Being a champion isn't too hard, but it makes a big difference.
by Brett Eastman
Although I've championed small groups in several big churches over the past decade, and even though it's been almost twenty years since I led my first small group, I still remember the day I led my first group like it was yesterday.
My palms were sweating, and I thought my heart was going to thump right out of my chest. But even though I was terrified, I knew God was there with me. He knew exactly ...
Expecting God to work is most important piece of seeing him work.
by Life Together
In planning a small group ministry, you may wonder how much you can expect from your coaches, leaders and members. But one person you can expect great things from is yourself—that is, if you expect God to use you.
Here's what Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church has to say about our expectations:
If He's going to use you, you need to expect Him to. There are many examples I could have used, ...
Small group health depends on preparing for success.
by Brett Eastman
When I first joined the staff at Saddleback Church. Rick told me he reserved seats for over 800 men on 7 different 747s headed to Washington, DC for Promise Keepers. I suggested we recruit leaders from some of the existing men's groups to launch a few more men's groups from the 800+ men going to the event. Over 300 men said they wanted to join a group, and half dozen men agreed to lead them.
At the beginning of a Growth Group cycle, during the acquaintance stage, there is often very little community in the group. Sometimes this is because of many newcomers to the group. But even if the group has recently multiplied, the community of the group still needs to be reestablished before other important stages in the group can occur, such as outreach. It would be great if everybody naturally ...
Can't seem to find the right group? Maybe you're what's missing.
Len Woods
We've all heard that old joke where one guy says, "I'm looking for the perfect church" … to which his friend replies, "Yeah, well, if you find it, don't join it or you'll RUIN it!" The point is obvious: There's no such thing as a perfect church. The reason should also be clear: Churches are composed of imperfect people!
What's true of churches is certainly true of small groups. Every group has ...
If God's church is to multiply the way he intended, it must get serious about discipleship.
Michael C. Mack
...
Jesus identified two components of discipleship as he called his apostles (Mark 3:14): "He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach" (emphasis added). The first part of discipleship is to be with him, to follow Jesus and to grow continually in understanding and obedience. The second part is to be sent—to ...
What does discipleship look like in the local church?
Dennis McCallum
The word translated "disciple" is mathetes, which means a learner or apprentice. Although Christians are ultimately Christ's disciples, it is clear that Christ works through other Christians in this process, because he commissioned the church to "make disciples" (Mt. 28:19). Discipleship is taking personal responsibility to help other Christians grow to maturity by working with them in the context ...
Evangelism is only the first step in what the church and the individual Christian are called to: disciple making. Being a disciple and making disciples are not solo endeavors. Individual disciples are to live and serve in the midst of community, with a high dependence on brothers and sisters in the Lord. Sunday school classes and small groups act as the communities and the context in which disciples ...
Show a college student how much you care by giving him/her a gift basket.
Sue Skalicky
Group Outreach
Each year, in every community, teenagers fill out FAFSA forms, take or re-take SAT and ACT tests, and open their own checking account. These teens are America's college-bound youth and future leaders. As a high school teacher, I have written countless recommendation letters and offered counsel to many nervous seniors. These students are as different as the schools and occupations they ...
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