How to Multiply Your LIFEgroup

In order to care for every person that God sends to our church, we need to multiply the number of small groups that are in existence.  We accomplish this by "birthing" new groups from existing groups.  This is not an easy process because people connect with one another deeply and want to avoid the pain of separation.  In fact, if people are excited about the possibility of getting away from one another, there would obviously be a bigger problem.  "Birthing" is a good word for what takes place when a new group is formed because there is pain involved in having a new baby.  Lamaze was developed to help women deal with the pain of childbirth as comfortably as possible.  The following information will assist you in accomplishing this vital element of multiplication in our small group ministry in a manner where we don't lose anyone in the process.

When are you ready to multiply?

• When your group is averaging 10 - 14 people in regular attendance each meeting.
• When your apprentice has completed the interview process with the pastor, has successfully completed the "LIFEgroup Basic Leader's Training" and has met the qualifications of a LIFEgroup leader.
• When your Coach has given the "go" sign.
• When you and your apprentice have both recruited apprentices.

How to prepare your group to multiply?

• The leader initiates a meeting with the apprentice to discuss the multiplication process (only when the above requirements have been met).
• Together, they pray, discuss and brainstorm regarding who should stay in the current group and who would be the best at launching out as pioneers for a new group.  The new group should begin with 4 - 7 people from the original group. (I highly encourage the apprentice to take over the original group and the leader to function as the pioneer, launching out with to start a new group.)  The leader and apprentice decide which one of them will "go" and which one will "stay." The leader and the apprentice should be in complete agreement on this. Where there is difficulty in creating a good balance, the edge should always be given to the apprentice.
• It is very helpful if the leader and apprentice are spending time over the phone and in person with the people who will "go" with them in the multiplication. When this is done in the months leading up to the multiplication, there is confidence in the heart of the members, knowing that the person who has been providing quality care for them in the past will continue to do so in the new group. When the actual multiplication takes place the process is so much simpler because the people are already communicating, and caring for one another as a subset of the larger group.
• Problems are compounded for multiplication when little or planning and preparation has taken place prior. People struggle when they sense that their is an arbitrariness, and lack of thought preceding the multiplication. On a personal note: I will never forget the look of utter shock and terror when, as we were enjoying a meal of Chinese food for our last meeting prior to our multiplication, I looked at wife and said, "Karen, in these fortune cookies we have put the names of the two groups, and which cookie you choose will determine who you will go with after tonight". I don't believe Karen appreciated my warped sense of humor, but I know that she did appreciate the fact that we had intentionally planned for her and her husband to multiply out with the couple who had loved them to within an inch of their lives.
• Family Groups: Care and attention needs to be given in regard to the relationships developed by the children as well. If there are only two teenagers in the group, it can be very healthy to keep the two families together so that the teenagers have a soul mate.

The leader should then begin to prepare the group by sharing the following:

 "As you know, our group has been growing and our goal is to multiply in order to reach out and minister to more people with Christ's love.

The greatest threat to Christian community is that the group become too large, or ingrown and stagnant.  With a larger group, there is not time for everyone to talk and the discussion can easily become surfacy.

 Share with the group your plan and the approximate date this will happen (around 4 - 6 weeks).

 Share with the group that no one will be forced to "go" or "stay"

Personal Touch

The leader and the apprentice should then talk individually with those they have selected to be in their respective groups, asking them to consider "going" or "staying". Ask them to let you know their decision by the next week.

Develop a Multiplication Plan

The leader and apprentice should then meet together again to discuss responses and finalize the dates for the last meeting as one group and the first meeting as two groups.

LIFEgroup Lamaze
(12 week Birthing Plan)

Week 1-3 - Prenatal

Discuss the vision for birthing.  Listen to people express why the group is unique from all other groups and should not be multiplied...  Gently remind people that this is central to our desire to reach lost people for Christ.  This has been part of our vision from the very beginning of this group.  Realize that the baby doesn't want to leave the safe and secure environment of the womb for the risky and unknown outside world.  Real life is found only outside of the womb on the other side of that scary birth canal.  Birthing a group is certainly an expression of living faith that God would build His kingdom as we make room for new people.

The apprentice should handle more and more of the group discussion time.

Divide the group in two for the time of discussion.  It is good to put the two groups in different rooms in the house.  People should be encouraged that no one will be forced to go with either group.  It is very important that the leader and apprentice make contact with the people who they think will be staying with them after the multiplication.

On week three, if one of the groups only has one or two people, often people will volunteer to move from the larger group in order to help maintain balance with the two groups.  This helps avoid having to ask someone to go with a certain group out of obedience.

Week 4 - Birthing Party

Meet as separate groups in the same house.  For this final meeting together, you might plan a potluck, party or some other special activity which is a good way to celebrate the multiplication of the group.  People should fellowship together as they arrive, and then go to two different areas of the home to have the first meeting separate from one another.  Then come together at the end of the night to cut the birthday cake, celebrate, and pray for God's blessing on each group.

Week 5-7 - Postnatal

Groups meet separately in different locations.

Week 8 - Baby Shower (one month after the birth)

This should be a great time of fellowship and sharing.  Having new people in attendance encourages everyone to realize that the birthing process made room for these new people.  People should be given the opportunity to testify to the blessing that the small group has been, and specifically how quality care has been taking place in the midst of Christian community.

Week 9-11 -

Groups meet separately

Week 12 - Family Reunion

This is a time of connecting, and celebrating what God has done with each group.  By this time, each group is developing a personality of it's own, and the group members have made the transition successfully.  It can be used effectively to cast vision for the continual multiplication of each existing group as people see that new relationships are formed and new people are included when we are willing to go through the pain of "birthing" for the kingdom.