Roster size is only the start
Rosters grow easily and rarely shrink. People sign up, attend twice, and stay listed for years. Attendance tells the truer story.
who signed up
who actually shows up
whether the group keeps meeting
Numbers that really matter
- Attendance rate: Average share of the roster present when the group meets.
- Meeting consistency: Whether the group is meeting and recording attendance.
- Participation: The share of your church community in a small group, counting each person once.
- New joins: How many people found a group this season.
- Count only real small groups: Leave out classes, teams, and event lists so your numbers stay honest.
What a healthy dashboard looks like
Meeting weekly
Meeting weekly
Attendance not recorded 3 weeks
Paused for summer
Average attendance rate, last 12 weeks
A simple monthly check
- 1
Choose your group types
Decide what counts as a small group.
- 2
Check missing attendance
Gently remind leaders to record it.
- 3
Celebrate and support
Thank thriving leaders and help struggling ones.
How Ministry Lens helps
Ministry Lens reads Planning Center Groups for the group types you choose and shows attendance rates, meeting health, and participation in one place. Click any group to see its details. Nothing is ever changed in Planning Center.
See how your groups are really doing
Connect Planning Center and choose which groups count. Your free trial includes every feature.