question #2: what is your theology of community and discipleship?

What is your theology of community? What is your theology of discipleship? How do you expect groups to facilitate and promote community and discipleship within your congregation?

Once you've thought strategically about why you are doing groups, it's important to think through your church's vision, mission, purpose, and uniqueness to determine how groups will help advance those goals. Here are some follow-up questions:

How do groups fit into the larger vision of the overall church? Think Biblically and theologically about community—what does it look like? What does it not look like? What about spiritual growth? What is the goal? How does that happen? Small groups can be used to promote community, spiritual growth, and evangelism in your church, but what role will those play in your unique church culture? Will they be the primary vehicle for one of those things? Or only a vehicle? Can people belong to community at different levels, or do you desire to move everyone to intimate and accountable space relationships? Does discipleship happen best face-to-face or shoulder-to-shoulder? Does discipleship happen best one-on-one or within the context of community?

Develop a definition of community. Develop a definition of discipleship. Or better yet, develop pictures of community and discipleship. And let your groups and your model of group life emerge from there.