An email small group can be a great solution for those too busy for another meeting.
by Marilyn A. Yocum
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Growing Small Groups.
My ideal small group would have included three good friends: Lynn, Margaret, and Susan. But I figured it could never happen. They were all busy people. We saw each other in church on Sunday and exchanged e-mail through the week, but the last thing any of us needed was another weekly meeting to ...
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 ground rules to get your small group off to a great start.
by Life Together
While the idea of establishing Ground Rules for your small group may sound like it takes the fun out everything, these "rules" put all members at ease by letting you know what to expect. Within that framework, members can get the most out of their group experience.
The group decides which Ground Rules to choose. But here a few things Lifetogether has found to help you at your first few meetings. Simply ...
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.
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 ...
Successfully transitioning out of a small-groups campaign is as challenging as launching one. Churches that wait until the campaign is over in order to plan the next step will lose momentum and spend valuable leadership equity. Instead, use these four keys to create a smooth transition ...
Take a cue from modern athletes to structure your group for success.
Sue Skalicky
I have always been fascinated by the high school sport of cross-country running. My two oldest daughters have run cross-country for the past one and three years. I try to attend every meet and have not ceased to be amazed at the level of fitness necessary to do well, not only individually, but also as a team. CJ and Caity strive to set a personal record (PR) for every race they run, and the team's ...
"What is going on with George? This is the second week in a row he has come to group late, flopped down in a chair, crossed his arms, stared at the floor and is acting like he's daring us to get him to talk." I hate it when group turns into an arbitration session. What is so bad in his life that he can come in here and manipulate the rest of us? Can't he just get his stuff in order before he shows ...
Among small groups, it's essential to talk about group needs.
Keith Wright
Do you want your small group to remain healthy year after year? From the vantage point of overseeing 140 small groups, I observe one common denominator of vibrant, enduring groups: they recovenant.
Since people come into a small group with a wide range of experiences and expectations, I strongly advocate that new groups develop a covenant - a written statement outlining the group's purpose and ground ...
Ten things I'd do differently if I were starting to transition today.
Dan Smith
1. I would answer the "why" questions first.
Even though I was warned by every book and speaker to change values before attempting to change structure, I still tried to implement structural change first. This had several detrimental side effects including: a) losing members who resisted the change simply because they did not understand the reasoning behind the shift, b) continual backtracking, side ...
Printer view of these results
