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Church Leadership
November 22, 2019

Five Ways to Help Your Group Make it Through the Holidays

By Chris Surratt

The air is getting cooler, the leaves are disappearing from the trees, and football season is in full swing. We are also heading into the toughest season all year for small groups. Winter brings a myriad of parties, vacations, and holidays. It’s tempting at this point to not fight against the busyness and just cancel group until the new year. But by the time January hits, the group has lost any kind of momentum and has to start over—or completely disband because of lost interest.

Holidays can look different when your small group is considered friends and family instead of just members of a group. I want to spend time with friends during those seasons. We may not choose to meet every week for a study, but I don’t need a break from my friends for a few months. That mind-set helps me stay excited about our group even when the schedule is inconsistent. With that in mind, Here are five things your group can do over the next two months to maximize the opportunities: 

  1. Have a plan.

The first step to your group surviving–and even thriving–through the holiday season is to have a plan, communicate the plan, and stick to the plan. Being proactive and getting ahead in scheduling gatherings as holiday seasons get closer is vital to ensure group health. Clarity is crucial. Let your group members know what the holiday plan is so they can prepare.

  1. Schedule a pre-Thanksgiving alternative meal.

Everyone loves to eat, and what could be better than a Mexican-themed Thanksgiving meal? The crazier the food theme, the better. They will get plenty of traditional turkey and cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving day.

  1. Serve together at a homeless shelter or ministry on Thanksgiving morning.

There are multiple opportunities around cities to serve on Thanksgiving day. You can be done by mid-morning and ready for your family celebration by 1:00 p.m. Nothing prepares your heart for being truly thankful than serving as a group for those without.

  1. Plan an early December Christmas party and then take a break.

Most parties don’t get started until the second week of December, so prepare your group now to get their ugly sweaters washed before December 1st! Don’t worry about attempting to have weekly group meetings through December. The normal rhythm of work and school parties will soon wipe out everyone’s calendars.

  1. Get your first meeting in January on the calendar now.

Instead of scrambling to put something together in the whirlwind of the new year, go ahead and pick the date so that everyone can be ready for it after the festivities and relatives have disappeared. If you haven’t already picked your study for the new year, go ahead and do that before your last meeting in December. This will give everyone something to look forward to coming back in January.

Holidays do not have to kill your group’s momentum. If you get creative and plan ahead, they can give your members something to look forward to every year.

Chris Surratt (@ChrisSurratt) is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience. He served on church staffs prior to becoming the discipleship and small groups specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources. He is the author of Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group. You can follow his blog at ChrisSurratt.com.
Church Leadership
November 16, 2018

The Transformational Practice of Thanksgiving

By Group Ministry

by Reid Smith

I love Thanksgiving! Most people love the holiday because it’s a time to enjoy family, friends, and lots of great food! Most of my favorite memories in life revolve around the combination of these three things, which is why this time of year brings the hope of passing it on by making similar heart-warming memories with my own kids.

Thanksgiving, however, is more than a holiday for groups: it’s a transformational practice that we can’t do without in our small groups. God uses thanksgiving that honors Him to build community, boost faith, and bless the people circled up with us. There are biblical truths about what the Lord does in our lives as a result of showing God-honoring gratitude in our relationship with Him and one another. Thanksgiving:

  • Deepens our communion with God and one another, which advances the Church’s mission (John 17:20-21; 1 Cor 11:23-26, 33; 2 Thes 1:2-3)
  • Strengthens our worship and prayer life because we’re being obedient to give thanks as a part of each (Ps 69:30, 95:2, 100:4; 1 Cor 1:4; Col 1:3)
  • Ushers in the peace of God, which protects one’s whole being against the enemy (Php 4:6-7; 1 Thes 5:11; Heb 3:13)

Experientially, I’ve found that giving thanks reminds me of God’s nature and what He has done for us all. I believe this is one of the reasons why we see so many laments turn to praise in the Psalms and why the Apostle Paul usually opens and closes his letters with giving thanks. Thanksgiving helps me to set my mind on things above and fix my thoughts on Jesus (Col 3:2; Heb 3:1). It helps me to be more forgiving and full of faith, and it even has a way of enhancing my love for my brothers and sisters and Christ.

There’s power in giving thanks. It goes hand-in-hand with encouragement. For example, when I’m encouraging people, I’m usually showing gratitude for something I admire or appreciate about them. Furthermore, when people thank others out of their love for them, how can they not be encouraged? God uses encouragement and thanksgiving together to build community and further His purposes in the world (2 Cor 13:11).

The more I express thanks to God and encourage others, the better I’m able to walk in God’s will, which 1 Thessalonians 5:18 plainly spells out: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Regardless of what we’re facing or up against, God’s will for us is that we are to give thanks. Let’s be honest…that’s a tall order! However, when thanksgiving is a regular practice, it becomes more a part of my natural disposition and response.

Giving thanks invites God’s blessings into our lives because we’re being obedient to live according to His will in Christ Jesus. Consequently, we get to walk in the favor and power of the Lord, which overflows to the people He has put in our lives. As you circle up with the people in your group, give thanks in everything that you do together – fellowship, eating together, worship, prayer, Bible Study – so that you can experience more of God’s life-changing power in your life together.

Reid has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He currently serves as a Pastor of Groups at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach County, FL and has been a contributing author for various publications, including Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. Learn more about how to start and multiply healthy groups throughout your church at www.reidsmith.org.

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