Thom Rainer:

I love pastors.

I love affirming pastors. I love speaking positively for pastors. That’s why this article is a bit different for me.

Pastors, I want to talk frankly and, hopefully, with a spirit of love, about one of the biggest mistakes I see many of you make. Most pastors have little emphasis, or sometimes, even knowledge about the content that is taught in groups in their churches.

I know you pastors would not think of coming to the pulpit unprepared. You know your text. You know your message. You have prayed about it. You have labored over it. You will not preach that sermon without much prayer and work.

It’s just too important. I completely agree. The centrality of preaching is paramount to the health of the church. I commend you for your prayers, your efforts, and your focus. You will not come to the pulpit unprepared.

But many of you don’t give adequate attention to the content used in your church’s groups. Those groups may be home groups, community groups, small groups, Sunday school classes, or a myriad of other names.

I really understand your reticence. You don’t want to micromanage. You don’t want to be controlling. You want to empower people to lead and choose for themselves. But, in a LifeWay Research study, we found that 75 percent of group leaders and members desired direction for the material used in their groups.

Did you get that? Three of four small group leaders explicitly said they are seeking direction. They want your leadership in this vital area of discipleship…

Read the rest here, including what our team at LifeWay does for churches.