Challenging people to host small groups can turn into an evagelistic opportunity.
by Stacie K. B. Maslyn
Finding leaders is an ongoing bottleneck in the process of growing any church or ministry. Having too many leaders is rarely a problem. But that's exactly the situation that Overlake Church in Redmond, Washington, faced as they launched a small group movement.
"People in the Seattle area like to congregate around issues and ideas," says Dean Orrico, Senior Associate Pastor over Connect Ministries. ...
Steve Gladen is pastor of the Small Group Network at Saddleback Church, where he oversees 2,500 adult small groups. In that capacity, he loves watching a big church become small through true community developed in group life. Steve is the author of several resources, including ...
Learn from these often-overlooked keys to making the most of your small-group lesson.
by Terry Powell
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This article examines a taken-for-granted aspect of discussion-leading. Below, you'll find several important things to keep in mind when responding to group members' participation.
Exhibit enthusiasm
When you lead quality Bible discussions, people will find fresh, "I've never thought of that before" insights. In response to a study question, participants may notice a truth for the very first time, ...
A near-death experience caused Dennis to take God's leading more seriously.
by Dennis DeKay
Four years ago I was in a terrible accident. Rolling over four times, I broke my neck in four places. During emergency surgery my vocal cords became paralyzed. I often wondered why God spared me. I thought, He must have a purpose for me. After three months of prayer, my voice returned. Over the next three years, however, I still wondered why God saved me.
How to keep your small groups from turning into cliques.
by Brett Eastman
You've seen them walk by. The "cooler than thou" group. The group that everyone in the church wants to be a part of and everyone outside of the church blames as the reason why they don't come.
Most of us became aware of cliques in high school: the preps, the jocks, the high-achievers, and the rockers, to name a few. Ancient cliques included groups like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Hellenists, ...
Learn to understand people and help them understand themselves.
by Doug Self
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Becoming a Great Listener.
Editor's note: This material was originally written to help pastors improve their listening skills while visiting church members in their homes. It has been adapted for small groups.
According to Robert L. Montgomery, author of Listening Made Easy, the ten most common characteristics of a good ...
You'll probably need to use these tips sooner than you'd like.
by Gordon MacDonald
A majority of pastors are "feelers," meaning that the feelings, the dignity, and the approval of people tend to rank high in their decision-making process.
Since I am by nature a "feeler," having to rebuke someone has always been difficult for me. I would rather be rebuked than to rebuke. Why? I struggle with the confidence that my judgment of a person's actions or attitudes is the correct one because ...
Apply the success of Saddleback church to your small group program.
by Brett Eastman
I can remember it like it was yesterday. I had only been on staff at Saddleback Church for a few weeks when I learned that over 800 men from our congregation were planning to attend the Promise Keepers rally in Washington, DC. I suggested we try to launch some new small groups among the men going to the event. Over 300 said they were interested, but I only had half a dozen men to lead them—the ...
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, ...
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