People need to belong in a number of different ways.
by Joe Myers
Intimacy may be a worthy goal, but small groups are mostly about learning how to talk to one another. At least that's what Joe Myers, "multi-preneur" and author of The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups (Zondervan), believes.
Myers shared his thoughts on small groups and community recently with Brett Eastman, CEO and Founder of Lifetogether:
Statistics force us to see the reality of what's occurring in our small groups program.
Joel Comiskey
Over the past few years I have tried numerous weight reduction programs. During those weight loss weeks, I have forced myself to get on the scale, knowing it would tell me the truth—the reality of the situation. In some of my heavier moments, I have avoided the scale like the plague.
The main reason to keep and review weekly small group statistics is quality control—to know the reality ...
Keep a finger on the pulse of your groups, leaders, and ministry with five very practical tools.
Evaluation is a vital tool at any level of small-groups ministry—from groups and group leaders to coaches and directors. This bundle of five resources (yes, that's right: five) will provide your church with a wealth of tools at a hefty discount.
"Four Pack: Assessments and Evaluations" is a bundled pack containing the following SmallGroups.com training resources:
Check out these statistics to get your finger on the pulse of small-groups ministry.
Dan Lentz
Definition: Benchmarking is a tool used to measure or compare your work or progress with others who are doing the same thing. Benchmarking is a powerful tool because it overcomes "paradigm blindness"—the mode of thinking that says, "The way we do it is the best because this is the way we've always done it."
Because it is difficult to get a handle on what is going on in other small groups outside ...
Take a step back and evaluate the effectiveness of your small-groups ministry.
by John Ortberg, Roberta Hestenes, Jeffrey Arnold, and others
Often small groups run on autopilot, and no one steps out of the picture to see how the group can be made more effective. The seven assessments in this download help your group measure some common issues like what it takes to lead a group, how to make small groups an outreach, and disciplines that are beneficial to incorporate into your group. Each assessment conveniently fits on one page, so they're ...
Don't let people fall through the cracks of your small group ministry.
Boyd Pelley
I love orange juice and we were out, so I stopped by our local grocery store and went to the freezer unit to grab a couple cans of concentrate. I walked up to the glass door and peered in. It was gone! What, no orange juice! We have a great grocery store, and I know that if I go back today, chances are there will be a full shelf of orange juice concentrate. Why? Because I know my grocery store chain ...
During this worship time you are going to not only sing but pray some of your favorite lyrics.
As the leader:
Choose about 4 of your church's favorite worship songs or hymns. Be sure to have copies of the lyrics for each person in the group.
Have the music recorded on tape or CD to use in the group. If you can't find a CD with your chosen songs on it you might ask a musician in your church to join you for the evening to lead the singing.
Check out these statistics to get your finger on the pulse of small-groups ministry.
Dan Lentz
Definition: Benchmarking is a tool used to measure or compare your work or progress with others who are doing the same thing. Benchmarking is a powerful tool because it overcomes "paradigm blindness"—the mode of thinking that says, "The way we do it is the best because this is the way we've always done it."
Because it is difficult to get a handle on what is going on in other small groups outside ...
Make sure your individual groups and overall ministry are healthy.
by Randall Neighbor, Patrick Morley, Dan Lentz, and others
Note: Click Seven Warning Signs to see a free assessment from this resource.
Just like it's important to have routine medical checkups to gauge your physical well-being, the small groups in your church need periods of assessment and evaluation in order to properly maintain ministry health. The handouts in this Assessment Pack are designed to evaluate specific dimensions of small-group ministry. They ...
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