Discipleship Groups, also known as D-Groups, have become a popular way for Christians to grow in their faith alongside like-minded individuals. These small groups of 3-5 people challenge members to study the Bible, share personal struggles, and grow as a disciple-maker. However, as with any group endeavor, there are certain pitfalls that can lead to their downfall.
This month, we are giving you a sneak peek into one of our favorite exercises: D-Group Case Files. After working with thousands of churches on D-Groups, we boiled down the most common pitfalls for D-Groups. Over the next few weeks, we are sharing the 8 strategies that kill D-Groups. In this blog post, we will introduce you to these eight strategies that most commonly kill D-Groups.
Last week, we talked about the number one reason why D-Groups fail: when they are led with an engagement mindset and not an empowerment mindset. This week, we will introduce you to the eight ways that people most commonly do this. If you have already started Discipleship Groups, these may help you see missteps you have already taken. If you are about to start Discipleship Groups, this may prevent those missteps.
But before we introduce them, we must give a warning and a disclaimer. The warning is that many of these suspects will sound familiar to you… they should. Each one of these suspects has been part of our journey as well. We learned the hard way that these approaches won’t work so that you don’t have to. The disclaimer is that these approaches to ministry aren’t wrong, but these approaches to D-Groups specifically will almost certainly have a negative impact. They may work well for your Small Group ministry, but the will kill your D-Group ministry.
Here is the Suspect Lineup:
- Deep Dive
- All-Star
- Exclusive Host
- D-Harmony
- Add-On
- Bottom Shelf
- All-In
- Microwave
Each of these suspects has a name, character, and mantra that will be explored in more depth over the next four weeks. In this post, we will give a brief overview of each one.
- Deep Dive – “D-Groups are to make close friends and gain more Bible Knowledge”
- All-Star – “D-Groups require top-tier leaders for the groups to work.”
- Exclusive Host – “D-Groups happen at this time at our church.”
- D-Harmony – “We will match you with your D-Group!”
- Add-On – “Let’s add D-Groups to what we are already doing.”
- Bottom Shelf – “Let’s make D-Groups less challenging.”
- All-In – “Let’s promote D-Groups from the platform.”
- Microwave – “Let’s speed up our D-Group process.”
Over the next four weeks, we will dive into each of these suspects in more depth, exploring their character, mantra, and why they can be so damaging to D-Groups. By being aware of these pitfalls, you can avoid them and create a thriving, empowered D-Group that allows for true growth and transformation in its members.
Join Our D-Group Co-Lab this Fall
If you’re looking to prioritize Discipleship Groups in your church this fall, consider joining our Discipleship Group Co-Lab from August to December. We will guide the first 10 churches that sign up to launch, relaunch, or sustain their D-Groups for the next year. If you’re interested, click here to learn more.
Click here to apply now!
