115 Cedar Street NE

Albuquerque, NM 87047

(505) 843-7582

Contact: Ross Hahl, Associate Pastor

A Snapshot View

+Worship attendance: 400

+People involved in groups: 125 in 10 Family Life Groups

+Duration: September-May

+Frequency of meetings: most meet twice monthly, a few meet weekly

+Materials: determined by groups. Includes materials by

Serendipity, NavPress, Campus Crusade, and Ligonier Ministries. Currently going through a ten-week series on spiritual gifts.

+Publicity: aggressively advertised through church bulletin, pulpit, and word of mouth. Leaders are introduced during church service.

+Membership: open to all interested. First two meetings are open, then the group closes enrollment. At the end of the contract period, members evaluate further involvement.

Cross-generational small groups

"Even though we're part of a church, many of us are uprooted from different parts of the country and we tend to be strangers," says Ross Hahl, associate pastor of Grace Church in Albuquerque. Hahl helps church members combat this tendency through small groups of "spiritual families" or cross-generational groups.

These Family Life Groups incorporate people from different ages and stages of life to resemble a biological family. The "family" meets regularly to pray, enjoy each other's fellowship, and study the Bible.

Each group strives for a balance of collegiates, couples married less than three years, parent(s) with toddlers, couples to age 45 with grade- or high-school children, empty nesters ages 45-60, and retired people age 60 or more.

This combination of ages creates dynamic benefits, according to Hahl. "The groups allow older saints to be actively involved with younger folks who look to them for advice and encouragement. The older ones have been through forty-five years of marriage, raising children, careers, and moves. They can tell the younger ones how God brought them through those phases."

In turn, elders benefit from the energy and creativity of the young. "As people mature in the Body, they can develop the I've-done-my-duty attitude and withdraw from the life of the church," says Hahl. Being around younger people rekindles excitement about what the Spirit of God is doing in their midst.

As with any family, members accommodate each other. Older ones may not like late meetings or driving at night, so others transport them. Collegians are excused during exam weeks. Others may need to be excused during conflicting short-term training at church.

Finding child care is always a challenge. In an attempt to promote the idea that groups are not just a meeting but a spiritual family gathering, the leadership has asked groups not to lean on one member of the "family," such as one of the teenagers or a mother, to babysit. Each group comes up with its own solution, but successful options include rotating people, bringing a sitter, paying an older teenager, or having a sitter at home. Many groups integrate children into the singing, sharing, or refreshment times and have a separate children's program.

As in a family, decisions concerning the group are made by everyone. And while involvement may change with moves or conflicting schedules, the relationships formed in these groups often last a lifetime.

Leadership Training

Training for small-group leaders is usually a four-week session on a Sunday afternoon or weeknight. Hahl develops his own curriculum from varied sources. "For some, it's intimidating enough to say they'll facilitate the group. So, to encourage them in their leadership role, we help with curriculum."

What We Learned from Our Mistakes

Be flexible with your structure to encourage participation. In the beginning, Hahl divided Family Life Groups strictly by age. Three women in separate groups wanted to be together. "I hurt some feelings by saying, ‘If you don't fit into the structure, I don't know what to do with you.' I later learned to change the structure."

Don't bill the groups as Bible studies. "We do want them to center on God's word, prayer, and fellowship, but we don't require the groups to do all of these things every time they meet.

Let those who have never led before assume leadership roles. "Let others develop those skills. What better place to begin to teach, exhort, or serve than in a small group?"