Having someone over see small groups and run with them is an important position in ministry. Whether it is someone who would be getting paid or a volunteer running it, there is a certain type of person you need to make it run well. If I was the boss who was looking for someone to fill this position, here is the type of description I would give out.

Pursuing an authentic community – Small groups try to be an authentic, open, and honest community. Someone overseeing small groups in students, they need to know and understand what this community looks and feels like themselves so they can try to replicate it in student groups. The care about growth in Jesus, deep friendships and have a big itch for connecting students.

Knowing how to talk to, recruit great people – In order to run a small group you need small group leaders. But not just anybody. You need solid adults to lead students. No one told me you had to have the skills of a college football recruiter. This person should be good at finding, talking to and getting others to pour into the lives of students, asking them to join the life change.

Focus on leaders – We might over see the groups, but it’s never about us. the leaders who led the groups are the heroes. they are the boots on the ground. They have the pulse of whats happening in the ministry and they are the youth pastors to the students in their groups. Focussing on training and taking care of them is key and the one who oversees them needs to master in collecting stories and speaking about life-change going on.

Keep the end in mind – Small groups deal with life. Small groups do not show immediate growth. It can take years to see any fruit. So looking to see what can come out of small groups is key. It’s having faith God will do what He does and hopefully we will get to see the fruit from what can come out of a healthy small group ministry.

Basically, it is more than being a good administrator. It’s more than being the face of the ministry. It’s about being a great trainer to leaders to lead in a way in which we can allow the Holy Spirit to change lives, to do one-on-one ministry and create a community in which is authentic and honest to talk about real life to grow in Christ.