Small Groups are Never out of Style

How important are small groups in student ministry – well, I think they are so important that I’m not sure it can be articulated in a short while? Whether you are the youth pastor, small group leader or potential volunteer candidate, I want to share with you a dozen benefits teenagers receive from the ministry of small group leaders:

1. Consistent Adults Other than Mom and Dad

They have another significant adult caring about what they do and the decisions they make.  I once heard Psychologist Dr. James Dobson report that 40% of kids are born into homes with no father to mentor them, correct them or cheer them on and that every adolescent needs a “significant other” adult willing to journey with them for the sake of what I call the THREE “C”s  Challenging, Correcting and Cheering.

2. Small Groups Provide Weekly Personalized Encouragement

Youth receive weekly encouragement to grow spiritually from someone other than mom or dad. There is only so much mom and dad can say and only so long it will be heard before the ears of a teenager become supersaturated with the dos and don’ts during adolescent development. Small group leaders bridge that gap for parents and in the cases where spiritual parenting and modeling is absent, the gap they fill is quite significant!

3. Support from Invested Adults

Small group leaders provide an important support beam when hurricane force winds blow through the life of a teen. An invested connected parent and youth leader simply cannot meet the needs of enough students – they need help from committed small group leaders.

4.  A Caring Presence to Keep them on the Right Path

Youth receive an encouraging word or a smiling face at sporting events or other type activities.  A caring presence from non-relatives is a KEY player in keeping them on the right side of the road or correcting their actions when needed.

5. Encouragement to Stay in Church

Youth get to connect with an adult who is truly excited to see them at church.

6. Shows They Are Not Taken for Granted

Youth are NOTICED when they are not present in small groups and they respond positively when they realized their presence is NOT Incidental or taken for granted.

7. Positive Affirmations

Students benefit from of the voice of affirmation – whether a text, tweet, facebook, phone message or old fashioned snail mail note – they can’t help but know invested small group leaders care and will not give up on them.

8. Provides a “Neutral Adult”

Students need a “neutral adult”  for practical life issues – being too close to the situation makes a parent vulnerable to emotional rule. A small group leader can support the parents from one step outside the boxing ring.

9. Creates a Safe Place for Students

Only in a small group can a student find the connection deep enough to have a SAFE place or person in time of need.

10. Accountability

Youth are accounted for in small group – they are noticed when present and when not present. Small group leaders provide the ultimate management system for the youth ministry.

11. They Retain Spiritual Truths

Only in a small group can spiritual truths be planted using the highest retention rate methods. It’s these teaching methods that provide future Holy spirit recall moments.

12. Small Groups Grow Devoted Christ Followers

If you want your students to become fully devoted followers of Christ INVEST in small group and small group leaders.