The average size Sunday School in America is 10 people. On average, children's groups have a few less, while adult groups will have a few more. In large churches, this number will expand slightly, owing mostly to a few huge classes. But still, the average is about 10. Imagine that this group of 10 doubled every two years or less. Suppose they doubled every eighteen months. What would happen in ten years? (I owe this insight to Andy Stanley who is betting the farm on doubling groups.) Keeping a constant state of growth, here is what it looks like over ten years:
In graph form, it looks like this: How do we get a group to double every two years or less? Perhaps a little review is in order. There are five steps to a group doubling every two years or less:
Why doesn't this happen all the time? Why doesn't it happen routinely? It isn't rocket science. Why don't we see this happening regularly? In a word. . . Life! Life gets in the way of doubling. Soccer. School. Work. Choir practice. Meetings. Kids. Life. Life gets in the way. How do we keep life from getting in the way of impacting 1000 people in the next 10 years? Priorities. If I were your pastor I would say this to you: Giving Friday nights to Jesus must become your second church priority. Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning is first. This is second. Stay home from church Sunday and Wednesday nights. Skip the committee meetings. Cancel visitation. This must move up--way up--in the priority structure. You may disagree with me on this "Skip Sunday night and Wednesday night" philosophy. I can respect that. But, I will assure you of this. If inviting every member and every prospect to every fellowship every month is your fourth or fifth church priority (to say nothing of other LIFE priorities) it won't get done. You simply don't have time. It must come as a high priority or it won't be done at all. You can impact 1000 people in the next 10 years through groups that are doubling every two years or less. But, it must become a high priority to do so.
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