written by Pete Greenwood, Lead Consultant
As a pastor and church planter, I know that in most cases the lion’s share of church resources goes into running a vibrant Sunday worship service. This is right and good. The shared experience of submitting to God’s word, joining in the songs of the saints, praying for the growth of God’s Kingdom, and sharing in the Lord’s Supper is central to the life and health of any church.
At the same time, this very natural focus can mean that other ministries are sometimes unintentionally de-emphasised. They can be viewed as “added extras”—valuable, but not essential. This is often the case when it comes to small groups.
Small groups have a long and rich history. Since the days of John Wesley’s Methodist “classes” and “bands,” they’ve played a vital role in the life of the church. Even in smaller congregations, there is an instinctive awareness that people need relationships at a level of depth that a few hours on Sunday can’t provide. Often, these groups centre on Bible study, helping people reflect more deeply on Scripture and apply it to the realities of everyday life.
Most pastors and elders would readily affirm the importance of small groups. But in the busyness of ministry, it’s easy for their full significance to drift out of focus. Research consistently shows that higher levels of participation in church life are positively associated with stronger wellbeing, deeper belonging, and healthier church communities overall (1). In my consulting sessions, I sometimes invite leaders to reflect on the New Testament “one anothers”—honour one another, serve one another, encourage one another, show hospitality, love one another. Then we ask a simple question: to what extent can these be meaningfully practiced in a Sunday service?
The answer is: to some extent—but not fully. Sunday gatherings are essential for shaping us in the gospel, but they are not designed to carry the full weight of shared life together.
There’s another layer here. At City to City, we believe churches flourish not just when their programs are strong, but when their systems are healthy. Healthy systems ensure that every ministry is connected to a clear and compelling vision. We often describe this through three movements: “Drawing in” (community and integration), “Reaching out” (evangelism and mission), and “Growing up” (spiritual maturity).
Many church ministries contribute meaningfully to one or two of these areas. But small groups are uniquely positioned to engage all three.
They can be directed upward—cultivating devotion to God and deeper discipleship to Jesus. They can be directed inward—building relationships marked by love, care, and service. And they can also be directed outward—creating natural, accessible spaces for mission, whether through shared hospitality or intentional engagement with the local community.
That outward dimension is often the least developed, but it doesn’t need to be complex. In many cases, it can begin with something as simple as a regular, welcoming gathering where friends and neighbours are invited in.
If this is true, then small groups are not just optional additions to church life. They are a vital environment for discipleship, operating in all three ministry systems. Healthy churches are not built on Sunday gatherings alone, but on communities where the gospel is lived out together.
In fact, “small groups” is probably not the best term (and so many other names are used). They may be small in size, but they are significant in purpose. More than that, they are communities through which God is at work in powerful and personal ways.
As part of our Revitalisation program, we work with churches to strengthen and renew their small group ministries. We help connect groups to the wider vision of the church, deepen the quality of their gatherings, and develop clear pathways for leadership and multiplication. In many cases, churches also begin to see a steady increase in participation as groups become more clearly integrated into the life of the church.
————————————————————
(1 ) See, for example, research on church participation and wellbeing in Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture (2019), and findings from the National Church Life Survey highlighting the link between belonging, involvement, and church vitality: Belonging & Involvement (NCLS Research); Strengths of Faith Communities (NCLS Research).