Eight Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders

1. Dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group

• You will live your dreams
• “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34)
• “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart” (Matthew 15:18)
• Let your heart be full of dreams for your Small Group and for your community.

2. Pray for your group members daily

• Consistent action produces greater results than periodic efforts.
• Prayer is a powerful weapon that goes deep into the heart.
• Remember that the Holy Spirit convicts the world regarding sin, righteousness and the coming judgement.
• Pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit on your friends and neighbors.

3. Invite new people to visit your group weekly

• Some are afraid that if they invite, the people won’t come.
• But if you invite, they might come. Those who do come as a result of your invitation are the ones who will come.
• So, if you invite, these people will come.
• Don’t lose the opportunity.
• See the invitation as an offer to them that will help them tremendously.

How to invite

• Saturate in prayer
• Keep them saying “Yes”
• Persevere
• Team invite
• Seasons if the soul
  • Death
  • Marriage
  • Illness
  • Moving
  • Divorce
  • Family problems
  • Birth of a child

Who to invite

• Family
• Friends
• Coworkers
• Classmates
• Neighbors
• Church contacts

4. Contact your group members regularly

• Remember the term “Out of sight out of mind”
• Keep people in sight and in mind.
• Call to care
• And to give
• Never to get – keep it genuine
• Keep them coming
• Ask “How can I pray for you?”

5. Prepare for your group meeting

• Prepare yourself
• Prepare the atmosphere
• Prepare your agenda
• “Fail to plan, Plan to fail”

6. Mentor an apprentice leader

• Multiply the group
• Reach thousands
• Mentoring is letting go
• Keeps leader and group multiplication a priority

7. Plan group fellowship activities

• Picnic
• Dinner
• Game Day
• Orphanage Visit

8. Be committed to your own personal growth

• Otherwise you shrink and die
• Story of the young Lumberjack who cut down 9 trees in the first day… Then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 – But an older, skinnier man was consistent with 9 per day (Every morning he took time to sharpen his Axe.
• Your personal relationship with God
• Your family commitment and relationship
• Study the Bible
• Study leadership

***Idea taken from Leading A Small Group by Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey , material added from personal study and experience.