Small Groups: The Benefits of Small Groups in Smaller Churches

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