"W" #10: Simple, Smooth, Successful Connection

Contributed by:
Eric Dunaway
small groups pastor

My wife and I were treated to a "date night" this past Friday, which included a meal at one of our favorite restaurants, Texas Roadhouse. Apparently, it's everyone's favorite restaurant, and when we arrived at 6:40ish the wait was pushin' near an hour. As we crowded into the overflowing waiting area, the thought occurred to me, I don't care how good their food is, I don't think I can wait that long. Thankfully we didn't have to; we were saved by the splendor that is "call-ahead-seating." Instead of waiting an hour for our table, we waited fifteen minutes. The date was huge success.

I wonder how many people arrived at the Roadhouse that night, eager to experience all the grilled goodness the menu promised, only to leave in defeat as they realized the process of getting a table would be long and complicated. The food may be good, but many were simply unwilling to endure the hassle of getting to that point. I find the same to be true when it comes to getting connected in a group at PCC. They've heard the speel on community, they've even recognized a desire to be included in a life group, but when the process turns out to be long and complicated, few see it through to the finish. That's why we recognize that a simple, smooth, and successful connection is a big win for our groups.

That certainly puts a lot of pressure on us to develop methods and strategies that will provide this kind of win for group seekers at Pathway. Things like church-wide campaigns, launch events and "Mix" groups are designed with this purpose in mind. But we also recognize that our groups, both facilitators and members alike, play an active role in helping us achieve this win.

Probably the most effective way to ensure a simple, smooth, successful connection for group seekers really falls on the facilitators' shoulders; and that's immediate follow-up to group interest. Our online GroupFinder tool allows people to search for and join groups anytime via our website. That provides a great convenience for those seeking to get connected. When someone sticks their neck out and initiates interest in a group, however, and never hears anything back from the facilitator, that can create the kind of complication and hassle that could keep them from ever trying again. As we stress in our leadership orientations, follow-up is essential, and we encourage our facilitators to take that very seriously.

But here are some things that I think the whole group can do to help us realize this win:

1. Keep current and accurate group information in our online records. If a group is listed as open when they're closed, or labeled as a mixed stages group when they're really a married group, this complicates the connection process for some group seekers. 
2. Consider being open to new members. When our groups remain closed (and they have that option) it limits the field of possibilities for group seekers. Groups should periodically consider whether they should remain closed, or could possibly open up to create more opportunities for new group members. 
3. Encourage group members to realize their leadership potential, and step up to facilitate a new group of their own. This is actually a win in-and-of-itself ("W" #7, to be exact), because anytime this happens we create more room at the table, so to speak, for those seeking community; more room at the table often translates into a higher potential for a smoother and more successful connection process for the group seeker. 

Each of these things help make a connection process that is simple, smooth, and successful for our group seekers. Whether we're planning a strategic connection event, or facilitating our groups from week to week, we want to ensure that those who are unconnected at PCC experience a simple, smooth, and successful connection experience. When that happens, we celebrate that as a real win!