Prepare for Meetings
Don't underestimate the importance of preparing for your small group meetings. Create great questions, set up a comfortable environment, and pray for your meeting and group members.
Bible Studies
Advent: Clash of Two Kingdoms
Help your group explore the ways Jesus turned things upside down when he came to Earth.
Clear
The Essential Guide for Small-Group Leaders
A new tool for your entire team from Bill Search!
What Did I Get Myself Into?
5 tips for when you start to panic about being a small-group leader
Create Sermon-Based Studies
How to write engaging group studies that tie into your pastor's sermons
9 Tips for a Successful First Small-Group Meeting
Easy tips to make the most of your first gathering
Guía de Orientación: Líder de Grupo Pequeño
Un resumen general de los básico de liderazgo de grupos pequeños.
Effective Student Groups
Disciple the students in your ministry through intentional small groups.
Beyond Good Small-Group Meetings
A review of M. Scott Boren's 'Leading Small Groups in the Way of Jesus'
Theological Discussions for Everyone
Get everyone involved in meaningful, fruitful discussions.
Turn Ministry Teams into Small Groups
How to transition a task group into a community group
Top Tips for Using Video Bible Studies
How to use video-based curriculum wisely in your small group
Successful Short-Term Groups
Whether you're doing a campaign or trying out some specialty groups, use this resource to make them successful.
Bring Focus to Your Small-Group Meetings
Get more out of your meetings by narrowing your focus.
Create a Compelling Vision
Assess and revamp your current ministry vision, or create one from scratch.
Effectively Communicate About Your Ministry
Everything you need to get the word out about your ministry
Market Your Small-Group Ministry
Communicate about small groups in a clear, compelling way that draws people into groups.
Minister to Multiple Spiritual Maturity Levels
Engage everyone in your group from not-yet believer to mature follower.
Raise My Ebenezer
Remembering God's help yesterday helps us to trust him for today and tomorrow.
What Small-Group Leaders Can Learn from Great Preachers
Preaching and facilitating discussions are different, but there are principles to share.
5 Reasons Your Small-Group Ministry Needs SmallGroups.com
Training, Bible studies, and more at an incredible value
Nine Important Reminders for Meeting Preparation
Set the stage to make the most of your time together.
Find the Right Study for Your Group
Practical tips so you'll never dread finding a study again
Creative Leader Training
Think outside the box and your leaders will want to attend training events.
Meaningful Groups for Emerging Adults
Ministering to the life stage of 18- to 30-year-olds
Physical Presence Matters
Face to face time is important and small groups can help meet this need.
Improving Communication for Effective Small-Group Ministry
Communicate your message about small groups to church leaders, small-group leaders, and church members in a clear and compelling way.
Empowering Group Members
We can't force spiritual growth, but we can empower people to take their next spiritual steps.
New Questions for Measuring Group Success
Why the numbers game doesn't tell us if groups are accomplishing their mission
Effective Online Small Groups
It's time to boldly go where few small groups have gone before.
The Top 10 Downloads of 2010
Check out what churches and group leaders were most excited about last year.
Creating Video Ads and Testimonies
Use these helpful guidelines and insider tips to recruit new leaders and group members.
Sharing Your Faith Without Embarrassment or Coercion
Here is a seven-step plan for you to follow.
Effective Small Groups for Women
Get great advice and practical tips on ministering to an important demographic
Leading as an Introvert
Both introverts and extroverts can learn how personality type affects church leadership.
Spiritual Director: Orientation Guide
Resources for shepherding, guiding, and providing spiritual care
Leading a Life-Changing Bible Study
Work with the Holy Spirit to help your group members become more like Christ.
Planning a Short-Term Missions Trip as a Group
Great advice to help you before and during your trip
Starting a House Church
Helpful advice from experienced leaders in the simple-church movement
Keeping Small Groups Safe and Legal
Use these forms to help protect your church and your group members.
Small-Group Apprentice: Orientation Guide
Basic training for new and potential small-group apprentices
Teaching in Smaller Groups
Guidance for teaching in a Bible study, small group, or Sunday school class.
Basic Strategies for Authentic Christian Community
Tips that can improve the atmosphere of new and veteran small groups
Experiencing Authentic Worship in Small-Group Community
Take your group to new levels of worship and praise.
How to Prepare for a Bible Study
Practical tips for adapting an existing study or writing your own
Writing Questions That Spark Discussion
Eight helpful tips for those who write their own studies
Creating and Keeping an Outward Focus in Your Small Group
Computer-based training to help your groups avoid an inward shift
Adultery and Emotional Affairs
Practical and helpful advice for a small group dealing with a tough situation
Unemployment
Equip your group leaders and members to minister to someone after he or she loses a job.
Cancer
Get helpful advice on how to help individuals and families affected by this disease.
Making Bible Study Transformational
Learn to move beyond passing information from one person to another.
Planning a Group Service Project
This resource is full of practical tools for both group leaders and church staff.
How to Use This Resource (BSG50)
Take a quick peek here to maximize the content in this training download.
How to Use This Resource (BSG49)
Take a quick peek here to maximize the content in this training download.
How to Use This Resource (BSG48)
Take a quick peek here to maximize the content in this training download.
How to Use This Resource (BSG47)
Take a quick peek here to maximize the content in this training download.
Foundations of a Small-Group Leader
How to build and maintain a strong foundation for community ministry
Overcome Relationship Obstacles in Your Group
Everything you need to tackle issues with group dynamics
How to Use This Resource
Take a quick peek here to maximize the content in this training download.
Choosing and Evaluating Bible Studies
Practical assessments and evaluations from experts in the field
Handling Tragedy in Your Small Group
Be prepared when difficult circumstances shake your community.
Small-Group Host Orientation Guide
This guide has been specially designed to provide orientation and basic training for your church's small-group hosts.
Effective Affinity Groups
Train both new and experienced group leaders to build a successful community around affinity.
The Nicene and Apostles' Creeds
A closer look at these two creeds helps define what Christians believe.
Facing Shame Issues in a Small Group
Why some group members don't want to open up, and how to help
Cheat Sheet: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Understanding the work and gifts of the Counselor
Pay Attention to Details
Why the little things make a big difference in your group experience.
Learning Styles and Lesson Preparation
Understanding how people learn gives you a better shot at teaching them.
A Theology of Small-Group Worship
Spiritual formation for individuals, small groups, and the church.
Small-Group Assimilation Strategies
Bring church members into your groups, and group members into your church.
Answering Tough Questions
How to handle seven difficult questions that are likely to pop up in your small group
Spiritual Disciplines
A collection of resources to help you practice spiritual disciplines individually and as part of a group
Small-Group Member Orientation Guide
Help your new and potential group members know what to expect, and what will be expected of them.
Handling Conflict in Small Groups
Practical advice to help you when things get a little ugly
Tips for Facilitating a Group Discussion
Practical advice for working toward life-change, not spectacular meetings
Stay Connected Through the Summer
Make the most of summer—whether or not you take a break.
Training Small Groups to Reach Out
An interview with small-groups author and pastor Jeff Arnold
How to Pray for Your Small Group
Here are 10 tips to increase the frequency and effectiveness of your supplications.
Using Parables: How to Teach Like Jesus
Take a moment to explore Jesus' favorite method of storytelling.
How to Host a Small-Group Meeting
Practical advice for group members willing to share their homes
The Paradox of Community
Why church members often run from community despite their attraction to it
Hearing Aids for Small-Group Leaders
Why listening is such a valuable tool for those of us in charge
Guidelines for Group Prayer
Practical principles for an ongoing, transformational walk with God.
The Next Generation of DVD Curriculum
Why film-based curriculum should be the next big thing.
Divorce—How Can We Minister Without Meddling?
A practical look at the boundaries of fellowship groups.
The Small-Group Leader as Spiritual Guide
A step-by-step approach to guiding your group toward spiritual maturity
Small-Group Facilitator Orientation Guide
This guide has been specially designed to provide orientation and basic training for your church's new small-group facilitators and teachers.
Expert Advice for Small-Group Facilitators
Why obedience and a caring heart are all you really need
The 5 H’s of a Small-Group Leader’s Journey
The journey of leadership starts long before you get the official title.
Small Groups Sometimes Skip the Agenda
Small-group agendas don't change people's lives. Christ does.
Dealing with Divorce in Your Small Group
Be prepared for a crisis that impacts a high percentage of small groups.
The Childcare Checklist
Use this practical tool to determine the childcare options in your small group.
Family-Friendly Small Groups
Why you, and your church, should support the families of group members
Using Lectio Divina with Teen Groups
Follow this step-by-step approach to learn more about contemplation in small groups.
Make Your Group a Winning Team!
By viewing the church as a living organism, you can impact the world for Christ.
The Challenge of Challenging People
Small groups with severely wounded people can be a great success if you stick to some trusted principles.
Lectio Divina and Contemplative Prayer in Small Groups
Understand the practice of lectio divina and how to incorporate it into your small group.
Small-Group Leader Orientation Guide
A helpful overview of the basics of small-group leadership
Opening the Bible for Seekers
Small groups that thoughtfully use Scripture can serve an evangelistic purpose.
What Do We Want to Study Next?
Take the time to make a wise choice in what your group will study.
Biblical Principles for Pastoral Care in Small Groups
When leaders understand what is and is not expected of them, they are more at ease.
The 50 Best Small Group Web Resources
As part of an academic research project, the author recently searched the world wide web to discover the 50 best small group ministry resources available.
When a Plan Doesn’t Come Together
You can approach nearly any plan by looking at values, strategies, and tactics.
Stuff that Happens
There are common issues that happen in nearly every group, but there are ways to avoid them.
The Symmetry of God’s Plan
Before you choose a model for small group ministry, you must establish what the end product should look like.
10 Ways to Schedule Group Gatherings
Different groups, different purposes, different needs: ten schedules to help you choose what's right for your group.
Meeting Special Needs
There are several practical ways you can include people with special needs in your group.
Life in an American Underground Church
Consider a lifestyle choice about how you do ministry.
I Forgot to Mention…
Top 10 things they forgot to mention during your Small-Group Leadership training.
Small Group Management Systems: Off the Shelf
Tips for buying an "off the shelf" small group management system
Small Group Management Systems: Building Your Own
Why we built our own software, and how it works
Dealing with Conflict
In complex issues, if you know your own preferred reaction to conflict, it can help you choose the right course.
Two Keys To Resolving Conflict
Acknowledging conflict, and turning the focus to Christ, can sometimes quell a rising storm.
Conflict - Which Approach Do You Take?
There are several different approaches to conflict; which one you choose depends on the situation.
When Life Happens … Prepare to Fight!
Even spiritual people can be in conflict with each other.
"Dude, I Can't Shepherd a Small Group?"
Get tips on how to lead an effective small group even if you don't think you're ready.
The "Joys" of Multiplication
Multiplying small groups can be difficult, but the rewards are worth it.
Your Childcare Provider
Top 10 things you wish you had found out earlier about your small group childcare provider.
Ways to Get Coaching When You Don’t Have a Coach
To get the support you need, you sometimes have to seek it out.
A Day in the eLife…
You don't have to be computer guru to take advantage of the tremendous amount of information on the World Wide Web
Crossing the Technology Gaps Toward eLearning
Technology provides valuable tools for group preparation and group time.
Keepin' It Real
The language for reaching postmoderns may be different, but the basic needs are the same.
Destiny’s Children?
The youth today is looking for something new, something deeper, something that will help them explore their destiny in Christ.
More Is More When Less Is More
Why not have both large groups and small groups in the same meeting?
Coach, Don't Take it Seriously
Top 10 reasons you think the title has finally gone to your Coach's head.
Setting P.A.C.E. in Men's or Women's Small Groups
A method for approaching gender specific discipleship
Three Ways to Birth a New Small Group
Multiplication, launching, and planting are all methods of starting new groups.
The Prepared and Prayerful Leader
How the right approach to your sessions can make your meetings more meaningful.
Hit the Ground Running!
Follow these ground rules to get your small group off to a great start.
The Life Transformation Group
The most basic job description of a Small-Group Leader is: talk, listen, repeat.
Developing Children's Small Group Curriculum
Some tips for developing a curriculum for children that will help them grow spiritually.
Sermon Titles
Top 10 rejected sermon titles used by Small Group Pastors when their Senior Pastor is on vacation!
His Church is Really at Work!
For many people, he workplace is their largest sphere of influence, and their greatest opportunity for evangelism.
Open Or Closed? What Really Matters
We ensure that each member is discipled and equipped so that they can one day lead their own small group.
Compel or Expel?
The objective of meeting the needs of individuals will determine whether your group should be open or closed.
Childcare or Small Groups?
If parents were expected to come, there would also be children. How were we to get over this hurdle?
Evangelistic Prayer
Top 10 things you don't want to hear as you pray for the person who will fill your empty chair.
Plan A - Small Group Community
When life isn't working as we have planned, God's plan is usually at work.
Handling Difficult People: When Extra Grace is Required
Difficult people can be confusing and overwhelming to lead, having a framework in place can make the situation easier for you both.
Assimilating Children in Cells
Enable and equip the youngest generation to become all that God has called them to be.
Signing Your Life Away
Being a Small-Group Leader means signing away your old life and taking on the new life of a shepherd.
Small Group Growing Pains
Introducing the concept of community into a church can be painful, but there are ways to ease the pains.
Changing Direction of Ministry
Effective and lasting change comes through the process of identifying, joining, encouraging, and then changing direction.
Creating a Great Small Group Meeting Agenda
Sometimes you may not follow it, but an agenda can help God work within your small group.
The Challenge Of Challenging People
What works, and what doesn't, when leading a group of challenging people.
Classroom or Community?
Whether or not to do homework assignments depends on the mission, purpose, and values of the group.
Homework? Watch Your Language, Buster!
I suggest we replace "homework" with a term more reflective of what it accomplishes in the Christian life.
Preparing For A Smooth Delivery!
Preparation is necessary if your group is going to multiply.
Your Group May Need A Vacation When . . .
Sometimes a vacation is the perfect solution to a small-group problem.
Small Group Adventures
Some ideas to bring fun, adventure, and community to your small group.
Group Evaluation and Celebration
Plan to conclude your year with your group in a positive way.
Focusing Our Group Attitude
Some nuts-and-bolts ideas that will help your group get organized and focused.
Emotional Dependency in Cells
How to identify and break the bondage of dependent relationships.
Preparing for Outreach through Evangelism-Based Prayer
Some prayer-evangelism tools you can use before your next service project
Charting the Journey
Each small group goes through stages of development—here's what you can expect.
Becoming People of Purpose
Writing a personal mission statement can help you, and your group, be purposeful in living for Christ.
Homework for Adults
Most of us don't like homework, but it can be fun and beneficial in our small groups.
Leading Worship in Small Groups
Nervous about leading worship? Here are some tips to make it easier.
When it's Time to Confront
We are called to encourage each other towards righteousness, but confrontation is never an easy situation.
Two More Ways to Pray
Ideas for making prayer more tangible and interesting to those in your group.
When Extra Grace is Needed
Most small groups have one very needy person; here's some advice on how to handle the situation.
Dealing with Miscarriage Loss
Advice on how to comfort a couple that has suffered a miscarriage, and what not to do.
When It's Time for a Professional
Sometimes people in your group need more than you're able to give.
Wesley's "Methods" for Revival
We could spur revival again, if we follow Wesley's emphasis on holiness and accountability.
Recovery Groups: Panacea or Pandemonium?
How is a Christian supposed to approach recovery groups?
Child-Friendly Small Groups
I realized that children had not been welcome in our midst, and therefore Jesus had not been welcome either.
More Adventures in Babysitting
We're the only couple with children, and we can't afford a babysitter every week.
Small Groups, Small Children, Big Concern
Take this quiz to help you decide about child-care options.
Making Sense in Study
Pay attention to the five senses when preparing your home for a small group meeting.
Open Home, Open Hearts
By providing a comfortable atmosphere where Christianity is lived out and where non-Christians feel at ease, homes can be great tools for bringing people to Christ.
Well, What is our Course?
If your group feels aimless, you may want to consider your mission.
How Can We Minister without Meddling?
When group members are seriously hurting, where is the line between supporting and intruding?
For Crying Out Loud
You are leading your Bible study one evening when a member suddenly starts crying—what do you do?
What to Do When No One Shows
Planning ahead can ensure that you're not the only one who shows up for the meeting.
Ten Things I'd Do Differently
Ten things I'd do differently if I were starting to transition today.
How to Structure a Small Group
Here are some basic small group principles that will help you do your job as a Small-Group Leader.
Teaching Styles to Avoid
To be effective teachers, we need to capitalize on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses.
Obstacles to Leadership
Every leader has doubts, but here's what the Bible has to say to counter them.
Twelve Principles of Cell-Celebration Churches
Principles that will help small groups thrive in your church.
Balancing the Meeting Time
Managing your group's meeting time can be one of the harder aspects of leading; here are some tips to help you.
Group Life Cycle Models: A Comparison
The life cycle of small groups has been studied by a variety of researchers, both secular and religious, for several decades. Here are some of the models they've come up with.
Good Old Summertime for Your Group
Some ideas to keep your group going over the summer months.
Getting Together and Going Away
Some ideas and suggestions for short summer retreats with your group.
Griselda Gossip—The Person Who Just Can't Keep it to Herself
She's not doing it maliciously, but her gossip is destroying the group.
How Not to Start a Small Group Ministry
How small groups started in a church that had decided they "wouldn't work there."
Multiplication
No matter how chaotic things may seem at the time, multiplication is all for the greater good of the kingdom of God.
Fun with the Newsletter
Top 10 titles using the words cell or small in your church newsletter!
Starting Right
Sometimes in the process of planning a new group, we forget the most important element: prayer.
Restart With a Bang
It's hard to get going after the summer "break." Here's how to rev up your post-summer ministry.
Some Questions Before Deciding
Things to consider before choosing a Bible study with your group.
Ten Tips for Starting an Investigative Study
How to start exploring the Bible with non-believers.
Questionable Questions Quiz
Take a look at these questions, and see how they could be improved.
