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 ...
Here are 10 ways to make the most of your time together.
by Ken Godevenos
Assuming you've decided you want to achieve all purposes of a staff retreat—to work, rest, and spend time with God—here are some elements to build into the events:
1. Timing. Don't wait to have a perfect event planned, or one that will be scheduled a month in advance. The best staff retreats start when the leader says, "We need to get away at this time." Whatever the critical event or need, ...
Five ways your small groups can turn this movie into an opportunity for ministry.
by Brett Eastman
This Easter may be the biggest opportunity for small group ministry, yet.
Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ grossed $23.6 million opening day. This one-day sale rivals blockbusters like The Matrix Revolutions, The Lord of the Rings, and The Phantom Menace. The numbers may baffle Hollywood, but for months churches across the nation have been anticipating America's rush to the theaters.
How the right approach to your sessions can make your meetings more meaningful.
by Life Together
Being an effective leader demands a planning and a prayerful heart.
When you go to prepare for each small group meeting, review the session and the leader's notes, and write down your responses to each question. Pay special attention to exercises that ask group members to do something other than engage in discussion. These exercises will help your group live what the Bible teaches, not just talk about ...
Practical suggestions for equipping your kitchen to serve
by Erin Brownback
OK, you're hosting a small group. You've got a date, a time, guests, and food. But your kitchen isn't equipped with enough dishes to serve everyone. What are your options?
Paper. Paper or Styrofoam dishes are convenient and relatively cheap. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be thrown away, making cleanup simple and easy. For a little more money, party stores carry attractive and themed patterns, making the dishes more inviting. The down side to taking the paper route includes the dishes' lack of sturdiness, the abundance of trash they make, and that the cost can add up over time.
A practical form for collecting and organizing group members' basic information
by Erin Brownback
One reason for meeting in small groups is so that group members can really get to know one another on a deeper level. This is a subtle process that takes time, but it can start with a straightforward understanding of the basics. Below is an Information Sheet that you can copy and use to find out a little more about each person in your group.
Do you have a system for celebrating your group members every year?
by Erin Brownback
Too often birthdays are just one more item to squeeze into our already overflowing bag of to-dos and things to remember. I have several friends who make a vow each year to get better at celebrating others, but unless we have a plan our intentions will fall by the wayside as the year goes on. So here are a few simple tactics to help you communicate love and importance to the members of your small group—at ...
Know the dangers involved with teaching what you never meant to teach.
Sam O'Neal
My wife and I were visiting Southern California on vacation when we decided to stop by Mission San Juan Capistrano—an adobe chapel complex founded by Franciscan monks in 1776. In the back of the mission was a small replica of the gardens that produced much of the monks' food for hundreds of years.
As I walked through the garden, I noticed a large sign tacked in front of a particularly leafy bush. ...
In 1994, Wayne Cordeiro founded New Hope Christian Fellowship on the un-extraordinary notion of people putting their natural gifts and passions to work for the kingdom of God. But the results have been extraordinary. Using the concept of "fractals," Cordeiro has devised a radical ...
Here are 10 tips to increase the frequency and effectiveness of your supplications.
Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey
Many years ago, evangelist S. D. Gordon said, "The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is to pray." After 25 years of leading small groups and coaching small-group leaders, I have come to one clear conviction: prayer is the most important activity of a small-group leader. In fact, if a group leader could only do one thing to make his or her group more effective, that one thing would be to ...
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