How one church connected an entire congregation through small groups.
Allen White
"Connect 100 percent of your congregation into small groups."
Now that's a sales pitch.
Our church was stuck: A small number of our adults—only 30 percent—were involved in small groups. After seven long years of slugging it out the old fashioned way—raising up apprentices to birth new groups—we were headed nowhere. Only one leader started a new group. Connecting everyone in a group ...
Learn how to lead in a way that sets your small groups up for success.
by Brett Eastman
So you're on your way to launching small groups at your church. But you're still wondering how it's going to work. How am I going to inspire them? How am I going to lead them? Will people really get involved?
Of course your main objective will be to spark a vision within the hearts of your lay leaders, as their roles will be primary in this small group movement. I think there are three leadership principles ...
An interview with Tom Albin about the success of the Wesleys.
by Tim Stafford
Small groups—in which 6 to 12 people regularly gather to talk about their spiritual journeys, study the Bible, and pray—have become an integral and dynamic part of modern American church life. They have helped transform thousands of churches and millions of individuals. Though many think they were invented in the last couple of decades, they've been around in one form or another since the ...
Follow these steps to lead meaningful and effective leaders meetings.
by Doug Patch
It is difficult to imagine how a leader can effectively communicate to the home group—verbally and by modeling—excitement and direction for evangelism and discipleship without healthy leaders meetings that evaluate the success and direction of the group. Here is a brief guide on how leaders meetings can help a home group "stay the course."
Here are some potential barriers to good leaders ...
A simple assessment tool for gauging how healthy group members are.
by Life Together
If you want to have a healthy small group, it goes without saying that its members need to be healthy. So a good way to move yourself and your group toward well-being is by assessing each individual's level of health. Once this is established, you can help one another set goals for growth and can encourage one another in the problem areas.
The following questions are geared toward helping you and your ...
Practical instruction on how to get an accountability group going and why it is important.
by Christopher Easley
An accountability group exists to help people of God stay pure and faithful in their walk with him and help them overcome sins. It provides a context to live out James 5:16, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
There are many benefits and blessings that come with an accountability group. ...
Use these five steps to launch a successful ministry.
by Don Cousins
As a whole, ministers are rarely accused of not working hard. But I want to make sure I'm also working smart.
When I look at the marketplace, which I often do as a strategist, I see leaders who are forced to work smart because there's a bottom line telling them if their strategies are working. But in the ministry, the bottom line remains more intangible. It's difficult to evaluate how well we're doing, ...
Here are some things to keep in mind when money isn't a factor.
by Nancy Beach
Since many of us who serve in ministry end up leading volunteers, the editors at Gifted for Leadership wanted to find out how leading volunteers differed from leading paid staff. So we asked Nancy Beach, a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church as well as a GFL editorial advisor, who has vast experience in leading staff, volunteers, and the staff who lead volunteers.
Being faithful to God is important, even when it's not easy.
by Life Together
Patti is a stay-at-home mom, who recently was trying to come up with a way to help supplement her family's income. Around this same time, she joined a women's small group and was introduced to the idea of tithing.
This idea was totally new to Patti, who was already worried about making ends meet. Patti told her leader that she didn't know how she could do it, especially since her husband, though a ...
Focus on relationship, growth, and development with your coaches.
by Life Together
Leadership coaches face burn out and fatigue just as any uncared-for small group leader does.
...
1. "Who Are You?"
This focuses on relationship and friendship. To develop a deeper relationship with your coaches:
a. Pray with them. Ask what you can pray for on their behalf.
b. Take a genuine interest in their family.
c. Write them notes of encouragement often.
d. Call them or send them cards on their ...
Printer view of these results
