THE PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURHC

Starting a support group system in your church
By Manda Gibson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A support group is a very practical, simple yet strategic ministry, but like with any ministry you build, you have to lay a foundation."

Tommy Hilliker, leader of Saddleback Church's support group ministry

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When MaryAnn saw a post-abortion support group advertised in her church bulletin, she felt the emotional pain of her own abortion, which had taken place many years earlier. For six months she carried the bulletin in her purse. Each time the support group met, she drove to the meeting and sat outside in her car, asking God for the strength to go in. After six months, she finally did go in. Through the group, she found forgiveness, hope, and healing in Jesus. Today she co-leads a post-abortion support group at Saddleback Church.

"If I could describe all of my support group leaders in two words, it would be merciful and compassionate," said Tommy Hilliker, who leads Saddleback's support group ministry. "They are changed lives, and they are thankful for how God has brought them through some of their deepest hurts. That's why they want to give back and help."

A support group ministry is one of the easiest and most effective ministries a church can start, Hilliker said.

Support groups can exist to address issues ranging from dealing with the death of a child to how to live with HIV/AIDS. But no matter what they address, church-based support groups have a common purpose – to provide Christ-centered support for life's trials, traumas, and tragedies. (Related article: A Christ-centered approach to HIV/AIDS support groups)

And support groups are a ministry any church – regardless of its size or location – can start, both as a ministry to its members and an outreach to the community. Hilliker suggests a church do five things to develop a support group ministry:

1. Lay a foundation.

"A support group is a very practical, simple yet strategic ministry, but like with any ministry you build, you have to lay a foundation," Hilliker said.

To lay a firm foundation, a church needs to do three things:

Develop a foundation statement, listing the ministry's vision, mission, and purpose. Saddleback Church uses 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 as its foundation statement.
Identify the main groups within your church – like Sunday school classes, small groups, and recovery groups. Meet with the people leading the other group systems and discuss how you can partner together. "You're not trying to create a silo ministry; you're trying to create a ministry that works hand-in-hand with the other ministries," Hilliker said.
Imbed five core values of support groups into the ministry:
1. Provide a safe place of connection. (What happens in a support group stays in a support group – with the exception of life-threatening behaviors that a support group leader would need to report to proper authorities.)
2. Provide a place of cultivation that prepares people for God to work in their lives, allowing them to grow closer to him and each other.
3. Provide a place of commitment, where people eventually can find purpose in their pain by giving back in ministry.
4. Provide a place of compassion. "Compassion evangelism is an amazing event to watch take place," Hilliker said. "When someone comes out to one of our support groups, whatever they're going through, we want them to experience the love and compassion of Christ. People are literally loved into the Kingdom through compassion."
5. Provide a place of Christ-centered care. "Christ is our foundation, the core of what we do," Hilliker said.

2. Gain support of the senior pastor and other church leaders.

When Saddleback pastor Rick Warren gave a sermon on losing weight, he talked about the Lose It for Life support group, for people trying to lose weight. Overnight after his message, 1,200 people registered for Lose It for Life.

"That's the power of the senior pastor's support; it launches the group," Hilliker said.

3. Adopt a leadership training process.

At Saddleback, potential support group leaders complete a five-week training course. During the course, participants move from simply having a heart to serve to knowing everything they need to launch and lead a group. Using this process, Saddleback launched 35 new groups in a single year. Now Saddleback has 100 support groups and 165 support group leaders.

4. Develop a launch strategy.

A launch strategy should include plans for promoting the group, a timeline for when to start it, and details like where and when the group will meet.

Saddleback promotes support groups in around 15 different places – ranging from worship service announcements to announcements in local newspapers. They begin promoting the group about a month before it starts.

"Then you wait for God to bring people," Hilliker said.

5. Pray, and keep praying.

Support groups are challenging because they venture into people's deepest hurts, Hilliker said. And when you pray, you invite God into that process.

"A support group ministry needs to be bathed in prayer; it's vital to the success of the ministry," Hilliker said.

When Saddleback started one particular support group, no one but the leader showed up for the first couple weeks. Hilliker kept telling the leader to keep praying. Then one week two people showed up; soon there were five. Now the support group is going strong.

"You have to be willing to give the ministry to God and let him take it over because it's his ministry anyway," Hilliker said.

So now what?

Whatever a church's size, it's best to start with one support group, Hilliker said. Saddleback's support group system started with a group for parents of children with ADD – because that's what someone was passionate about.

A church should start with prayer, then evaluate needs in the church, and then look around for leaders with the passion to lead a group.

Once the first group is off the ground, a church should start preparing for others, Hilliker said.

"Really focus on developing a holistic support group system," he said. "Remember this is a ministry of the church that's an outreach. It's a way to love on the community. Your members will benefit from it and your leaders will grow from it; so start with one, but don't stay there."

As a church's support group system develops, the community often begins to recognize the church as a place to find compassionate care and practical help, Hilliker said.

"Your church becomes a light in the community, a safe house for people to come," he said.

For more information about and to see a list of Saddleback support groups, click www.purposedrivenchurch.com