We intentionally create breaks in our small group schedule. This isn't just to stay out of the rut, it's actually a part of the rhythm we want to create. The breaks don't just keep us from getting stale, they are designed to move us forward. Here are the breaks we've taken so far:

Praise and Worship: Instead of meeting in homes, we came to the church for corporate worship and an extended time of singing and a short devotional.

Parties (beginning of the year, Christmas, end of the year): Our small groups exist to fulfill the biblical purpose of fellowship, we want to create authentic community and build relationships. However, less structure and more laughter can be a great place for new relationships to start and existing ones to go deeper.

Creative Prayer Experiences: Once a semester we take a break and come to the church for a night of prayer. We've designed several stations, each with a devotional, object lesson, and activity. (youth workers: go here to get this resource on the cheap)

I LOVE CONSISTENCY! I think it's really important to develop healthy patterns so students know what to expect and can show up with a sense of anticipation. However, it's important to avoid being too consistant! The joy and challenge of leadership is to find the right mix of chaos and control...

So What's Missing?

Probably lots of things! But the one that stands out for me is the biblical purpose of ministry: Serving in our community. We meet once a month on a Saturday to serve the homeless, but we haven't yet taken a break from small groups to serve.

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Related posts:

1. first “real” night of HSM small group
2. why you don't want your worship to be free
3. parent letter: starting a new small group
4. 24 basic small group DOs and DONTs
5. youth ministry training: small group adult leader training