Thinking of starting a small group this Lent? Great! Let’s walk through the steps for getting started.
Find Your “Why”
There are lots of great reasons why you may want to start a small group:
- Spend time frequently with a great group of friends or friends-in-the-making
- Read Scripture together and meditate on the meaning of God’s Word for your life
- Build a community that supports one another in growing as Jesus’ disciples
- Experience prayer together as a group and the support of a community praying for each others’ needs from week to week
- Create an environment where you can invite people who are curious about Christianity to experience prayer, Scripture, and fellowship
Which of these (or any other reason) is most important for you right now? That’s your “why.” Keeping it front and center will help you stay motivated to start your group.
Discern Whom to Invite
Who should you invite? You may already have a couple of people in mind, but even so, bring the question of whom to invite to prayer. God may have a few names and faces for you that aren’t yet on your list. Prayerfully imagine your group and what you hope it will be like. Who comes to mind as you think about your small group? Write down any names that come to mind.
Find a Location to Meet
Next, think about where you will meet. Can you meet in your living room? That’s often the most straightforward space to arrange and the most conducive to growing in faith and friendship together. But if not, perhaps someone else would be willing to host, or you could always meet at a coffee shop.
Choose a Start Date and Meeting Time
Now take a look at your calendar. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on March 5. If you use the EC’s small group discussion guide which looks ahead to the upcoming Sunday’s readings, you’ll want to start no later than the week of March 3. You could decide to start a week earlier than that for a social gathering and a chance for everyone to get to know each other before you dig into the discussion guide.
- What days of the week work best for you to lead the group?
- Is your intended location available on those days?
- What time(s) of the day would work best for you and (to the best of your knowledge) the people you’re inviting?
Choose Your Discussion Guide
What do you want your small group to focus on during your discussions? We recommend discussing Scripture in your conversations to benefit from this powerful place of encounter with the Lord. If you’re not sure which resource to use, how about With Jesus to the Cross? This is the EC’s small group discussion guide on the Sunday readings for Lent. You may also prefer to write your own questions. Whatever you decide, be sure to purchase or prepare your resource with plenty of advanced time before your group begins. Get enough copies for your whole group or let people know how to get their own copy when you invite them.
Make Your Invitations
Once you have your list of people to invite and the details about the group you want to start, make your invitations. We recommend giving people a call so they can hear your warmth and authenticity as you invite them to join you for your Lenten small group.
Over the next few weeks, follow up with anyone who gave you a “maybe.” If some people say “no,” resist the urge to take it personally. There are dozens of reasons why now might not be the right time for them to accept your invitation. Go back to prayer and add some more people to your list. Keep inviting.
Prepare for Your First Meeting
A few days before your group is set to begin, reach out to everyone to remind them of the date, time, and location of your first small group session.
Use your discussion resource to prepare questions and pray for the people who will shortly be joining you to pursue the Lord in Scripture and life.
Prepare your meeting space and any drinks and snacks you want to have on hand.
Now you’re ready to go! Look at that—you started a small group!
Andrea Jackson is a Content Creator and Ministry Consultant at the Evangelical Catholic. The Evangelical Catholic’s mission is to equip Catholics to live out the Great Commission.
