Groups Structure
Picture it – you’re in a meeting and your leader has 20 team members gathered. The leader carries great vision, you’re personally inspired and ready to move and the team seems really ready to move too, but several weeks go by and no movement.
2 of the team members had a major family issue so they have been pulled away. 4 of the team members are young leaders – they need some coaching and help on what to do next in their role. 5 others have been on the team awhile; for them, some changes have happened they still aren’t fully on board with. They are moving, but not really with the vision. 3 of the team members are trying to move but the leader hasn’t been able to spend time with them…you see where this is going right?
The needs of 20 people to the 1 leader are big.
Moses had a similar experience in Exodus 18 but with millions of Israelites. (We thought leading 20 people was a lot!) But in Exodus 18, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, observes Moses doing mostly all of it, single-handedly and Jethro says, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you and you cannot handle it alone.” Jethro then instructed Moses to “select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain – and appoint them as officials…have them serve as judges for the people at all times.” (v 21-22) In other words, Jethro advised Moses to place leaders and delegate.
This is now known as the Jethro principle and is the basis for the leadership structures we have in place today – both for DreamTeam Groups and the DreamTeam Weekend and during the week. It wasn’t good for Moses to do it all and it’s not good for us either. Today we’ll focus on DreamTeam Groups.
What is the DreamTeam Groups Leadership Structure?
The DreamTeam Groups leadership structure has 3 roles – Hub Leader, Coach and Group Leader to lead, care for & meet the needs of the leaders and the group members. See a visual illustration of that structure below. (Note this is for adult Groups specifically but Kids and Students’ leadership structure is similar.)
Why is the leadership structure important?
The primary reason a leadership structure is so important is because it provides a way for sustainable and scalable growth. Without leaders, it’s very difficult to grow or make progress. To take it one step further, without an organized structure for leaders, you can’t:
- spiritually care for leaders,
- support them with vision, leadership and personal development,
- equip them for success in their role,
- provide a way for those with the gift of leadership to serve within their gifting
- grow the team and dream about the future
Practically speaking, we may not feel this in the day-to-day work we have. We can get a lot done on our own, and we might even have a couple of leaders making some progress. Still, that 5-point list above is all the things we potentially give up, or never get to, or don’t get to experience. They can be the very things that would have created momentum and progress and is important work. Spiritually speaking, our people aren’t growing because the relationships are distant, the urgent dominates the important, and they may not feel cared for.
What are the Group Hubs?
Hubs create a specific area of focus within Groups and we have 5 Hubs, or areas of focus:
- Men’s
- Women’s
- Marriage and Family
- Freedom
- Outreach
What it looks like in practice during a semester:
Each Semester the Hub Leaders assign Group Coaches to Coach the Group Leaders. This is done within each Hub and typically a Coach is asked to take on 3-5 Group Leaders.
Hub Leader leads Coaches
During the semester, the Hub Leaders will meet monthly with the NextSteps directors, and the Hub Leaders meet regularly with the Group Coaches. The purpose of both of these meetings is to create a culture of leadership and team development based on relationships. The result is spiritual and personal growth. Out of these relationships, leaders are in environments helping them grow and mature in their faith and be better leaders at home, work, in their community, and in our church.
Coaches lead Group Leaders
Group Leaders are cared and supported by Group Coaches. This is primarily done through one on one connection. This can be done through regular connection and communication, and includes face to face meetings, phone calls, emails, and texts. Group Coaches also visit groups to encourage and support the leaders. By regularly connecting and praying for Group Leaders, it lets them know they are not alone in their ministry and our church is here to support them along the way.
What is the staff role?
The NextSteps Directors of Groups provide spiritual care, leadership development and support, & equipping to the Hub Leaders. They are recruiting future leaders, helping meet needs that are above and beyond the DreamTeam, regularly leading a Group of potential leaders as well as a Group or two for guests, making Group visits with a coach to help connect the vision, regularly communicating and insuring vision is in place and helping Hub Leaders provide care and support to the Group Coaches.
How it relates to Rock:
Within Rock each role of leadership is given access to Rock. Hub Leaders have the most access to it and are able to build groups, and make them inactive or active. Group Coaches and Group Leaders have limited access but are able to manage their Groups, communicate with their members and take attendance.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read through this Protip. We trust it will help equip you to have great leadership conversations with your team members and give you talking points as you invite individuals into essential leadership roles.
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