Recent data from Lifeway Research provides insights into the state of groups, leading to practical steps for fostering vibrant and healthy groups.
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Lifeway Research conducted a comprehensive study on how churches are conducting groups in the United States. The State of Groups study surveyed 1,021 adult Bible study groups ministry leaders in Protestant or non-denominational churches.
“When it comes to Bible study groups, it’s less about the name we give the ministry and more about what the groups actually do,” said Ken Braddy, director of Sunday School and network partnerships at Lifeway. “If a group learns and obeys God’s Word, invites others to follow Jesus, forms deeper relationships and engages in acts of service inside the church and out in the community, you can call a group ministry whatever you like.”
Lifeway Research’s State of Groups Insights Report explores data and uncovers practical tips regarding the state of groups in churches across the United States, equipping churches to answer the question, “How healthy are our groups?” and to apply best practices that can take their groups to the next level.
What do groups look like?
Groups remain a vital part of disciple making in the local church. These ongoing adult small groups go by a variety of names depending on the church, including adult Bible studies, Sunday School, small groups, adult Bible fellowships, LIFE groups and connect groups. Churches are most likely to say they want the primary focus of their groups to be on studying Scripture. At the average church, around 2 in 5 worship attendees (44%) typically participate in small groups.
“Involvement in worship and small groups are not in competition,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Studies have shown participation in ongoing Bible studies bolsters worship attendance. The higher a church’s percentage of weekend worship attendees involved in a small group, Sunday School class or similar group, the greater likelihood of five-year worship attendance growth.”
When churchgoers find a group, most stick with it, with nearly 9 in 10 groups ministry leaders (89%) saying most group participants have been in the same group for at least two years and only around a third of leaders (34%) saying they started new ongoing adult Bible study groups in the first half of 2024.
And when groups start to grow, most leaders are not going to intervene. Although experts suggest forming new groups out of ones that begin to grow too large, 9 in 10 groups ministry leaders say they do not limit the size of ongoing adult Bible study groups.
In any church, groups ministry is dependent on volunteers to lead each small group. And in many cases, these small group leaders do not have formal theological training or educational experience. Yet more than 1 in 3 (36%) churches say they do not provide any training for their small group leaders.
Where do churches go from here?
No matter a church’s size or context, there are some key challenges churches face when it comes to groups ministry. But equipped with practical tools for navigating these challenges, leaders can step into opportunities to grow their groups ministry and increase discipleship in their churches.
Each week, groups serve as the primary means for churches to disciple those who are a part of their congregations. The State of Groups Insights Report equips pastors and groups ministry leaders to evaluate the health of their groups and consider steps they can take to establish healthier and more effective groups.
Churches struggling to see movement from rows to circles — worship attendance to small group participation — are not alone as they face this reality. However, churches do not have to accept dwindling groups participation as their settled fate. Rather, The State of Groups invites church leaders to implement the ideas presented in this report to help worship attendees become small group participants. This will produce a spiritual impact in the lives of those moving into small groups and will have lasting ramifications in the life of the church.
In this report, insights based on data encourage pastors and groups ministry leaders to start new groups, proactively help worship attendees become small group participants and regularly provide training to equip group leaders to teach and disciple their group members. Based on the latest groups research, pastors and church leaders will be challenged to take steps toward building a groups culture where churchgoers participate, groups multiply and disciples are made, advancing the kingdom of God through the local church.
To explore the complete findings, download The State of Groups Insights Report from Lifeway Research.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Marissa Postell Sullivan and originally published by Lifeway.
