The Hidden Trap of Codependency in Church Small Groups

Church was meant to be a place of healing and growth, but with the introduction of small groups, unhealthy codependent behavior patterns have been introduced to believers. In the confines of these small groups, there is a dynamic that can inadvertently foster patterns of codependency.

Disguised as devotion and masked with good intentions, this trap lies hidden. Caring for others becomes a consuming need that fuels the desire to be needed. This creates a cycle of trying to fulfill that need and ultimately leads to exhaustion.

The tension that develops between the biblical community and personal boundaries becomes a complicated dance in a struggle to know where serving ends and self-destruction begins. We were never meant to establish relationships where one person carries the burden and the other contributes nothing. However, in small groups, this imbalance shows up quite frequently and creates a facade about Christ-like love.

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. – Galatians 6:2-3, NASB

Recognizing Codependent Behavior Patterns in Faith Communities

The issue runs deeper than a simple people-pleasing mindset. Sometimes, church environments cause unconscious reward and codependent behavior by celebrating self-sacrifice. The underlying motives aren’t examined because members feel they must take part in everything the church does. Members often prioritize the needs of others above their own, and they fear conflict at all costs. They may even derive their sense of worth from being indispensable leaders.

Small groups create an atmosphere that promotes vulnerability because of their intimate nature. Members share deep personal struggles, which creates opportunities for other individuals to become emotional rescuers.

These rescuers feel as though they are needed and valuable, and others learn to rely on this consistent source of support. The result is an unhealthy cycle, where the helper is increasingly overwhelmed, and the helped are increasingly dependent.

Paul’s instruction in the New Testament was never meant to eliminate self-care or personal boundaries. Instead, it was supposed to be a mutual consideration where everyone’s needs matter. A healthy Christian community will require individuals who care for themselves as well as for others. These communities shouldn’t require martyrs who sacrifice themselves in ways that serve no one.

No one is to seek his own advantage, but rather that of his neighbor. – 1 Corinthians 10:24, NASB

The Difference Between Biblical Love and Codependency

True biblical love creates space for growth and encourages personal responsibility. Codependency, on the other hand, often prevents growth by removing natural consequences and creating an unhealthy dependence.

When love becomes manipulative, even with good intentions, it will cease to be love. Instead, it becomes control. The codependent person will often believe they’re showing compassion, but they are actually enabling destructive patterns to keep others from learning important life lessons.

Christian counselors often observe how enabling behaviors can disguise themselves as mercy. A small group member who consistently rescues others from their poor choices believes they are demonstrating grace. In reality, this pattern prevents those individuals from experiencing the growth that comes through facing consequences. Sometimes real love requires stepping back and
allowing others to experience the discomfort that leads to change.

The church body, according to the Bible, emphasizes that each part has a unique function and contribution. When one member consistently over-functions and others under-function, it creates an imbalance in the body. A healthy relationship in any setting requires that each person carry their own weight and support others at the same time.

…from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:16, NASB

When Helping Hurts: Codependency and Church Leadership

Church leaders are particularly vulnerable to codependent behavior patterns because their roles naturally involve caring for others. They face pressure to be constantly available, solve everyone’s problems, and maintain harmony, which can create unsustainable habits. When leaders struggle with codependency, they often experience burnout, resentment, and decreased effectiveness because they take on responsibilities that belong to others.

The biblical model of leadership involves delegation and shared responsibility. In scripture, we see that even Moses had to learn this lesson when his father-in-law pointed out the unsustainable practice of handling everyone’s needs himself. Modern church leaders require the same wisdom, recognizing when their help may become harmful not only to themselves but also to their communities.

Moses’ father-in-law then said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” – Exodus 18:17-18, NASB

In his counsel to Moses, Jethro provided a powerful example of how caring relationships require honest confrontation. True friends and advisors will point out destructive patterns, even when those patterns appear admirable. Christian counselors emphasize that learning to delegate and say no isn’t selfishness. It’s actually a form of stewardship of the resources that God has given.

Creating Healthy Boundaries in Small Group Relationships

Establishing boundaries in faith communities requires courage and wisdom. Some believers fear that setting limits will damage relationships or appear unloving. In reality, these healthy boundaries actually strengthen relationships by creating a sustainable pattern of interaction. An authentic community becomes possible when small group members honestly communicate their
limitations and needs with others.

The process begins with self-examination. It is vital that group members identify their own patterns of over-giving or over-receiving and take responsibility for changing these patterns. This could mean that they have to say no to requests for help when they are exhausted, or they learn to ask for support instead of always being the one who provides. This also includes being willing to have a difficult conversation when the relationship has become unbalanced.

Sometimes friends show the most love by speaking uncomfortable truths about destructive patterns. Small group members need other members who lovingly confront codependent behavior patterns. This requires mature believers who understand that enabling someone’s unhealthy patterns is not kindness. It is a form of harm disguised as help.

Creating a healthy boundary involves recognizing that not every problem will require immediate attention. Sometimes the most helpful response to someone’s struggle is a patient presence instead of an active rescue. This will encourage the individual to cultivate their own problem-solving skills and still feel supported by their community.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. – Proverbs 27:6, NASB

Discover A Healthy Way Forward

Breaking free from codependency in a church small group will require courage and community commitment to healthier patterns. The goal isn’t to become uncaring or selfish, but instead to love others from a place of wholeness. Believers learned to maintain appropriate boundaries and still care deeply for one another. It creates the kind of community that truly reflects Christ’s love.

This transformation won’t happen overnight, and it will require patience with ourselves and others as everyone learns new ways of relating. Some relationships may need to be redefined as people navigate through this transformation. Freedom comes from breaking codependent behaviors, and it is worth temporary discomfort to establish healthy patterns.

True, spiritual freedom will include the liberty to love others without losing ourselves in the process. Operating from this mindset in small groups will create a foundation that is based on freedom rather than fear, need, or obligation. The result will be a transformation in the lives of the members. This will allow the church to fulfill its calling by empowering each believer to grow in the fullest of who God created them to be, and not create dependence.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. – 2 Corinthians 3:17, NASB

If you would like more information about codependency in small groups, contact me today! Make an appointment to get started on setting your healthy
boundaries in your Christian community.