This year, we kicked off the new year by talking about how to orient your adult community around a new small group! Missed our posts? Check them out here, here, and here!

In our last blog post for our “New Year, New Small Group” series, we’ll be highlighting what you can do to get started and three key takeaways from the blog series.

Ask for input, not for forgiveness

You know that great saying, “ask for forgiveness, not for permission”? While that may work in some areas of life, it’s not the greatest if you are trying to build interest for a new small group in your community.  

Take the time to ask your community – whether it’s via email, social media, or even in person – what they would be interested in studying. While you may get an array of feedback, it’ll give you some context to general themes and ideas that people are interested in.

Create an “open” small group

Let’s face it, that overwhelming feeling of “I don’t know anybody and it’s the first day of school” never goes away, even as adults. For some, this can be a deterrent for joining a small group or even a new faith community. 

Focus on creating an open small group where everyone feels included. Skip some of the other don’ts to make sure your small group speaks to everyone who’s interested. 

Continue to ask for feedback

You started a small group? Great! 

Now that you have it going, keep it a space where people can provide feedback on what they want to focus on and how it best serves their faith development. Asking for ongoing feedback can help keep interest throughout the duration of your small group.

What’s next? Be ready to have a wonderful time getting to learn new things and join in your community's journey for faith formation as they explore their beliefs and what it means to their lives in a small group setting.  

Still looking for more great resources and tips for hosting a small group? Check out our page with blogs, eBooks, and more!