The Difference Between Small Groups and Microchurches

A Case Study: Transitioning to Microchurches? Not Really. Sort of.

A few weeks ago, I was facilitating a preconference at Exponential Central titled, Starting, Leading, and Multiplying Networks of Disciple-Makers and Microchurches. During the discussion, a leader shared, “We are a church of small groups and highly committed to prioritizing them over the weekend service. Now, we want to transition further. We want to transition our small groups into a decentralized network of microchurches. What are your thoughts on that?”

Gulp. These moments are tricky. I had so little context about their story, but a wealth of experience to share—experience that I knew might sound like “bad news” for their hopes of transitioning small groups into microchurches. I had personally led similar initiatives in two large churches where I served as pastor and had access to numerous other churches on comparable journeys through my coaching endeavors.

So, I threw up a mercy umbrella and offered the following story as a provisional response:

---

A Strategy for Missional Focus in Small Groups

Before launching the KC Underground, a few of our KCU leaders, including myself, were on staff at Westside Family Church, a large attractional church. We developed a strategy to increase the missional focus of small groups, pursuing it with measured hope and realistic expectations. This strategy included three key components:

1. Annual Training in BLESS Rhythms
   Small groups cycled through a six-week video curriculum annually, integrating rhythms of Begin with Prayer, Listen and Engage, Eat, Serve, and Story into their shared life.

2. Disciple-Making Leadership Development
   Leaders participated in intentional disciple-making environments such as Followers Made (6 months), Leaders Made (10 months), and Missionaries Made (4 months). These programs transformed group leaders into disciple-makers, shifting group culture from content consumption to active discipleship. These were developed by Brian Phipps and are incredible intentional disciple-making environments that are still available through the Fully Alive app. Check them out! Brian Phipps had oversight of all the small groups at Westside, and was genuinely open and invited our influence (the crazy missional-incarnational microchurch zealots!) into all those experiences and the small group systems.

3. Intentional Coaching System
   A robust coaching system supported leaders as they navigated this cultural shift.

---

The Parallel Pathway for Microchurches

While pursuing these strategies, we also created a new pathway for microchurches to emerge. These were added as a distinct category alongside existing group types:

• HOST Groups: Short-term, six-week startup groups.

• Lifegroups: Traditional small groups focused on fellowship and study.

• Lifelines: Specialty groups (e.g., divorce recovery, addiction support).

• Microchurches: Extended spiritual families, living in everyday gospel community; led by ordinary people; owning the mission Jesus in a network of relationships. Fully church, not a subset.

Key Characteristics of Microchurches

Microchurches and their leaders were free from the traditional expectations of small groups. They weren’t required to attend weekend services, volunteer, be in a small group, etc. We asked them to stay connected to us in discipling relationships, equipping, and coaching.

Their primary commitment was to:

• Plant themselves among a specific pocket of people.

• Plant the gospel within that community.

• Make disciples who multiply.

The church staff did not organize or assign microchurches. Instead, we focused on equipping them as missionary disciple-makers. Over time, microchurches emerged organically. Within a few years, seven new microchurches formed—each a fresh expression of the church planted among unreached people. Take note, it took three years. That was the actual beginning of the KC Underground before the KC Underground officially existed.

This effort laid the foundation for the KC Underground. Since our official launch six years ago, scores of microchurches have emerged across Kansas City, demonstrating the power of Spirit-empowered, ordinary people planting the gospel.

---

The Challenge of Transitioning Small Groups to Microchurches

Our experience reveals a fundamental challenge: transitioning small groups into microchurches is rarely effective. We've seen many churches try it. By and large, we’ve not seen it work. We’ve seen a lot of “relabeling” and calling small groups, “missional communities” or “microchurches,” but fundamentally that are usually slightly more missional small groups with a little better spiritual formation. (By the way, we are all for those improvements!)

The core issue lies in the different "social contracts" each type of group embodies:

• Small Groups: Built around a promise of community and content.

• Microchurches: Built around a mission commitment to gospel planting and disciple-making.

When Transitions Work

Occasionally, very rarely, small groups can make this transition, often due to a very unique set of circumstances:

1. Shared Relational Network: The small group members are already embedded in the same network of relationships (e.g., neighbors, parents on the same baseball team) are more likely to transition.

2. Apostolic Leadership: Groups led by someone with strong apostolic or evangelistic gifting and a clear mission focus may rally around that leader’s gifting.

However, these scenarios are rare and not a reliable foundation for a broader strategy.

---

A Hopeful Path Forward

After sharing these insights, the church leader responded with grace, humility, and courage. He began considering a parallel pathway to equip disciple-makers and allow microchurches to emerge organically.

What are your thoughts? Have you had similar experiences or developed strategies for fostering microchurches? Let’s share stories and learn together. Brian Johnson and I will be posting a bonus conversation on this tomorrow.