One Size Doesn’t Fit All
In this article, I want to challenge you to get specific about your unique ministry context and think deeply about crafting a small group strategy that truly fits. Every church is different—different people, different cultures, different challenges, and different seasons of ministry. And because of that, one size doesn’t fit all.
This phrase—“one size doesn’t fit all”—is more than just a cliché. It’s a vital principle for healthy leadership. It means there is no universal model or perfect small group formula that will work flawlessly in every church. What thrives in one congregation might fall flat in another. A strategy that fits a large urban church may not work at all for a small rural congregation. The needs of a growing church plant are different from those of an established church navigating revitalization.
Understanding this truth is liberating. It allows us to stop chasing someone else’s blueprint and start designing a structure that reflects our people, our mission, and our God-given calling. Your small group strategy shouldn’t be a copy-paste job from a popular ministry podcast. It should be a Spirit-led, context-aware approach that serves your people well.
Regardless of the size of your church or the season it’s in, your job as a leader is to be intentional about the strategy you adopt. The way you deploy, implement, and sustain your small group structure must align with your church’s unique mission, needs, and growth pathway.
So take the pressure off your shoulders. You don’t need to replicate someone else’s success. Instead, be sensitive to God’s leading. Pay attention to the specific needs of your congregation, seek wisdom from your leadership team, and ask the Spirit to guide you. Craft a strategy that is not just effective, but faithful—faithful to the people you serve and to the mission you’ve been given.
Certain kinds of small groups are built for evangelism and discipleship and give newcomers from the community an easy place of entry into the church and an atmosphere in which they can be discipled. Other kinds of small groups may follow a particular topic or activity of interest and focus more on cultivating relational connection and community.
The goal is not to be an exact replica of a popular ministry model, but to develop a strategic vision that fits the community, church, and context you are called to.
To begin, I want you to ask yourself:
How may your local church context, community, and culture inform an effective small group ministry strategy?
In what way may small groups change your local church? Will your church generally be open and receptive to the change(s) that small groups may bring?
Would you consider your church an established church? Are there any factors you will need to account for in repositioning the church to embrace small groups more seamlessly?
What are your desired outcomes of groups? What benefit or value do you hope small groups will bring to your church?
How can you align your small group strategy with your existing ministry values and overall church mission?
How will you know if your small group ministry is successful?
These are questions every pastor and small group director should ask themselves as they begin the process of crafting a written strategy.
In most cases, churches throughout North America follow one of a series of five common group ministry models. As you consider your small group ministry strategy, take a moment and assess these models and see which may align the most with your vision. While some churches may pivot towards a core ministry model, others may adopt more than one model or some combination of several.
Each model offers a distinct purpose, feel, and desired outcome.
As you reflect on your church’s vision, these well-defined frameworks can help you select—or blend—the right approach for your ministry context.
#1 - Interest-based Groups
These are small groups designed to build community within the local church. Often, they give visitors and those not yet fully committed to church a place to belong. They tend to revolve around an activity, age-based demographic, or common topic of interest (affinity-based).
Interest-based groups are formed around shared hobbies, life stages, or activities (e.g., quilting, coffee, parenting, young professionals).
The primary aim of these groups is community and connection. These groups create low-barrier entry points for newcomers and church members to build relationships outside of traditional services. Don’t underestimate the power of human connection. For many, a shared interest is the first step toward spiritual conversation.
#2 - Discipleship Groups
Discipleship groups exist for the primary purpose of deepening the faith of believers. They tend to revolve around Bible study, spiritual growth, and prayer.
Discipleship groups tend to be Scripture-centered groups focused on spiritual formation, Bible engagement, and growing in Christian disciplines.
Their aim is often intentional growth and spiritual formation. These groups dig deep—often using curriculum, Scripture, and accountability to shape character and commitment. Discipleship doesn’t thrive by accident—it grows in spaces where believers ask and answer, “How is it with your soul?”
#3 - Evangelism Groups
These groups exist for the primary purpose of leading visitors into a conversion funnel. They have a strong emphasis on the new-birth experience and may serve as the primary vehicle of evangelism in a church.
Evangelism or outreach-focused groups are often designed to target or focus on seekers, spiritual explorers, or unchurched individuals. Their primary aim is often to lead the lost to salvation. These groups may use topical studies, entry-level materials, or relational events to draw people closer to Christ. Evangelism isn’t always a pulpit proclamation. Often, it’s a conversation at a kitchen table where trust is built one week at a time.
#4 - Pastoral Care Groups
As churches grow, so does the need for pastoral care. Pastoral care groups provide a structured way for the body to care for itself through group support, accountability, and a need-based community (GriefShare, addiction recovery, support for the recently divorced, etc.).
These are groups that focus on support and healing, often targeted toward a particular life need—grief, divorce, recovery, or caregiving.
Their primary aim is healing and hope. These groups create safe, closed environments where members can be vulnerable, supported, and shepherded through life’s hardest seasons. You see, when the crowd feels too big to be known, these groups become lifelines of empathy, comfort, and spiritual care.
#5 - Hybrid Groups
Hybrid groups are any combination of multiple group ministry styles. A hybrid model follows a blended approach that draws from multiple models above—often combining interest, discipleship, outreach, and care elements.
Their primary aim is often flexibility and contextualization.
This model acknowledges that not every group has to look the same and allows each one to be shaped by leader strengths and local church needs. A hybrid doesn’t mean “watered down.” It means contextualized for impact—reflecting the rich diversity of needs in your congregation.
Now, I want to pause right here and ask you a few questions:
Which model currently exists (informally or formally) in your church?
What model aligns best with your long-term growth and discipleship vision?
In your church, how can groups broaden the load of pastoral care and/or empower more people to serve others?
As you begin to craft a strategy that fits your ministry and church context:
Clarify your church’s current goals. Are you aiming to build connection, deepen faith, reach new people, or care for the wounded?
Assess your people and culture. Are your members hungry for depth, seeking healing, or looking for belonging?
Select or mix the model(s) accordingly. You may launch with one model or adopt a hybrid approach.
Equip leaders according to group needs. Not every leader fits every model. Match giftings to purpose.
And lastly, most importantly, evaluate and adapt over time.
As you craft a strategy for small groups in your church, it’s also important to think through leadership needs. In many cases, the success of a new ministry endeavor rises and falls based upon who is leading it.
In the context of small group ministry, it is vital to think in terms of “who” and not just “how.”
Who will take charge of and own your overall small group ministry vision? Who will you recruit to lead individual groups? Who will you mobilize to host, join, or participate in groups?
Who will own the small group ministry vision in your church?
How can you communicate the significance, value, and potential of groups from the main stage?
What key church leaders can you recruit to drive the small group ministry forward?
What qualities will you look for in group leaders and/or facilitators? What expectations will you have of group leaders?
How will you train, develop, or coach your group leaders? What can you do to give your group leaders what they need to thrive?
Evalutaing Growth
As you begin putting structure on a small group ministry strategy, you must also consider how you will evaluate and sustain growth over time. After you have launched your group ministry, establish a series of growth milestones to aim for over a three-month, six-month, and twelve-month period. Identify how your group leaders can measure spiritual or discipleship growth in individual group members.
Where do you see your small group ministry in three months, six months, and twelve months? How do you hope that your small group ministry will grow?
How will you know if the small group ministry in your church is successful? What growth targets are you aiming for?
What qualities may inform your group leaders that their group is growing or making an impact?
How do you intend to evaluate the growth of small groups over time? What steps can you take to sustain momentum?
Are there any small group ministry training events in your area that your team can attend to gain fresh motivation, support, and resources?
Lastly, as you finalize your strategy, remember: small group ministry is not just a tool—it’s more often a culture shift. It’s a long-term investment in people over programs, relationships over routines, and transformation over transaction.
For churches that have long relied on Sunday services or large events as their primary ministry platform, this shift won’t happen overnight. It takes time, intention, continual reinforcement, and consistent vision casting. In the early stages, not everyone will be on board. Some may act reluctant to get involved because the change in ministry strategy feels unfamiliar.
Others may not immediately see the value of what happens in a living room compared to what happens on a stage. That’s okay.
Culture rarely shifts in a day—but it does shift over time when leaders lead with clarity and conviction.
If your church is used to measuring success by attendance at events, embracing the deeper, slower, and more relational work of small groups will require patience and persistence. But the long-term investment is worth it!
Over time, small groups will not only support your Sunday gatherings—they’ll strengthen them. They’ll deepen discipleship, expand pastoral care, mobilize more people for ministry, and create space for authentic relationships that large gatherings simply can’t provide on their own.
Don’t rush to replicate someone else’s model; instead, allow the Spirit to guide you in building a framework that reflects the heart of your church and the rhythm of your community. Whether your groups begin with a handful of participants or launch with momentum, the most important step is that they are rooted in purpose.
When groups are aligned with your mission, led by empowered leaders, and fueled by a big vision—they become catalysts for lasting spiritual growth.
So, dream boldly, plan wisely, craft a strategy with purpose, and remember—one size doesn’t fit all!
