MH 007: A Church Leader’s Role in Small Groups with Chris Surratt, Adam Martin, and Josh Walters

Welcome to Episode 007 of the Ministry Hangout podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for Ministry Hangout on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. In this episode, we learn from Chris Surratt, Adam Martin, and Josh Walters. Adam Martin is the Pastor of Seacoast Small Groups, Josh Walters is a...

Welcome to Episode 007 of the Ministry Hangout podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for Ministry Hangout on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we learn from Chris Surratt, Adam Martin, and Josh Walters. Adam Martin is the Pastor of Seacoast Small Groups, Josh Walters is a Campus Pastor at Seacoast Church, and Chris Surratt is the Discipleship and Small Group Specialist for Lifeway and previously served in roles at Cross Point Church and Seacoast Church. This episode will help you navigate the “why” and “how” of small groups in your church, from getting enough leaders to how to remove leaders and all of the small group elements in between.

Follow Chris Surratt: Twitter | Website

Follow Adam Martin: LinkedIn

Follow Josh Walters: Twitter

Insights from This Episode

1. Defining expectations leads to small groups with clarity and connection.

The first step for churches is defining what a small group looks like and what the expectations are. This will look different from church to church. Chris Surratt mentioned that small groups he’s led have been expected to meet regularly to pray together, do a study of some kind together, and do something missional together at least once per quarter. How many people does your church consider to be a small group? How regularly should they meet? What other expectations should the small groups be aware of?

2. Address two common concerns churches have with small groups: coaching and getting enough leaders.

Do you have people wanting to get connected in a small group and nowhere to send them? Developing a coaching system to develop new leaders can help. Ask current small group leaders who in their group would be ready to step up and lead another group and ask the person if they’d be interested. Similar to a church plant, your church may need new people for new groups or “small group plants” in order to multiply within your small groups ministry.

Quotes from This Episode

• Our emphasis is heavily on the quality of the relationship, that we’re loving people well, caring for people well, and helping them put Jesus at the center of their community—whatever size or type of small group it might be. [Click to tweet]

• Our three expectations of every small group were: they pray together, they study together, and they do something missional together. [Click to tweet]

• If you put a lot of expectations on small group coaches and expect them to be the small group police, it’s probably going to fail. But if you adapt it to what your needs are, you’ll have a better chance of success. [Click to tweet]

About Ministry Hangout

Greg Surratt, founder and pastor of Seacoast Church in South Carolina was regularly having conversations with ministry leaders when he realized that these discussions could provide value to more than just him. Thus, Ministry Hangout was born. Our simple mission to share conversations that matter. We’ll discuss a little bit of everything from lessons learned from churches doing something really well to the nitty gritty of how to develop leaders on your staff to how to use social media for your church to how to foster worship leader development. We want to cover it all and have more conversations that matter.

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