Two couples received the same small group leader training. Chris and Susan began a new group with the dream of ministering to single adults in a healthy, growing, multiplying group. Mark and Kathy took over an existing group because one of their pastors asked them to, but they did not have their own dream for the group. For the first six months, both couples worked hard at inviting and contacting people but both groups stayed small.

Mark and Kathy got discouraged. They soon lost what little dream they had for the group and began to go through the motions of group leadership. They stopped praying for their people or contacting them regularly. They quit invit-ing new people. They did not take much time to prepare for the group. They stopped having fellowship activities. The dream was gone. As a result, their small group kept shrinking. Within a year it died, and they left the church.

Chris and Susan did not lose sight of their dream. They worked hard to apply other habits that would help their dream. Eventually their efforts started to pay off. Within a year, their group had taken off. It continued to grow and eventually it multiplied. The dream made the difference. The first habit of the highly effective small group leader is to dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group.

The first habit of the highly effective small group leader:

Dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group.

The Value of Having a Dream

Having a Dream Increases Potential

Most small groups and small group leaders are sleeping giants. Satan wants to keep them that way, so he constantly whispers lies to small group leaders about what they can't do. Satan is defeated when small group leaders get a dream of what they and their group can become. Their ability to make a difference for God's kingdom immediately rises.

Effective small groups have staggering potential. Our church began as a single small group meeting in my basement; it now has over one hundred small groups. The Methodist church traces its beginning to a small group that met at Oxford University, and today it has over 11 million members.

If a small group leader multiplies his group into just one other multi-plying group every year for ten years, the results are incredible. After the first year, 1 has become 2. At the end of the second year, 2 has become 4. After the third year, 4 has become 8. Then 8 groups become 16, 16 become 32 groups, and 32 become 64 groups after the sixth year! Then if multipli-cation continues annually, 64 groups give birth to 128, 128 groups to 256, 256 groups to 512, and 512 groups become 1028 groups by the end of the tenth year. Over 1,000 groups in ten years! Such is the possible result of a single small group!

Effective small groups are the untapped potential of the local church. Not only can they multiply to reach large numbers of people, but they can be spiritual hospitals for the hurting and hothouses for spiritual growth. They can be the breeding ground for leaders and the launching pad for spiritual warfare. They can give people a feeling of belonging. Effective small groups can create evangelism teams. Yet this potential often goes unrealized without a dream.

Someone observed that the potential of a man is measured by the goals he pursues. Few people realize even a small fraction of their potential. Having a dream helps a small group leader begin to realize his awesome potential to make a difference for God.

Dream the dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group. Dream of leading your group to multiply every year. Believe that God can use your small group to make a big difference.

Having a Dream Aids Accomplishment

I started a group several years ago. I never had a dream for that group. I started it because a man asked me to, and I felt obligated. It was simply a weekly meeting of a few men to study the Bible. The group never jelled and never grew; within a year, it died a quiet death.

? Failure to maintain contact with the members. Group members will miss group meetings. People get sick. They get tied up late at work. They go out of town for a week or two. They stay home to help the kids with a science project. And if no one contacts them in between small group meetings, one week's absence turns into two. Two weeks turn into three and soon they are no longer a part of the group.

Growing groups regularly contact all members and always make the effort to contact absentees. (See chapter four, Contact.)

? No social activities to bond the group and attract new people. "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy." And all meetings and no social activities can make the group a dull place. Humans are social creatures and enjoy occasional social outlets. (See chapter seven, Fellowship.)

? Failure of the leader to share responsibilities with apprentices. The solo leader will reach a limit of what he can do. When his limit is reached, the group stops growing, unless he shares responsibilities with others. (See chapter six, Mentor.)

Group Multiplication.

The highly effective group leader will help develop new leaders and new groups. Healthy cells will not only grow; they will multiply.

Multiplication Barriers:

? Failure to have and mentor apprentices. New groups must have new leaders. Groups fail to multiply when they have no apprentices to become leaders of the new groups. Try not to start any new groups unless they are already pregnant. A pregnant group is one with an apprentice or apprentices already in place being prepared to eventually lead new groups.

But it is not enough to have an apprentice. The group leader needs to mentor the apprentice to develop as a group leader. (See chapter six, Mentor.)

? Failure to plan to multiply. Some groups have apprentices but never seem to have enough momentum to multiply. Many groups have found that the momentum needed to multiply comes after a plan to multiply is in place. This simple plan primarily involves the date and method of multiplication.

The Small Group Leader's Personal Dream of Group Health, Growth, and Multiplication

Pray right now about your dream as a small group leader.

Write out your dream in your own words and/or use the statements below.

- I have the dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying small group.

- I will learn the habits needed to make this dream come true.

- By Gods grace, I will live the habits needed to make this dream come true.

Dave Earley, 8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders (Touch Outreach Ministries, 2001).