Small Groups Ministry

Small groups are where life change happens. SoapBox gives you tools to launch, manage, and grow a thriving small group ministry.

Ministry Dashboard

Overview

Access your small groups dashboard:

Total active groups
Total group members
Groups without leaders
Unassigned members

Health Metrics

Track ministry health:

Group attendance trends
Leader engagement
Member growth
Group multiplication

Managing Groups

View All Groups

See all groups in your church:

Go to Ministry > Small Groups
View list of all groups
Filter by:
- Status (active, forming, inactive)
- Type (Bible study, life stage, interest)
- Campus
- Leader
- Meeting day

Group Details

For each group, see:

Leader and co-leader
Meeting schedule
Current members
Open spots
Recent activity
Attendance history

Creating Groups

As a ministry leader, create new groups:

New Group

Click Create Group.

Details

Enter group information:

Name
Description
Type/Category
Meeting schedule
Location
Capacity

Leader

Assign a leader (or leave open for recruitment).

Settings

Configure:

Visibility (public, members only)
Joining (open, request, invite only)
Curriculum

Launch

Publish the group.

Leader Management

Recruiting Leaders

Find and equip new group leaders:

Identify potential leaders
Send leader invitation
Track training completion
Assign to groups

Leader Training

Manage leader development:

Required training courses
Completion tracking
Certification status
Ongoing development

Leader Care

Support your leaders:

Regular check-ins
Coach assignments
Resource sharing
Appreciation and recognition

Leader Reporting

Leaders submit:

Weekly attendance
Prayer requests
Group health updates
Member concerns

Member Management

Unconnected Members

Find members not in groups:

View unconnected list
Filter by location, age, interests
Suggest group matches
Send invitations

Group Placement

Help members find groups:

Interest assessments
Schedule matching
Location proximity
Life stage alignment

Transfers

Move members between groups:

Find the member
Select Transfer
Choose new group
Notify both leaders

Curriculum & Studies

Study Library

Provide curriculum to groups:

Church-created studies
Third-party curriculum
Sermon-based guides
Topic resources

Assigning Curriculum

Coordinate studies:

Church-wide campaigns
Suggested studies
Required curriculum
Flexible options

Study Tracking

See what groups are studying:

Current studies
Completion progress
Popular curriculum
Study requests

Communication

Leader Communications

Message your leaders:

Broadcast to all leaders
Leader group chat
Individual messages
Scheduled communications

Group Announcements

Send to all groups:

Church-wide group announcements
Ministry updates
Training opportunities
Resource sharing

Member Communications

Reach group members:

Welcome messages
Group finder promotions
Connection reminders
Campaign invitations

Reporting & Analytics

Ministry Reports

Report	Shows
Group Summary	All groups with key metrics
Attendance	Attendance trends over time
Leader Health	Leader engagement and reporting
Growth	New groups and member additions
Connection	Unconnected members

Group Health Indicators

Track group vitality:

Regular attendance
Leader engagement
New member assimilation
Multiplication readiness

Dashboard Metrics

Total groups and members
Average group size
Connection percentage
Leader-to-member ratio

Seasonal Management

Group Semesters

Organize by seasons:

Fall semester
Spring semester
Summer groups
Year-round groups

Campaign Groups

Launch temporary groups:

Church-wide campaigns
6-8 week studies
Short-term connections
Entry point groups

Group Closures

End groups gracefully:

Archive inactive groups
Reassign members
Thank leaders
Maintain history

Growth Strategies

Group Multiplication

Healthy groups multiply:

Identify apprentice leaders
Train for multiplication
Set multiplication goals
Celebrate new groups

Group Finder

Help people find groups:

Searchable group directory
Filter options
Open group listings
Interest matching

Joining Campaigns

Seasonal connection pushes:

Promotion materials
Sign-up events
Follow-up processes
Placement support

Coaching Structure

Coach Network

Organize leader support:

Ministry Director
    └── Coach (oversees 5-7 leaders)
        └── Group Leader
            └── Apprentice Leader

Coach Responsibilities

Regular leader meetings
Prayer and support
Problem-solving
Development guidance

Coach Tools

Coaches have access to:

Their leaders’ groups
Aggregated attendance
Leader communication
Health indicators

Best Practices

Leaders Are Key

Invest heavily in leader recruitment and development. Healthy leaders make healthy groups.

Keep Groups Open

Groups that welcome new members stay vital. Closed groups eventually decline.

Connection Is the Goal

Track connection percentage (members in groups). Aim for 50%+ of regular attenders.

Right Size Matters

Groups of 8-12 are optimal. Smaller feels sparse; larger loses intimacy.

Multiply, Don't Add

Growing by multiplication (new groups) is healthier than individual groups getting huge.

Seasonal On-Ramps

Provide clear joining seasons to give unconnected members entry points.

Next Steps

Sunday School

Manage educational programs.

Church Setup

Church administration guides.

Getting Started

Team Management

Content Creation

Events & Programs