Connect group size

A group of three to five people is the ideal size for a Connect Group. There are many benefits to meeting together in small groups, including:

• It’s the perfect place to build close relationships;
• It’s a place of loving accountability, which helps us to grow in our faith and remain on a sure footing;
• Improved Biblical knowledge and greater understanding on how to apply this knowledge to our everyday lives;
• Greater fruitfulness as Christians;
• Effective way of discipling others.

Frequency of a connect group

We believe that meeting weekly allows for the greatest depth of relationship, fastest growth of individuals and encourages the greatest amount of fruitfulness. If, however, your group is unable to meet weekly, biweekly (although less desirable) will also work. The ideal time period for a Connect Group is one hour, although many people choose to spend time together before or after the meeting to catch up.

Lifespan of a connect group

Very often the relationships that are initiated in your Connect Group will continue forever. However, the formal structure of your Connect Group need only last for a year. It is likely that within a year the members of your Connect Group will be ready to run their own groups and we would love you to prepare them to do this.

The 3 wow factors of a connect group

• Relational.
  Connect groups are all about relationships. We open with a time for people to share what is going on in their lives and to connect relationally with one another. This includes time for being thankful, as we take time to share testimonies of what God has done in the week, building our faith to believe God for great things in our lives.
• Biblical.
  There is always a focus on God’s Word in our Connect Groups. It might be that we work through a tool like the Encounter God book, we might go through an outline of the previous Sunday’s sermon, delving deeper into what God is saying, or discussions may take place around one or two Scriptures that stand out to group at the time.
• Fruitful.
  Fruitfulness is the natural result for anyone who is living in Christ. We encourage fruitfulness by challenging each person to take risks in sharing their faith with others, to reach out in friendship to those who don’t know Christ yet, to become active members of the church by serving on a Sunday or other times, to exhibit Christian character in their relationships and to influence their world toward greater godliness.
  
  Underlying all of this is a prayerful atmosphere, taking time to pray for the needs of the people in the group, people we know, the church and for the nation as we feel led.