Provided to you by Dr. PJ Dunn, Senior Consultant for Revitalization, Georgia Baptist Mission Board

People are hungry for community, but getting them into a group can be harder than it used to be. Half of American adults experience loneliness. Yet our normal approach is often to announce groups, post a list, and wait for people to take the initiative. Lonely people don’t often raise their hands. Sometimes we need to make the next step relational.

Consider hosting a group lunch event.

Invite anyone who is not currently connected to a group, is looking for a new group, or wants to meet some people. Then invite leaders who are launching new groups or have room to welcome someone new.

Keep the event simple and relational.

Rather than presenting information from the front of the room, seat group leaders around tables with people who are looking for connection. Give them time to eat, talk, hear about available groups, and begin building relationships. Your goal is not simply to help someone choose a group. It is to help them meet someone they would want to see again.

Before the event ends, help every participant identify a next step.

New groups could start that week, removing another barrier between invitation and participation. Groups are more than meetings. They are disciple-making environments where people can grow toward Christlikeness through biblical community.

Programs don’t make disciples; people do.

Sometimes a shared meal is the bridge that helps someone move from attending church to being noticed, named, and known.