Most groups in local churches don’t fall apart overnight. They slowly drift from life-giving to maintenance-driven. Leaders don’t usually quit because they don’t care anymore – they quit because the structure they are working inside can’t sustain long-term disciple-making.
In many churches, the issue is not passion, theology, or even people. It is design. Groups become unsustainable when they are built to maintain instead of built to multiply.
If churches want long-term groups ministry health, they must identify the common breaking points and intentionally build solutions into the culture. “Until disciple-making becomes the ministry of the church and not a ministry in the church, we will never see our discipleship efforts impact the world the way that Jesus envisioned.”¹
When Groups Depend on a Single Hero Leader
One of the most common breaking points is when groups depend on a single strong leader. That leader teaches, organizes, communicates, follows up and carries the emotional weight of the group. Everything feels strong while that leader is strong – but the moment life changes, the group becomes fragile. Shared ministry is what produces sustained ministry.
The solution is building shared leadership from the beginning. Healthy groups should always have an apprentice or co-leader in development. Leaders should rotate responsibilities like discussion facilitation, prayer leadership, mission-project coordination or care follow-up. When leadership is shared, ownership expands and sustainability grows.
When Groups Grow Without Multiplying
Another major pressure point happens when groups grow without multiplying. Growth feels like success until it begins to reduce participation. Once a group passes relational connectivity, quieter people disengage and discussions flatten out. Over time, the group shifts from transformational to informational. The reality is that healthy things grow, but mature things reproduce.
The solution is teaching multiplication as pastoral care, not organizational strategy. Leaders need to understand that multiplying protects relationships rather than breaking them. When groups multiply, more people are known, cared for and discipled at a deeper level.
When Groups Are Built on Convenience Instead of Conviction and Connection
Groups formed only around schedules or locations may collapse when life gets complicated. Sports seasons, work pressure and family stress quickly reveal whether a group is mission-driven or calendar-driven. People rarely sacrifice for something that feels optional. People tend to stay committed to what moves them or changes them. Barna says, “One in five churchgoers (19%) says they are too busy to engage in a small group.” This is just one example that the average person in the community will not give their time to things without clear purpose and impact.
The solution is building strong “why” language into group culture. Groups must regularly talk about life change, obedience, mission and spiritual growth. When people believe their group is helping them follow Jesus more faithfully, participation becomes commitment instead of convenience. In other words, give them something to give their life to and you’ll see greater commitment and conviction.
When Groups Lack a Clear Win
Groups also struggle when they lack a clear definition of success. If leaders cannot explain what they are aiming for, meetings drift toward comfort instead of transformation. Groups can have great discussions and still produce very little life change. When direction is unclear, movement slows. Clarity of purpose builds greater forward momentum.
“I hope so” is not a strategy. The solution is giving leaders an intentional plan to pursue that leads to simple spiritual wins. This could include:
• Consistent Scripture engagement
• Praying for specific unbelievers
• Taking obedience steps
• Building intentional spiritual friendships
• Setting attainable group and individual goals
• Multiplying leaders to start a new group
When Groups Become Closed Relational Circles
Another sustainability challenge appears when ongoing groups become closed. Over time, groups naturally become comfortable and deeply connected. While that is good, it can slowly make new people feel like outsiders. Groups begin to unintentionally communicate, “We are full.” Healthy groups always expect new life and new stories. Unhealthy groups rarely think about unfilled chairs.
The solution is building invitation rhythms into group DNA. Encourage groups to plan invite-focused gatherings, pray regularly for new people and maintain a mindset that new relationships are signs of health, not interruptions.
When Groups Drift Away from the Church’s Discipleship Pathway
Groups often become fragile when they drift away from the church’s overall disciple-making pathway. When groups lose connection to the pastor and the larger mission, leaders begin to feel isolated and unclear about their purpose. Groups that operate in isolation eventually lose momentum. Alignment is what fuels movement.
The solution is consistently connecting groups to the church’s bigger disciple-making story. Leaders need to see how their group supports evangelism, community ministry, assimilation, leadership development and mission engagement. When leaders see Kingdom impact, not just group attendance, passion increases.
When There Is No Next Step for Leaders or Members
Groups flounder when there is no next step for leaders or members. When leaders plateau and members cannot see how to grow, engagement slowly fades. When people can see growth ahead of them, hope stays alive; when growth is visible, sustainability follows.
The solution is building visible development pathways for everyone. Leaders should know how they are growing spiritually and as leaders, and what their next opportunity might be. Members should clearly see how to grow deeper, how to serve and how to disciple others. If your church does not have a discipleship pathway, our team can help.
One Shift Any Church Can Make
There is one shift that changes everything: when we stop measuring success by how long a group survives and start measuring success by how faithfully it makes multiplying disciples (Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Timothy 2:2). Scripture calls us to multiply transformed lives, people who love one another deeply, hold fast to the Word and carry the gospel into the world. If our groups only meet, they will eventually fade. But if our groups reproduce obedience, love and mission, they will outlive us.
So, what’s your next step? Identify one person you can begin intentionally discipling toward leadership and multiplication this year. The legacy of your leadership will not be the group you led, but the disciples who are still making disciples when you are gone.
My team is launching Regional Discipleship Leader Cohorts this year to connect and resource Georgia Baptist leaders. If you are interested in learning more or to join a group in your region, contact me – [email protected].
Scott Sullivan is the Discipleship catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and director of the SPARK conference.
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