Cycle Starter Plans

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Having understood your church a little better with the help of the NCD Church Survey, its now time to start cycling together towards a healthier church. You’ve chosen to start experimenting and learning more about the topic to the left. Now, select one of the cycle starter plans below and write number 1 in its box. Put this sheet on your wall, then, go do it!

Next time you are meeting with others who are also working through a topic, ask each other the questions from the cycle, starting at “do” and finishing at “plan”. After a cycle you may decide the most important thing to do now is to keep going with the same plan, modify it, or choose another option from below. If choosing another from below, just write 2 in its box and so on.

If you’d like more cycle starter options, or to work on another topic highlighted by your NCD Church Survey results, just visit ncdchurchsurvey.org/cycle-starters

Holistic Small Groups

  • Assist the church leadership to grow a resource library for current and potential small group leaders. Especially focus on resources that may relate to your church's current minimum factor themes and issues.
  • Develop a creative way of promoting your church's small groups, helping people to identify the unique details of each (e.g. meeting time and frequency, age group, gender, topics, format, etc.)
  • Discuss with your small group what it would take to ensure the group is always open to newcomers and the pathways by which those people are likely to end up in your group.
  • Get every member of your small group to share what would make your time together most relevant to the issues faced in daily life.
  • If your church leadership says small groups are a priority, ensure there is a budget allocation and time set aside for developing small groups and leaders that matches such statements.
  • Reflect on your small group meeting environment considering every aspect from when members arrive until they depart. What could be done to make it a more family-like homely setting.
  • Share a meal together as a small group encouraging each person to contribute (e.g. food, a song, a biblical reflection, etc.)
  • Start a new small group with a specific focus on dealing with challenges that are experienced by the people invited to attend.