Everybody needs a coach—whether to help you plant a garden, build a home, improve a golf swing, or lead a small group. The question is: What does coaching look like? How do we inspire, shepherd, and develop leaders of groups so that they grow in wisdom, maturity, and skills?
To help our coaches, we've outlined four key practices for the oversight of leaders.
Modeling: Pursue Christ-likeness. Grow in the life of full devotion you're inviting others to lead. Paul said, "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). I remember when Ryan, now almost 16, was about four years old. We were walking down Michigan Avenue in Chicago and I was holding his hand. I let go to pick up a large piece of paper in our path on the otherwise clean sidewalk. I threw it in a trash can and turned to grab Ryan's hand—but he was gone. For a split second, I panicked—it was a busy street with many passersby. I turned around and discovered he was several feet behind me, picking up another piece of trash he had spotted. He threw it in the can and grabbed my hand. It struck me—he watches everything I do!
We're always modeling, whether we realize it or not. Coaches should pursue the Jesus way of life for their own benefit and growth, but should be aware that leaders are looking to them—at least sometimes—to show the way and to live a life worth emulating. We inspire others when we pursue Christ. It's job one for coaches.
God equips us each with powerful ministry tools. Discovering yours will help you find your place as a vital minister to your small group. Below are two tools to help you identify your shape for ministry. Use the first tool to begin the process. Use your results to complete the second. Afterwards, talk about the results with your group leader and fellow members. Together you can figure out how you ...
Does your small group feel like a lecture hall at times? It is possible for groups to become a one-man show where people gather to be talked to, asked questions, told to turn to various verse references and read. Small groups such as this become a place for only one person to exercise his or her particular gift. One person, the facilitator, uses a gift such as teaching or pastoring, while the others ...
Don’t do it all yourself—here's how to delegate the work.
Stan Lubeck
EPHESIANS 4:11-14 - "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no ...
Teaching," unfortunately, has come to mean a certain thing in virtually the whole of the Christian community, or at least among those who recognize it as a legitimate spiritual ministry. Many look only at "preaching," which is not cited in the New Testament at all as any sort of gift given by God's Spirit to build up the Body, only as something which is done by anyone telling the good news. Whatever ...
Why can't this group stay on track! We've ended up on a rabbit trail for the past three weeks, wandering down the lane of Jack's pet peeves. It's so boring!"
"Sorry, I just don't have the time to bring refreshments, what with work and the kids and all … You understand.
"I sure don't understand why we always have to bring new people into this group. It seems to me it would be a lot better if ...
Small-Group Leaders need love more than anything else.
Michael C. Mack
I have made it a regular, ongoing practice in my ministry as a small group pastor to ask our leaders, "What do you need? How can we help you most in your ministry?" If I were to sum up their typical responses in one line, it would sound something like an old Carpenter's song:
"What a small group leader needs now … is love sweet love."
No matter how much I do, how many classes I teach, how many ...
One Small-Group Leader shares her needs with her coach.
Maymie Lau
Dear Coach Emma,
Today marks my second anniversary as a Small Group Leader. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting me all the way. During our last huddle, you asked us what our needs were and you said that our answers would help you a lot. I've been thinking about this for the past 2 weeks, and I'd like to share it with you:
You know, as a young leader, sometimes I really do not ...
Discipleship is not something that we do to other people; discipleship is what we do with other believers.
Allen White
Most people already have most of the relationships they need. They are already closely connected with the people they need in their lives. When they are challenged to join a small group, they might not sense the need because there is no need.
An examination of Joseph Myers' book, The Search to Belong, reveals four spheres of human relationships: public, social, personal and intimate. His perception ...
Printer view of these results
