FAQ: What is the difference between a "small group" and a "ministry?"

We try as best we can to blur the lines between our small groups and ministries. We believe our ministries should act like small groups because there is more joy and fulfillment in completing the task when we know each other and do it as a team. And we believe our small groups should act like ministries because serving together is one of the fastest ways to build community.

The only “ministries” identified at NCC are production, hospitality, prayer, nursery, kid’s ministry, worship, and In Service. These are the ministries that we consider to be “mission critical” at our weekend services. Everything else is considered a small group.

Some of our small groups would be considered “ministries” at other churches. For instance, Alpha is typically considered a “ministry” because of its scope, size, and staff involvement. Some of our outreach and social justice groups would be considered ministries by most churches. For us, the size, budget, and staff involvement do not differentiate between small groups and ministries. Some of our small groups (like Alpha) have a tremendous size, budget and staff involvement. A ministry is an activity that is "mission critical" for Sunday mornings. Everything else comes under the small group/discipleship umbrella.