One of the best ways to connect, particularly in a larger church, is to split members up into small groups. If you already use the small group model at your church but are unsure how to connect outside a Sunday school setting, here are 5 ideas you should try.
1. Have an Annual Ladies’ Beach Trip
An annual beach trip with encouraging speakers and relaxing activities is a good way to pour into the women in your group because it allows them to interact in a pressure-free atmosphere away from stressors and responsibilities. Getting just the ladies in your small group together gives the women a chance to know one another and develop better relationships.
2. Do a Game Night
If you want to build community in your small group, activities such as bowling or game nights are perfect. These activities are especially good for new or spinoff small groups who don’t know each other very well yet, because it gives everyone something to do besides small talk.
3. Host a Men’s Breakfast or Camping Trip
Similar to how the women need time outside the church to get to know each other, men in your small group also need some downtime together. If you want something more regular, a men’s breakfast is a good casual way to talk and encourage one another. If you want to go deeper and bond with the guys in your group, however, try a camping trip.
4. Serve Others Together
Whether you’re helping an elderly individual with house projects or going on a missions trip together–serving is a great way to strengthen small group relationships. Service projects don’t have to be complicated to be impactful. Even something as simple as baking cookies together and delivering them to a local nursing home or gathering hygiene items for a homeless shelter can strengthen your small group.
5. Plan a Cookout/Pool Party
If you have a lot of families in your small group or a mix of singles and married couples, something like a pool party or a cookout is a creative way to bring everyone together for fellowship. You could even have a campfire afterward and have someone in the group lead worship!