Why We Do Sermon Based Community Groups

1. Makes the Message Memorable:  If people know they are going to be discussing the sermon from Sunday they will be much more focused and engaged.  Over time more people will take notes, and will dramatically increase their ability to hold onto truth when life requires it.
2. Allows Everyone from the Spiritual Novice to the Newbie To Participate:  Having groups that work through the material from Sunday allows everyone an entry point into the conversation.  Everyone having listened to the sermon will feel like they have something to share.  You always want groups with the spiritually mature interacting with those maybe less mature.
3. Church Wide Focus:  When everyone in the church is looking at the same material more than once it helps keep everyone in the church moving in the same direction.  Whether it is vision material, difficult material, or just clarifying direction everyone is going the same place. 
4. Easier on the Preaching Team:  It helps knowing where everyone has been to know where to go in the future.  
5. Sticking Truth: There are four stages of knowledge that people go through before a truth sticks; groups help this progression.    a) Inspired = when people hear a new truth that rings true.  b)  Familiarity = something where people say I remember that.  c)  Bored = people say I’ve heard that all before and there is nothing new to learn.  d)  Knowledgeable = know a truth and use it without being reminded, sub-consciously becomes a part of my everyday life.  Material truly impacts when it becomes knowledgeable. 
6.  Reaching More People:  People in groups are much more apt to listen to the sermon on line if they missed it due to serving or missing worship.
7. Reeling in the Marginally Interested:  It is a smaller leap for someone on the fence in their faith to get involved in a Sermon-Based Community Group than if it is about something entirely different.  If they go simply because their spouse wanted to or because of another relationship they will find themselves slowly drawn into God’s Word based simply on their knowledge from Sunday.  This is how someone marginal in his or her faith becomes a committed follower of Christ. 
8. Bettered Prepared:  There is little prep time for anybody involved.  The leader has little prep time because he has heard the sermon and has been given questions that he can use.  The people coming have no homework (which we all know most people won’t do including you) and feel ready to engage.  Everyone has already put in 45 minutes of prep from Sunday without thinking about it.
9. Allowing More People to Lead:  Sermon-Based groups don’t require someone gifted in teaching to be able to lead.  The problem in most churches is that as leaders are raised up there is nowhere to let them lead.  Within a Community Group that discusses the past weeks message all that person needs is a growing relationship with God and a heart for the people in the group.

 adapted from Larry Osborne Sticky Church 

(also just makes sense and have seen played out)