Small Groups: The Quiet Revolution

Man is a social animal. As humans we spend much of our lives seeking social interaction and connectedness of all kinds, the quality of our lives being determined, in large part, by our success in this endeavor. God understanding this important element of our nature declared upon the creation of Adam, “It is not good for man to be alone,” – Genesis 2:18. From reading groups to Sunday school classes, support groups to hobby clubs, small groups have become an important way of satisfying this hunger by providing a point of contact for people; a way to spread ideas, provide care and support and enable people to become part of something larger than themselves. Study any great social movement and you will find the primacy of small groups as a leading contributor to their success.

A chapter in one of my favorite books, “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” by Robert Putnam, describes the growth of small groups over the past several years in the midst of a steady decline in virtually all other forms of community involvement. “Sociologist Robert Wuthnow, the leading student of the small-group movement, reports that fully 40 percent of all Americans claim to be ‘currently involved in [a] small group that meets regularly and provides support or caring for those who participate in it,” (pg 149). He then goes on describing this growth in small groups as, “a ‘quiet revolution’ in American society, redefining community in a more fluid way, an antidote to social disconnectedness,” (pg 149).

Being both a member and leader of small groups in the past I have seen the results of small group participation. On one end of the spectrum I have cultivated “weak ties” with an incredibly large and diverse group of individuals, ties that may lie dormant for years, but awaken and provide incredible value at another juncture in life. At the opposite end of the spectrum I have formed incredibly strong friendships that I still enjoy today. I have witnessed weak people become strong and stupid people become wise…myself included. All this to say, I am a believer that participation in small groups is a sure path to a richer and more powerful life. Below are the advantages to participating in a small group:

1) Feeding the Beast – As discussed above we have a natural desire to form relationships. Small groups provide one of the best possible environments for this synthesis as they are normally based on common interests taking away a large portion of the awkwardness that many times comes with being thrown together with a group of strangers. In fact, many of the most successful small groups are completely organic and informal, coming about through preexisting relationships. Many of you probably already belong to several small groups, you just don’t view them in this light. A group of guys that meet every Saturday morning at Hardee’s to discuss current events, football, and the latest town news, a group of climbers that meet every month to summit a new mountain. These are all small groups and provide the the same social interaction, sometimes even better than more formal organizations.

2) Human Filters – One of the greatest aspects of belonging to a small group is the opportunity to share and discuss ideas. I’m a firm believer that open debate allows the best ideas to rise to the top while the worst are quickly cast aside…its what makes free societies prosper. Naturally, all of this is dependent on the caliber of people you have in your small group. Having people to bounce ideas off is a luxury that will time after time save one from making unnecessary mistakes made by other members of the group in times past. The passing on and filtering of knowledge and wisdom is an aspect of small groups that accounts for their popularity among academic circles and is something we can all benefit from.

3) Support and Security – A final aspect of small groups I have witnessed time and again is that of support and security, members taking care of one another and providing care and help during times of crisis. According to Wuthnow’s studies, “Nearly two out of five members of such groups reported that other members had helped them out when someone was sick, three in five said that their group had extended help to someone outside the group, and four out of five agreed that they group made them ‘feel like you weren’t alone,’” (pg 149). It is a sad reality that many people have no one to turn to when things go wrong. Small groups connect people in such a way that they feel responsible for the care of fellow members, providing a second-family to help navigate the perils life often throws our way.

Never has there been such variety in small groups available as there is today. Add to this the rapid growth in the use of the internet as a forum for creating and administrating these groups and there is really no reason not to find ways to connect. Recently I created a book club using Google Groups for myself and many friends located in various locations throughout the U.S. It is a whole discussion entirely as to the merits of this new online method of social interaction and its ability to take the place of traditional, face-to-face relationships, but it has definitely been a great way of keeping connected with friends while reading good books and learning new things. Whether you use the internet or not, small groups remain a wonderful way to connect yourself to others…something we all need.

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