How North Point Community Church Gets People Into Groups

Traffic is backed up on the six-lane road that leads to the four-lane road that leads to the
driveway of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.

It’s 10:40 on Sunday morning and I’m not sure we’re going make it in time to check in our kids
and find a seat. I can only imagine what traffic must have been like a few years ago, before the
completion of a $5 million bridge provided a second entrance.

I hear “Stop touching me” for the third time which means the kids are ready to get out of the
car. “This traffic is actually a good thing,” my wife reminds them. “It means lots of people are
coming to church to hear about Jesus.” Soon, our elementary kids will be sitting in a circle of
friends led by a couple of high school students and our middle schooler will be worshiping
with over 1,000 others in a ministry called Transit.

I remind myself the traffic is worth it.

The church is surrounded by office buildings. There’s a corporate feel to the whole area, an
upscale professionalism that comes with khakis and key fobs. If you weren’t looking for the
rather plain sign, you might mistake the church for one of these office buildings. No crosses.
No steeples.

We park in the overflow lot, opt out of the shuttle service because it’s a nice spring day and
walk to the main entrance. There’s a brand new lobby where people can connect, a new set of
modern colors, and some new kid’s space. You can tell the building just got a much-needed
refresh.

There are dozens of people directing traffic in the parking lot. They manage to get first time
guests into the best spots and parents with children as close to the building as possible. With
thousands of cars coming and going, this is no small task.

As we walk to the front lobby, greeters in church t-shirts say hello. No hugs and no
handshakes. Just smiles. It’s the kind of greeting you’d expect to receive in a place where it’s
okay to be anonymous. You get the sense these greeters are glad you’re there, or even more
than that, expected you to be there.

Some of the them wear their “how can I help” t-shirt over their regular clothes, like they have
just come from one of the nearby office buildings and don’t want to fully embrace the casual
nature of church.

The people and the building reflect the community.

We say goodbye to our 13-year old. She’s in Middle School and can check herself into Transit.
My wife takes our elementary kids to UpStreet, the crowded elementary ministry, while I head
to the auditorium to get a seat.
All of our kids will experience roughly the same thing: singing, large-group story-telling or
teaching, and small groups. The overall environment, the creativity, and the content of the
hour-long experience is nothing short of amazing. You might think any church with a big
budget and a lot of staff can pull off quality like this, but that’s not the case. It requires a lot of
focus and a lot of hard work, and it doesn’t have as much to do with the budget as you might
think.

Years ago, I heard Andy challenge church leaders with the ideas that their children’s
environments would be equally top-notch if they stopped doing everything else. North Point
doesn’t have a Christian school, doesn’t do Vacation Bible School and puts no energy towards
Wednesday night programs. They funnel all of their children’s ministry resources to Sunday
morning. And it shows.

It’s the kind of focus you might expect from one of the most innovative and influential
churches in America.

Throughout the years, North Point has been on the cutting edge of church leadership.

The church began in 1995, when Andy Stanley shared the vision at a gathering of Christians in
the North Atlanta Convention Center. Perhaps in their first act of innovation, they met every
other Sunday night for their first three years. In 1998, they moved to their new home, a 2,700
seat auditorium on 83 acres on North Point Parkway.

By 2001, the church reached full capacity, but instead of building a larger auditorium, they
decided to try something unique. They constructed a second auditorium directly behind the
first. The stages joined in the rear, allowing pastors and leaders to conduct simultaneous
services. With two linked auditoriums, North Point could now accommodate 5,000 adults at
one time.

When the East and West Auditoriums were both full, they started another location in a grocery
store. Eventually, Buckhead Church purchased a few acres of prime real estate and
constructed a 3,000-seat worship center. Today, there are six churches in the Atlanta area, all
linked with live video. More than 33,000 attend one of the five Atlanta campuses, making it
the largest church in Atlanta.

When people around the country wanted to use this model, they created strategic
partnerships, their own version of church planting. Today, there are more than two dozen
strategic partners across the country. Some run a few hundred in attendance while the largest
has more than 3,000 attending.

Leaders around the country have learned from books such as the Seven Practices of Effective
Ministry and Deep and Wide, conferences like Drive and Re:Group, or from countless magazine
articles and blog posts. Truly, North Point is one of the most innovative churches in the world.
But their biggest innovation doesn’t involve expensive technology or amazing facilities. You
don’t have to be an amazing communicator like Andy or have the budget of North Point to
lead change in one of the most important areas of your church. The thing that makes North
Point successful (and you can define that word in many different ways) is something that will
work in your church as well.

The point of today’s message is to encourage everyone who isn’t in a community group to
take the step. Andy’s sermon will kickstart a process designed to move people from sitting in
rows in the auditorium to sitting in circles in someone’s living room.

But it’s not just a passionate plea from the pulpit that moves thousands of people into brand
new small groups each year. There’s a system behind it all, and the system makes the sermon
that much more effective. Too many pastors preach great messages on Biblical community
only to see few people take action. At North Point, the “get in a group” message is important,
but it’s just one step in the process.

How Groups Work at Northpoint

So how does North Point get so many people into community groups? We see four distinct
steps. But be careful: if you miss the first one, the rest of them won’t matter.

Step One: Create an Environment Where Groups Can Thrive

If you want to move people into Biblical community or small groups, you’ve got to create an
environment where this is possible. Unfortunately, many churches are set up to prevent this
from happening. At North Point, groups are not A thing. They are THE thing.

You’ll hear passing comments about the power of groups in video stories played just before
baptism. You’ll hear “by the way” comments in sermons and during the welcome. And you’ll
hear the leaders talk about their own groups.

Community Groups are part of the DNA at Northpoint. It’s likely you’ll hear a story no matter
what Sunday you attend.

This isn’t accidental. Back in 2009, Andy Stanley said this:

“At North Point, we have numeric goals in only one area—our community group
strategy. We’ve set some pretty big goals. My biggest passion in terms of our church is
to connect 100,000 people in small groups—not church attendance—because I think
more life change happens in a circle than sitting in a row.”

“Circles are better than rows,” they say. And they say it often. You might even think it was the
official slogan of the church. It’s not, but it is a sentence that describes just how important
groups are, not just to the church, but to every individual and family who attends.
Look deeper, and you won’t see a church built around preaching or production, but on small
groups.

The well-produced video describing Transit Boot Camp, a two-day retreat for rising sixth
graders shows a lot of fun and games. But it also highlights that it’s the kickoff of a three-year
small group journey. You see, middle school small groups stay together for three years. And
leaders commit to lead for three years.

UpStreet, the name of the elementary program on Sunday morning, begins with large group
time and creative Bible storytelling. But as quickly as they can, they move students into small
groups, with leaders who watch children grow through multiple school years.

Men’s ministry at North Point is really small groups ministry. It’s the same with Divorce Care,
and Career Transition. All of these are really small groups. What would be full-blown
ministries with creative programming and special events at other churches fit nicely into the
small groups ministry at North Point.

Groups are more than a program, they are a part of the culture. That’s why two times a year,
the entire church will make a concerted effort to help people take steps into groups. It’s the
core strategy, and that strategy provides focus. Everyone that works there knows it’s coming.
Everyone that attends regularly knows what the pastors and leaders are trying to do.

Tacked on groups will likely not work in your church. Adding groups to an already crowded
menu of ministries and options will not lead to life change.

The groups sermons are not effective simply because Andy is a great communicator, but
because North Point has created a culture where groups can thrive.

Step Two: Preach a Sermon with a Clear Call to Action

Twice a year, Andy preaches a sermon on small groups. He describes the benefits, lays out the
argument, and clearly asks everyone to take a step.

It’s Strategic Service Sunday today so I know what I’m going to hear. But Andy continually
finds new ways to encourage people to move toward groups.

“If you want to see what our church is like, you have to go to somebody’s house,” he says.

That’s a bold claim from someone who preaches to tens of thousands every Sunday. But it’s
said with conviction and backed up with years of strategy and stories. He continues the
message by unpacking Ecclesiastes 4:9, which says “a chord of three strands is not quickly
broken.”

“You need someone who can see what you can’t see,” he says, reminding everyone that this is
one of those common sense principles that doesn’t require faith in Jesus to believe. In a room
full of thousands, Andy finds fresh ways to make the message personal, choosing examples
and stories that hit people right where they are.

The sermon is informative, interesting and motivating. Andy presents the Biblical case for
community and weaves in anecdotes and life-lessons that present life in community as the
new normal.

“The best pastoral care you will receive is not from someone who has been to seminary but
from someone who knows your name,” he says. In a big church like North Point, it’s easy to be
anonymous. But in a small group, you’ll connect with people who will miss you when you’re
not there. It’s an environment where you can be known. And where you can get to know
others.

“Circles are better than rows,” he says, for the third or fourth time. And by the time the
message comes to a close, you believe it. If you didn’t already.

It’s important to understand something. This sermon doesn’t happen in isolation, like it’s a
topic selected from a list of important topics and preached on a random day. Strategic Service
Sunday happens twice a year and the entire church focuses on moving people into groups.
The message is public, but behind the scenes, there is a lot of private preparation.

The sermon isn’t just the topic for the day. It leads somewhere.

Step Three: Host an Event where People Can Join a Group

Once there’s a culture where groups can thrive, and a plan for talking about groups on a
consistent basic, now the important question remains: what’s the best way to START new
groups?

At first, the church tried to connect people individually. Here’s how they described it:

Like many of the church leaders we speak with, we used to plug people into groups
using what we called “spreadsheet assimilation.” Group seekers would submit cards of
interest to us. We would then enter their information into a spreadsheet and act as a
liaison between the seekers and the group leaders who were seeking members. We
would go back and forth between the two, trying to make good matches. After
investing massive amounts of time and energy, our matchmaking efforts were largely
fruitless.

The endless back and forth was producing minimal results and a great deal of
frustration and exhaustion. Group seekers and leaders often didn’t get back to us in a
timely fashion. We would send numerous emails and make multiple phone calls in
order to get responses to simple questions. Sometimes we felt that we cared more than
they did.
That led them to something new…an event called GroupLink. Here’s how they describe it:

We have made the process of joining groups simple for people by creating GroupLink,
a 90-minute event held twice a year where people meet and connect with others in
their area of town and stage of life with the purpose of forming a Community Group.

We believe that GroupLink continues to be the most effective way to connect people
into long-term community, because group seekers have the opportunity to choose the
groups that are best for them by meeting leaders and other potential members in
person.

In other words, GroupLink is like speed dating. It turns the process of getting into a group into
a relational experience. There are no spreadsheets or interviews, just an environment where
people can connect.

Here’s how it works.

• You show up at the church along with other men, women or married couples looking
to find a new group. Everybody feels weird, but everyone is in the same boat.
• When you check in, you’re categorized by stage of life. Your name tag is labeled with
phrases like “Married without Kids,” “Married with Kids,” or “Empty Nester.” People will
find groups on their own, but the nametags make it easy to identify people who are in
similar life stages.
• When you enter the large room, there are large signs with areas of town. You hang out
near the sign that says where you live near for most of the night.
• Throughout the night, some funny videos from Tripp and Tyler (you can buy them
here) and a host on the stage guide you through the evening. You’ll hear phrases like,
“By now, you should have met some people who live near you.”
• You mix and mingle with people who live near you and naturally circle up in groups.
There’s no way around it…there are some awkward conversations but North Point
does everything they can to make it feel normal.
• There are tons of volunteers looking for people who need help. If you’re having trouble
finding a group, someone will help.
• There’s dessert and coffee – always a nice, relaxing touch.
• As you circle up with your group, you decide when to meet for the first time. The first
meeting is just a social, so groups choose to have cookouts or meet at restaurants.
• The new group commits to eight weeks, and the reminder from the host takes the
pressure off.

As an introvert, I’ll be the first to admit an event like this is uncomfortable. Look around the
room, and you can see looks of fear on people faces, and you wouldn’t be surprised to find
people checking their phones or moving closer to the wall. But by the end of the evening,
somehow and someway, people are connected to groups.
Does it really work? North Point says 85% of people who connect with a new group at
GroupLink continue with a long-term experience. That means people stay well beyond the 8-
week experiment and commit to doing life together.

Will GroupLink work for you? That’s a great question and one you should discuss at length
with your team. But all of North Point’s Atlanta-area churches, as well as, dozens of partner
churches around the country use the same strategy to move people from rows into circles.

Additionally, hundreds of churches from all denominations and across all traditions have
adopted a similar approach, even taking the name and brand and using it as their own. Just
do a Google Image search for “GroupLink” and you’ll find all sorts of examples of churches
using this approach.

The GroupLink Starter Kit from North Point resources gives you everything you need to put on
your own GroupLink event. And you can learn more about North Point’s small group ministry
at the Re:Group Conference.

Step Four: Make it Possible for New Groups to Succeed

“We believe that for people to grow spiritually, they must be connected relationally. As a
result, our small group ministry isn’t just another program for us. It’s how we effectively
connect, develop, and mobilize people to become lifelong
learners and leaders.” – Re:Group Website

GroupLink is a big event that results in dozens of new

groups. Some of these groups have leaders. Some are
called “formative groups” that will meet for eight weeks
and choose a leader from among the ranks.

But once a new group is formed, North Point does

everything it can do to help the new group succeed.

First, each new group goes through an eight-week

starter curriculum called Community: Starting Well
in Your Small Group. This video based curriculum is
designed to make it easy for groups to get to know
each other. There are eight sessions in all, mostly
with short-teaching on how groups work best and
testimonials from people who have been in groups.

The videos set up a discussion, but knowing there’s

a simple curriculum takes the pressure off new
group leaders and puts new group members at
ease. There’s something natural about sitting in a
living room and watching something on a TV.
After a couple of group sessions, group members begin to share their stories. Each individual
takes about 10-20 minutes to talk about their life experiences, big moments, and faith journey.
There’s a guide in the curriculum, but each story is personal. These storytelling meetings help
the group really get to know each other. In a way, telling and hearing these stories sets the
group up for success.

All new groups go through this process, and it’s a big key to the success of groups. By
unpacking what groups mean and how they work, and giving everyone space to share their
personal story in their own way, community is born. For the next 1-2 years, the group
continues to meet and is free to choose their own curriculum. But the starter curriculum
provides a solid foundation.

The second thing that helps new groups stay successful speaks directly to the culture of small
groups at North Point. The church will reimburse parents, at a predetermined rate, for
childcare. That means if you’re in an official North Point group, the church will cover the
expense for your babysitter. Simply fill out a form, and the church will send you a check.

Here’s how North Point describes this benefit:

We realized that childcare for parents might be an obstacle for participation in a

community group, so we decided to reimburse parents for childcare costs incurred as a
result of participating in a group. We wanted to remove any obstacles to people
participating in group life.

We treat childcare reimbursement as a form of benevolence, and we only reimburse

the parents. We do not pay babysitters directly. Since we consider this a form of
benevolence, we do not send a 1099 form for miscellaneous income to the recipients of
childcare reimbursements.

Our childcare reimbursement initiative costs us over $371k a year. Even though that is
a lot of money, it is considerably less than building and maintaining classroom space
for several thousand adults on Sunday mornings. (Source)

This is a considerable expense to the budget, and it illustrates North Point’s commitment to
community. It’s easy for a church to say they value small groups and emphasize Biblical
community, but it’s another thing to align the budget to match those values.

Remember, for groups to work, they must be a part of your culture. For North Point, they are
putting their money where their mouth is. They don’t just say circles are better than rows; they
back it up with the budget.

Circles are Better than Rows

North Point has intentionally designed a strategy based on their church wide commitment.
From the calendar to the sermon to Grouplink, there’s a focused effort to move people into
groups. The strategy is repeated year after year, and it leads to results.

Whether you adopt their model or not, you should learn from their commitment and strategy
and design an experience that will gain traction over time.