Providing a middle ground to small groups helps new people connect.
Convincing newcomers to join a weekly small group of 10 to 15 people can often be a feat. Recognizing that fact, Good Shepherd Community Church in Gresham, Ore., created what Dan Franklin, formerly the church’s pastor of scriptural enrichment, calls a “middle ground” for people who attend the large worship service but aren’t yet ready to commit to a small group or in some cases, aren’t able to come due to childcare issues, job schedules, etc.
More than 20 years ago, the church introduced minichurches—gatherings of 50 to 200 adults that meet during the first worship service, then attend the second service. Each of Good Shepherd’s four minichurches tends to be based on a season of life and emphasizes prayer, teaching and fellowship.
“We wanted to create a sense of belonging for people who weren’t yet involved in a small group or weren’t able to commit to a weekly group,” Franklin explains. ”Minichurches help us create a sense of belonging on the weekends.”
He offers five tips for bringing people deeper into the life of the church via minichurches. Keep reading.
What Tonya Walmer is describing in this article are what Andy Stanley calls "living rooms."
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