How long should group time be?

How often do you meet?

What is your goal? Chat, highs and lows, support, Bible discussion, games, food, serve, support

In our Community

We often say to ourselves, I sure wish there were more hours in the day, or, where did the day go. I know I have heard most of us say, my how time flies. We look at ourselves, what we’ve accomplished for the day, even watched our children and grandchildren grow right in front of us. In the words of a Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Since we refer to and read ancient Greek philosophy seldom, perhaps we can appreciate perhaps one thought from Theophrastus who understood time as a motion that cannot be stopped, reversed, or reclaimed.

A simple answer to the question of how much time should we spend while in a small group meeting might be suggested to be no more than 2 hours. But let us just think about this a little.

How often does your group meet and what is the meeting’s goal?

A Good Thing

To spend time chatting at the beginning of the meeting, say 30 minutes getting caught up on all the things you all have been up to since the last time you met is a good thing. To begin the meeting on time with a video about the Bible, then to chat about what each member’s thoughts are on the video is a good thing. To eat a meal, speak of your week’s or month’s highs and lows, and then pray for each other is a good thing. If some members consistently come an hour late due to workday ending and then they can immediately engage themselves into the group’s discussion topic is a good thing.

Is this meeting the serve experience for the month and does the group need to come together before and after to direct and pray for what the group is about to do and say? I honestly do not think there is an exact minute limit to a group’s meeting. The purpose and welcoming sense of a successful meeting might be best understood if all members are welcome to come and go and be loved, understood, and cared for while they are there. Rigidity may not be the most wonderful experience to keep and help others. Have a goal, keep time well so the goal may be accomplished but be open to let God be the Ultimate Guide as members attend and have needs, thoughts, and contributions.

God’s Word

The Lord God spoke about time many times in His Word. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, it is written, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Jeremiah 29:11. One we quote used often today is, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. A Proverb says this, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps,” 16:9. “Teach us to live well! … Surprise us with love at daybreak, then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times, … let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,” Psalm 90:12-17, The Message.

Pastor Rick

His thoughts on time: What on Earth am I Here For? “Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back.” -Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church