable about. Operating a ministry outside of your immediate gifting and calling can be stressful and in some cases unfruitful. Before starting a ministry it would be wise to be in prayer about it over an extended period of time, ask God for confirmation, and find a select few who support you and help you get the ministry going. If you are part of a church and plan on inviting church members to your home group, you should first talk to your senior pastor or leaders to receive their input on the idea. These small groups may or may not become officially connected to your church. Either way, small groups can be beneficial both in and outside of official church walls.
Below are some questions you should ask yourself before launching a Prayer Group, Bible Study, or Discipleship Group. A ministry with no vision essentially has no destination and can end up being physically busy without truly accomplishing anything. These questions and general answers and suggestions can be used to help build a foundation regarding the overall vision and mission of your home group type. Although starting a home group may be easier than launching a new church, some of the tools available on the Starting A Ministry page may be helpful.
Below are some questions you should ask yourself before launching a Prayer Group, Bible Study, or Discipleship Group. A ministry with no vision essentially has no destination and can end up being physically busy without truly accomplishing anything. These questions and general answers and suggestions can be used to help build a foundation regarding the overall vision and mission of your home group type. Although starting a home group may be easier than launching a new church, some of the tools available on the Starting A Ministry page may be helpful.
Prayer Groups
Who Are You Targeting? You may looking to gather people who are already strong prayer warriors to cover a specific ministry, city, or region in prayer. You could also be targeting new believers who are interested in gathering to pray together and support one another in their personal prayer requests. These meetings can have any kind of specific target depending in your vision. Maybe you want to gather to pray with only your select friend group or church leaders? Whatever the target group, make it clear who you are inviting if you have a specific group in mind. If everyone and anyone is welcome, be sure to vocalize it so interested people can get connected.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? For a prayer group the resource possibilities are almost endless. Prayer topics may be set in advance by whoever is leading the meeting, collectively led and chosen by individuals in attendance, or can be organized by scriptures or other book resources. Prayer groups may even be led completely by the Holy Spirit and have no planned structure or agenda.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Some Prayer groups meet daily at specific times, others meet weekly, some meet monthly, and so on. The days you plan to meet should keep the target group in consideration. Choose timing that is both convenient and easily moderated to have the most people involved. Setting the day and time on a consistent schedule can help visitors become regular attendees by habit.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? Location of the gathering is just as important as the timing and should vary according to the specific target group. The location may either attract or repel specific target groups so choosing wisely is key. The location may vary on a regular basis if the group is comfortable or may be completely set in stone as to avoid confusion for new visitors. Locations may also be chosen to align with the prayer topics or resources. If the meeting is intended to be private and intimate, a quiet place should be chosen for the gathering. If the meeting is meant to be evangelistic a more public place can be chosen.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? Your prayer group may be meeting because people simply love to pray, because people need to be trained how to pray, or because there is a need and like-minded people want to gather to intercede for a specific outcome. Whatever the reason for the prayer gathering, make the vision and mission clean to those participating to ensure everyone is in agreement and remains aligned with the original purpose.
Possible Next Steps? A prayer group might consider themselves successful if there is breakthrough in their prayer topics, the meetings are growing, or the overall desired outcome has come to pass. Planning the next step in advance can encourage attendees to see a bigger picture. You could close out the group once the goal is met, train others to launch their own groups, or collectively pick a new goal you wish to achieve.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? For a prayer group the resource possibilities are almost endless. Prayer topics may be set in advance by whoever is leading the meeting, collectively led and chosen by individuals in attendance, or can be organized by scriptures or other book resources. Prayer groups may even be led completely by the Holy Spirit and have no planned structure or agenda.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Some Prayer groups meet daily at specific times, others meet weekly, some meet monthly, and so on. The days you plan to meet should keep the target group in consideration. Choose timing that is both convenient and easily moderated to have the most people involved. Setting the day and time on a consistent schedule can help visitors become regular attendees by habit.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? Location of the gathering is just as important as the timing and should vary according to the specific target group. The location may either attract or repel specific target groups so choosing wisely is key. The location may vary on a regular basis if the group is comfortable or may be completely set in stone as to avoid confusion for new visitors. Locations may also be chosen to align with the prayer topics or resources. If the meeting is intended to be private and intimate, a quiet place should be chosen for the gathering. If the meeting is meant to be evangelistic a more public place can be chosen.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? Your prayer group may be meeting because people simply love to pray, because people need to be trained how to pray, or because there is a need and like-minded people want to gather to intercede for a specific outcome. Whatever the reason for the prayer gathering, make the vision and mission clean to those participating to ensure everyone is in agreement and remains aligned with the original purpose.
Possible Next Steps? A prayer group might consider themselves successful if there is breakthrough in their prayer topics, the meetings are growing, or the overall desired outcome has come to pass. Planning the next step in advance can encourage attendees to see a bigger picture. You could close out the group once the goal is met, train others to launch their own groups, or collectively pick a new goal you wish to achieve.
Bible Study Groups
Who Are You Targeting? Like Prayer Groups, the target audience you are looking to gather can vary with gender, age, or another specific demographic. It may be a completely open Bible study where all are welcome to attend or the theme of the Bible study topics may be more suitable for a particular group of people. This will vary depending on the vision and passion God has given you or the person who will be leading.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? When it comes to Bible Studies, there are an innumerable amount of books and online resources available at your disposal as well as many translations of the Bible. The one leading the Bible Study may choose to write their own notes by topic or story, or even a book written specifically for the demographic attending the meeting. Study Bibles and Life-Application Bibles have additional commentary and notes available that may be helpful in organizing and compiling notes for a Bible Study meeting.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Bible Study groups, like Prayer Groups, have timing that should vary depending on the particular demographic being invited. Adding a time for questions and discussion can prolong the meeting but also encourage attendees to actively engage as they become more comfortable with the group. Setting adequate timing that allows you to flow in the desired structure is important. Lacking frequent meetings or structure in a Bible Study group can cause people to lose interest. Plan stable meeting dates and times accordingly.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? Location matters when it comes to Bible Studies as they are intended for spiritual growth, increasing knowledge, and in some cases intimate discussions. Bible Study meetings would best be held in private locations where distractions, noises, and interruptions can be kept at a minimum, unless the meeting is intended to be somewhat evangelistic.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? Bible Study groups should gather with the intention of growing in knowledge of scripture and the one leading it should have a desire to help foster the growth. The purpose for launching a Bible Study can either directly align with the target demographic and resource topics or be completely open and relevant to all who show interest in attending.
Possible Next Steps? A Bible Study group may feel accomplished or successful once the particular topic/resource has been taught effectively and thoroughly. Once complete you may decide to end the group meetings, switch into a new topic/resource, or train some attendees to launch their own Bible Study group and invite new people. If the Bible study was open and has grown to a large number, splitting into smaller groups may be a great choice as new leaders are trained or a bigger location may be needed for the larger group. Some people may use a Bible Study group to eventually launch their own church. Either way, be sensitive to what God is guiding you to do and always use wisdom.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? When it comes to Bible Studies, there are an innumerable amount of books and online resources available at your disposal as well as many translations of the Bible. The one leading the Bible Study may choose to write their own notes by topic or story, or even a book written specifically for the demographic attending the meeting. Study Bibles and Life-Application Bibles have additional commentary and notes available that may be helpful in organizing and compiling notes for a Bible Study meeting.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Bible Study groups, like Prayer Groups, have timing that should vary depending on the particular demographic being invited. Adding a time for questions and discussion can prolong the meeting but also encourage attendees to actively engage as they become more comfortable with the group. Setting adequate timing that allows you to flow in the desired structure is important. Lacking frequent meetings or structure in a Bible Study group can cause people to lose interest. Plan stable meeting dates and times accordingly.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? Location matters when it comes to Bible Studies as they are intended for spiritual growth, increasing knowledge, and in some cases intimate discussions. Bible Study meetings would best be held in private locations where distractions, noises, and interruptions can be kept at a minimum, unless the meeting is intended to be somewhat evangelistic.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? Bible Study groups should gather with the intention of growing in knowledge of scripture and the one leading it should have a desire to help foster the growth. The purpose for launching a Bible Study can either directly align with the target demographic and resource topics or be completely open and relevant to all who show interest in attending.
Possible Next Steps? A Bible Study group may feel accomplished or successful once the particular topic/resource has been taught effectively and thoroughly. Once complete you may decide to end the group meetings, switch into a new topic/resource, or train some attendees to launch their own Bible Study group and invite new people. If the Bible study was open and has grown to a large number, splitting into smaller groups may be a great choice as new leaders are trained or a bigger location may be needed for the larger group. Some people may use a Bible Study group to eventually launch their own church. Either way, be sensitive to what God is guiding you to do and always use wisdom.
Discipleship Groups
Who Are You Targeting? Discipleship Groups always have a specific demographic or a specific topic that interested people will be attracted to. An example of a Demographic-Based Discipleship looks like a Discipleship Group specifically designed for young men overcoming substance abuse. A Topic-Based Discipleship example would be a group meeting for anyone who would like to learn practical ways to love like Jesus. A discipleship group should always have a goal and topic-structure set in place specifically designed for training and imparting.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? Books, Scriptures, and Topic resources are readily available in multiple formats. However, the purpose of discipleship is not just to teach something, but to actively lead by example. One of the greatest resources a discipleship group can have is their leader. Discipleship groups are meant to be raw and real, so a biblically sound, suitable, and approachable leader should be chosen. Ex: Pastor should be the leader of a discipleship group focused on growing into pastoral ministry.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Through the example of Jesus we see that ultimate discipleship was not based on a few meetings but based on closely following Him and experiencing life with Him. For this case, Discipleship Groups should meet regularly, not just for training and studying, but also for fellowship. Discipleship members should be encouraged to meet with one another and their leaders regularly to form relationships outside of planned discipleship meetings. This will help to foster growth and a closer bond between those who are either overcoming an obstacle together or wishing to grow in a specific area.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? When it comes to the Jesus model of discipleship and "doing life together", it's best to have a variety of meeting places and times. If the meeting is designed more around learning a topic then a more stable location would be best for the learning environment. If the topic being learned can be applied in another location, then changing the meeting place would be beneficial. An example of this would be attending a Discipleship Group that trains people how to share the gospel in a home and then meets at the local mall to practice what they learned.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? A Discipleship Group should always have a specific purpose either based on the target demographic or the topic being taught. Discipleship groups are great for training church leaders, reviewing the basics of Christianity for new believers, or creating and launching a new ministry that benefits a specific group of people or the community as a whole.
Possible Next Steps? Depending on the type of discipleship taking place, the group may end when the season is over, seek to expand once the original group had been discipled, be separated into multiple groups, or relaunch with an entirely new group of people who are in need of discipleship in the same demographic or topic interest.
What Resources Do You Plan To Use? Books, Scriptures, and Topic resources are readily available in multiple formats. However, the purpose of discipleship is not just to teach something, but to actively lead by example. One of the greatest resources a discipleship group can have is their leader. Discipleship groups are meant to be raw and real, so a biblically sound, suitable, and approachable leader should be chosen. Ex: Pastor should be the leader of a discipleship group focused on growing into pastoral ministry.
When Do You Plan To Meet? Through the example of Jesus we see that ultimate discipleship was not based on a few meetings but based on closely following Him and experiencing life with Him. For this case, Discipleship Groups should meet regularly, not just for training and studying, but also for fellowship. Discipleship members should be encouraged to meet with one another and their leaders regularly to form relationships outside of planned discipleship meetings. This will help to foster growth and a closer bond between those who are either overcoming an obstacle together or wishing to grow in a specific area.
Where Do You Plan To Meet? When it comes to the Jesus model of discipleship and "doing life together", it's best to have a variety of meeting places and times. If the meeting is designed more around learning a topic then a more stable location would be best for the learning environment. If the topic being learned can be applied in another location, then changing the meeting place would be beneficial. An example of this would be attending a Discipleship Group that trains people how to share the gospel in a home and then meets at the local mall to practice what they learned.
Why Do You Want To Launch This? A Discipleship Group should always have a specific purpose either based on the target demographic or the topic being taught. Discipleship groups are great for training church leaders, reviewing the basics of Christianity for new believers, or creating and launching a new ministry that benefits a specific group of people or the community as a whole.
Possible Next Steps? Depending on the type of discipleship taking place, the group may end when the season is over, seek to expand once the original group had been discipled, be separated into multiple groups, or relaunch with an entirely new group of people who are in need of discipleship in the same demographic or topic interest.
