Had an opportunity this week to spend some time with an interesting new DVD-driven small group study from Lifeway.  Rooms: The Small Group Experience is the first study I’m aware of that was inspired by an award-winning novel (Published in 2010, Rooms was named the Best Inspirational Novel of 2010 by the Reviewers’ Choice Awards).

Likened to The Shack, Rooms is the story of “young software tycoon Micah Taylor and a cryptic letter he receives from a great uncle he never knew.  It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast.  In Cannon Beach.  The one place he loves.  The one place he never wants to see again.  But strange things happen in the house.  Things Micah can’t explain.  Things he can barely believe.  The locals say that the house is ‘spiritual.’  But Micah slowly discovers the house isn’t just spiritual, it is a physical manifestation–of his soul (from the cover).”

The study is designed to guide groups through four significant themes: woundedness, destiny, (spiritual) warfare, and freedom.  The DVD segments feature a combination of author James Rubart’s teaching/narration against the backdrop of reenacted scenes from the book.

The participant guide provides discussion questions that enable group members to work through the biblical basis for each of the four themes.  Each week also includes four daily devotional experiences, continuing to pursue the theme through the week.

A Leader Guide section is included in the participant guide and provides some important hints for the study.  In addition, each of the four DVD segments includes a “watch me first” moment for group leaders.  In view of the challenging themes developed in this study, it may be too challenging for some leaders.

Although the study was “created so that even someone who has not read the book–or who does not intend to–can still find fresh perspectives and strong biblical content for becoming a more effective disciple,” it will be a far different experience for those who participate without reading the book.  In my mind, the most likely participants of the study will be readers of the book.  I should point out that while I haven’t finished the book, I read the first 20 pages to get a feel for the writing style and the quality of the writing.  It’s an intriguing story-line and caught my attention right away.

This is an interesting new category.  While it’s easy to envision a book club that leads to a four week study, I’m finding it harder to imagine just any group choosing a study based on contemporary Christian fiction.  For the right group, Rooms will be a great experience.

Working to build an effective coaching structure?  I referred to a new concept from Great by Choice, Jim Collins’ most recent book in a recent post.  It turns out to have tremendous application for anyone working on their coaching structure.  Let me take a paragraph to bring you up to speed.  Then, I’ll show you how we’re applying it right now.

Get Up to Speed

A SMaC recipe is the code for translating a high-level Hedgehog Concept into specific action and for keeping an organization focused in the same direction, thereby building flywheel momentum (p. 186, Great by Choice).”  Greek so far?  You can get more in my previous post, but the essence of a hedgehog concept is simply the thing your organization is really designed and equipped to do and the flywheel effect is the product of repeated efforts to build momentum.

What does SMaC stand for?  Specific, methodical, and consistent practices.  One of the companies that Collins’ studied was Southwest Airlines.  A shortened example of their SMaC recipe is that they’ve determined to:

• remain a short haul carrier, under two hour segments
• utilize the 737 as their only aircraft
• stay out of food services
• keep the passenger as their #1 product. Don’t carry air freight or mail

A Recent Memo to My Team:

Hey guys…want to make sure we’re all thinking the same way about coaching and coaching assignments.  Here’s where we should be from a principle standpoint:

1. Everyone needs to be cared for by someone and no one ought to be caring for more than about 10.  This is referred to as span of care and is the principle that ought to be driving our awareness of a shortage of coaches (i.e., if you have 236 groups and anything less than 24 coaches…you cannot expect to have a 1 to 10 ratio).
2. As we build an effective coaching structure (with a suitable span of care and maturing capabilities),  flexibility is an essential trait for a coach.  As much as we will always prefer consistent coaching assignment over the life a leader (ideal), there will of necessity be shifting coverage from time to time (real).
3. Existing groups (older than 3 to 6 months) are very hard to retroactively assign to a coach.  They will only rarely accept coaching.  Their thinking is almost always, “Why do I need a coach?  I know how to lead a group.”  This understanding ought to be driving our awareness that the critical need isn’t to provide equal care for all leaders.  Instead, we ought to be paying the most attention to newer leaders.  Seasoned, existing leaders, who “know” they don’t need a coach need to be contacted, but not coached.
4. New group leaders (whether beginning as hosts or connection leaders) are especially open to coaching and ought to be our first priority for coaching assignments.
5. New coaches (launch phase coaches) ought to be given one or two groups (1 or 2) during their toe-in-the-water phase.  Once they successfully completed the 10 to 13 week test drive, assuming they are both fruitful in the task and fulfilled doing it, we can give them an opportunity to opt-in to full-fledged coaching.

These five principles should define our coaching assignments (both right now and going forward).

Need a short video that casts the right vision for small group ministry?  One that caught my attention in 2011 was Flaws of Biblical Proportions.  Take a look.  If you haven’t seen this one, you’ll be figuring out how to use it:

Can’t see the video? You can watch it right here.

If you’ve been looking for small group leader training resources, you’re going to want to take a look at Leading Small Groups with Purpose.  New from Steve Gladen, this is gem of a resource!  Packed with real-life illustrations, how-tos, and ideas…this is a must-have for every leader.

Gladen’s earlier book, Small Groups with Purpose, was an excellent resource for point leaders (whether from the purpose driven camp or not).  The same is true for Leading Small Groups with Purpose.  The content is so relevant, it works regardless of the type of small group system in use.

Part One–Before You Begin Your Group is just that; some very helpful content that will find its way into your leader training concept.  Especially for anyone unfamiliar with the spiritual health assessment and plan, part one will be an eye-opening experience.  The simple idea behind the assessment and plan will help many groups take advantage of new understanding about the spiritual development needs of its members.  This is a gold mine!

Part Two–What to Do in Your Group is as good a collection of practical tips and ideas as I’ve ever come across.  I loved the way this part of the book is organized and your leaders will, too.  Ten chapters.  Two takes on each of the five purposes (fellowship, discipleship, ministry, mission and worship); there’s both insight into the biblical foundation for each purpose and practical suggestions for application.

Again, don’t dismiss this resource because you’re not purpose-driven!  Trust me on this, you’ll finish every chapter thinking, “I’m going to try that idea this week!”  Even better, you’ll find yourself wanting to pass the idea on to other leaders.  This is a great collection of what-to-do ideas, backed up by some very practical crawl, walk and run how-to-do suggestions for implementation.

Part Three–Keeping Your Group Focused includes the answers to many of the most frequently asked questions about small group ministry.  From how to listen well and should we meet during the summer to what to do about late people and gossip in the group, this is just good stuff!

Need an extra bonus?  There’s a FREE online small group assessment tool included that you’re going to want to check out (a code inside the book flap provides registration).  A $12.50 value, it’s a new tool at www.smallgroupinsights.com.  Developed by Dr. Les Parrott, the small group insight profile provides feedback that can be shared with a group.  Very interesting!  And it’s FREE with the book.

Whether you’re leading a small group or leading a small group ministry, Leading Small Groups with Purpose is a great addition to my must-have list.  I loved it and I know you will too!

We’ve talked about this routinely.  If you want to have any success connecting beyond the usual suspects, you have learn to see things from their point-of-view.  It really is a living out of Philippians 2:4: “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

I tripped across this great Henry Ford line while reading Steve Gladen’s Leading Small Groups with Purpose:

If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s place and to see things from his point of view – as well as your own.

Just finished reading Great by Choice, Jim Collin’s newest.  As much as we talk about clarifying the win, I caught something that I just needed to point out to you.

If you read Good to Great (Collins’ 2001 best-seller), you recognize the terms hedgehog concept and flywheel effect.  If you need a refresher, here’s the basic info:

“The Hedgehog Concept is a simple, crystalline concept that flows from a deep understanding about the intersection of the following three circles:

• What you are passionate about
• What can you be the best in the world at
• What drives your resource or economic engine”

First…a little background:

I loved Lost.  Watched every episode and many of them more than once.  Even watched the commercials looking for clues.  And I wasn’t alone.  Millions watched it with me.  Immersed in the story.

In early 2011 Ben Arment recommended a book; The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories.  Fascinating.  In it, author Frank Rose detailed the rising popularity of the use of games to pull in consumers, immersing them in the story.

Last Monday night, Alcatraz, a new television series produced by J.J. Abrams, debuted on Fox.  It was accompanied by an immersive game (LegendsofAlcatraz.com).  The Los Angeles Times ran an interesting story about the elaborate alternate reality game that launched as Alcatraz approached its premiere.

So…Now the Question: Is there a place for immersion and imagination in community?  Or, even in formation or discipleship?  You might think I’m crazy.  Maybe I am a sucker for mystery…but I think there might be a way to use imagination, immersion, games and story to engage at crowd’s edge.

Can you see it happening?  Why?  Or why not?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  You can click here to jump into the conversation.

Yesterday we talked about the 7 numbers that matter most in small group ministry.  As important as quantitative measurement is, today we need to talk about gathering stories, the qualitative aspect of small group ministry.  Why?  Let’s just say that while your ministry intelligence depends on the numbers we gathered yesterday, lives actually hang in the balance and depend on the stories you gather.

Lives Hang in the Balance

Really?  Lives hang in the balance?  Uh…..yeaaah!  Stories might be the single most compelling ingredient whether you’re talking about recruiting leaders or casting vision for a small group as the optimal environment for life-change.  As much as you might hope that a powerful sermon extolling the first century example of Acts 2:42 will compel a response, often overwhelming twenty-first century evidence suggests that nothing is as compelling as personal testimony.

How do lives hang in the balance?  Every opportunity to persuade and encourage an important spiritual step, might be the last opportunity.  At the risk of sounding melodramatic, there are lives in the balance every time the doors are opened or the conversation ensues.  Every time.

How to Gather the Most Compelling Stories

There are at least four ways to gather stories:

1. Coaches can be taught to ask, “What’s the best thing happening in your group?” or, “What’s the best thing that happened in your meeting last night?”  These simple questions often prompt the recounting of story unlikely to be heard by senior pastor or staff (without the question).
2. Make it your practice to provide regular opportunities for small group leaders to share stories.  This form (or your own version) completed at a small group leader gathering will often surface several compelling stories.
3. Become a story maven; a collector of stories.  Always be asking people for their story.  People generally love talking about their story.  Simply making it your practice to ask for their story often leads to a very compelling discover.
4. With permission, pass on the best stories to your senior pastor.  With a little work, these stories can become an extremely compelling live or video testimony; a powerful moment in a message or on the web.

Want do you think?  Want to add an idea?  You can click here to jump into the conversation.

Do you know what numbers matter most in small group ministry?  They might not be what you think.  And…it might be a matter of perspective.  But for my money, these are the 7 key numbers:

1. Easter adult attendance minus the number of adults connected in groups (the Easter adult attendance number is often used to reflect the number of adults in the crowd).  This will inspire reminiscing about the future, when responding to the past is the tendency.
2. The difference between average adult attendance and Easter adult attendance.  This difference is a reflection of the size of the crowd, an important statistic when you’re seeking to understand the outreach potential of your church, and an essential consideration when you’re choosing topics for church-wide campaigns.
3. The number of new groups launched in the previous year (Note: the focus here is on new groups formed, not the growth in total number of groups).  This number reflects the number of new connecting opportunities (remember, it’s easier to connect new people into new groups).
4. Year-on-year growth in the number of groups.  This number is a reflection of groups sustained.
5. Total number of people connected (Note: as your ministry grows, it becomes more challenging to track the actual number of people connected.  A census taken at regular intervals, for example, annually in mid-November, can guide your understanding of the actual number of people connected).
6. Number of people attending groups who don’t attend your church (this can be calculated at the same time the census is taken).  This is another reflection of the inclusiveness of your groups.
7. Number of people serving as facilitators.  This is a much more important number than most realize.  Since the ability to rotate facilitators predicts both group viability (it can survive the absence of the leader) and expansion capability (much easier for group members to see themselves as group leaders), this is a helpful number to track.

Want do you think?  Think I missed one?  Want to add one?  You can click here to jump into the conversation.

I’ve been looking forward to working my way through Building a Discipling Culture by Mike Breen and Steve Cockram.  If you read my review of Launching Missional Communities or my 5 part interview with Mike Breen, you know that if anyone has a handle on making disciples in the post-Christian culture of the west, it is Breen and the folks from 3DM.

There are three parts to Building a Discpleship Culture.  Part One provides a well written and convincing introduction to the essence of the dilemma–that “no one accidentally creates disciples.  Discipleship is an intentional pursuit.”  As a small group ministry veteran, I concur with one of their most important conclusions; that while most small groups are “excellent at creating warm and comfortable environments”  they are not built to offer challenge.”  And without environments that are both highly invitational and highly challenging…discipleship rarely if ever happens.

Part Two takes an extended look at a discipling language; essential when you understand that sociologists agree that “language creates culture.”  Interestingly (and if you’ve followed much of the conversation here, you’d know why I love this), Breen has developed a way of talking about discipling using a language called LifeShapes.  A series of 8 simple shapes (drawings) represent “a foundational teaching of Jesus or principle from His life.”  The 8 basic shapes illustrate what we want people to know and do.  Great stuff and very practical.

The first shape provided offers a good example of the power of the idea.  Illustrating the principle of continuous breakthrough, a simple circle is used.  The chapter explains how kairos moments (“when the eternal God breaks into your circumstances with an event that gathers some loose ends of your life and knots them together in His hands”) can be used to teach a lifestyle of learning.  We learn to use kairos moments to observe, reflect, and discuss followed by making a plan, forming accountability, and acting on the plan.

Part Three provides an overview of how to use huddles to disciple people.  Important to note that this part leads off with a note from the authors urging that you resist the temptation to start a huddle because you’ve read the material on how to lead one.  Instead, they make the recommendation that you first be part of a huddle, so you can personally experience the practice.  Making the case that you wouldn’t want to have a person performing open heart surgery because they’d read a book on it, it’s easy to see the wisdom of their caveat.  Still, whether you follow this prescription or not, part three of Building a Discipleship Culture is fairly detailed.  Covering not only key concepts and sample huddle outlines, there is also a launch guide that provides quite a bit of detail.

If, like many of us, you’re wrestling with Dallas Willard’s two questions every church must answer (i.e., “One, do we have a plan for making disciples?  And two, does our plan work?”), Building a Discipling Culture is a must have resource.  I highly recommend it.