According to a 2007-2008 Barna Group study of over 3,000 random
respondents, 41 percent of adults attending a Protestant church associate with a
congregation of 100 or fewer adults. An additional 23 percent can be found at a
church of 101 to 200 adults, 18 percent in congregations of 201 to 499 adults,
and only 9 percent of church-goers in congregations of 500 to 999. In other
words, even though the mega-church that often receives the buzz, it is the
smaller church in America who is ministering to the masses.
Geography, finances, and local demographics all impact how, and
what, ministry is happening. Yet one thing is certain: God calls us to be in
community with one another. But do small churches need small groups? After all,
the existence of authentic community can be taken for granted when numbers are
small and everyone seems to know everyone else—or can it?
The truth is, small groups in smaller churches provide three basic
necessities for a congregation's healthy spiritual growth: accountability,
forward momentum, and a missional identity. Read more
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