COVID-19 and Small Group Ministry

Now is the perfect time to explore ministry through online small groups! Virtual gatherings allow attendance of those who can’t leave home because of quarantine, illness, disabilities, or childcare concerns. They can function just as well as in-person small groups do, so don’t treat them as “second-best.” In fact, these virtual gatherings may well become an integral part of your church’s ministry after the COVID-19 crisis has passed. 

Tips for Successful Online Small Groups

• Check out this article for basic instructions and pros and cons for meeting via Zoom or Google Hangouts, as well as very helpful tips for hosting a successful online gathering.

• Take a look out the very helpful ideas in Making the Most of Online Small Groups

Ideas for Intergenerational Small Groups

Being confined to our homes presents a spectacular opportunity to experiment with intergenerational small groups, which can have a profound impact on the faith formation of kids, teens, and adults alike. 

• Check out 8 Ideas to Try with Intergenerational Small Groups to start your brainstorming about group format. 

• Read a Bible story out loud together, and then use the questions on this bookmark to wonder about it and dig deeper.

• Read God’s Word together. Read through the psalms or a Bible book together. Introduce each book with a video from The Bible Project (Old Testament videos, New Testament videos)

Ideas for Adult Groups

• Tell your faith stories. Invite each group member to create a faith timeline and share it with the group. Tell stories of God’s faithfulness in the past to encourage each other in these strange and scary days.

• Discuss sermons. If your church is streaming sermons, take notes as you listen. Then when your group meets, talk about it together, asking “How might we live out of these truths in the coming week?” 

• Study a topic together. 

  • Faith Alive adult and small group studies are available free in the CRC’s Digital Library.

  • During the COVID-19 crisis, RightNowMedia.org is offering free access to a limited library of small group studies and other resources. (Your church may also already have a full subscription to this site.) Since not all resources are compatible with a Reformed worldview, we suggest you review content before recommending a study to small groups.