3 days ago
178| How One Parish Launched 24 Small Groups
Small groups can help a large parish feel small, giving people a place to be known, grow in faith, and support one another. But how do you actually get them started, find leaders, and build momentum?
In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson talks with Tammy Jacobs and Deborah West from Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church in Oklahoma City about their experience launching parish small groups.
Tammy and Deborah share how Epiphany moved from traditional adult faith formation studies toward a more intentional small group model centered on relationships, shared material, and pastoral care. After beginning with a parish-wide Advent study, they took a bigger step during Lent, eventually launching 24 small groups across the parish.
They also share the challenges behind that success, including the fear of asking people to lead, receiving a few “no’s,” and working within a short timeline. Their experience is an encouraging reminder that a successful small group ministry does not require everything to go perfectly. Sometimes the most important step is simply identifying the people God has already placed in your parish and personally inviting them to lead.
You’ll also hear how Epiphany created excitement around their Lenten small group launch through consistent communication, parish-wide messaging, shared resources, and creative invitations. Their launch even inspired teenagers to form a small group of their own.
Today, 13 of those original Lenten groups continue to meet, and the parish is expanding the small group model into middle school, high school, young adult, and other areas of parish life.
Want to bring small groups to your parish? Rebuilt Parish has resources to help you prepare a parish-wide small group experience, including message series materials, discussion resources, a Spiritual Campaign Guide, and a free first chapter of Jesus, the Rich Young Man and the Meaning of Life.
Visit rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman to explore the resources mentioned in this episode.
Want to dive deeper into small groups and other practical strategies for parish renewal? Join us May 3–4, 2027, at the Rebuilt Conference at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, MD, where parish leaders will learn from other parishes, connect with peers, and leave with practical ideas they can bring home to their teams.
Register now at rebuiltconference.com.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why small groups can extend pastoral care throughout a Catholic parish
• How to move from adult Bible studies toward a true small group culture
• Why Lent can be an ideal time to launch parish small groups
• How shared content can make leadership easier for small group facilitators
• Practical ways to identify and personally invite small group leaders
• How Epiphany launched 24 groups despite early uncertainty and setbacks
• Why consistent promotion across the parish helped drive participation
• How small groups are strengthening relationships among adults and teens
• Why small groups should become a pathway to discipleship, not simply another parish program
Timestamps
00:00 Meet Tammy Jacobs and Deborah West
03:07 Why Epiphany Began Focusing on Small Groups
04:40 Moving Beyond Traditional Adult Studies
05:40 Small Groups as an Extension of Pastoral Care
07:52 Building Faithful Friendships
09:08 Using Shared Small Group Resources
09:48 Why They Chose Lent for Their Launch
11:29 Finding Small Group Leaders
13:46 Overcoming the Fear of Asking
16:58 Launching 24 Small Groups
17:40 Creating a Parish-Wide Small Group Launch
19:34 When Teenagers Asked to Start Their Own Group
22:21 The Fruit of Small Groups at Epiphany
27:03 Where Parish Leaders Should Start
31:07 Making Small Groups an Ongoing Pathway to Discipleship
34:25 Encouragement for Parish Leaders
35:08 Free Small Group Resources
Catholic small groups, parish small groups, Catholic parish renewal, Catholic discipleship, small group ministry, Catholic faith formation, parish ministry, launching small groups, Lenten small groups, Catholic Bible study, parish leadership, Catholic parish leadership, small group leaders, discipleship pathway, Catholic evangelization, Rebuilt Parish, Church of the Epiphany Oklahoma City, parish small group ministry, Catholic Church growth
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