MarkHowellLive.com » Question of the Day

Got Questions?

Mark Howell — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:50:39 +0000

With over 400 articles focused on the needs of small group point people (strategy, coaching, leader recruitment and training, etc.), there’s already a lot here at MarkHowellLive.com. You can search my archives using the Google search box. You can also take a look at my categories or even look at what I’ve written during certain months.

There’s a good chance you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.

Then again…I love getting questions! Got one? Use the comments below to ask away or just Email Me. If it’s a new one I just might write an article to flesh out an answer for everybody!

Childcare Policies and Procedures for Off-Campus Groups

Mark Howell — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:56:04 +0000

I get questions almost every week about small group ministry. Love getting them because they often become the basis for a really needed article or series. Here’s a paraphrase of one I got this week:

Do we need to require small groups (who meet off-campus in their own homes) to follow the same policies and procedures when setting up childcare for their own meeting?

“How do you handle childcare? Not in the usual sense. We’ve already made our groups responsible for their own childcare. Our concern is that we’ve been advised to establish clear childcare policies and procedures for our on-campus ministries. Things like screening workers, child-worker ratios, the 2 person rule, etc. But “how can we possibly apply those same standards to small groups meeting in homes?” Is there any guideline on that? Are there churches that have established policies and procedures for off-campus groups that are effective?”

Hmmm. Good question. I’ve had this discussion with a few churches. Maybe you’ve had this one. You understand what they’re asking? Here’s the basic question:

From a liability standpoint, do we need to require small groups (who meet off-campus in their own homes) to follow the same policies and procedures when setting up childcare for their own meeting?

The question for you is, does your church have policies, procedures or guidelines that you require your off-campus small groups to follow in regards to offering child-care during their meeting?

I’d love to get your answers on this important question. Email Me and let me know what you’re doing. For more on childcare, see my article What To Do About Childcare.

Philosophy of Ministry: Off-Campus Groups vs. On-Campus Classes

Mark Howell — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:01:57 +0000

I’ve written quite a bit about the subject of building a small group ministry in a church with a Sunday School culture. This is an important topic because it is where so many churches are. A legacy program in a changing landscape. And it’s a challenging situation.

That said, I want to talk today about some underlying philosophical assumptions that are shaping decisions around the country. It may seem a little more rambling than normal. Just work with me! And as always, I’d love to hear your take and you can jump in by using the comment section below!

Q: Are there philosophy of ministry questions that help make the case for off-campus vs. on-campus?

A: I think there are at least three.

Does the experience make disciples? I’ve listed this first because I believe it is the first question. It leads to a deeper question (that we can tackle another time), but at a minimum, making disciples takes observation (someone modeling how to do it), discussion, and participation in a set of practices. Obviously, that cannot happen in a lecture environment (whether the class is on-campus or off-campus). I often make the statement that a smaller version of what’s happening in the worship service will not get it done. Two-way communication is essential. Doing things together is essential. Going out to do it on your own is another essential. Information is not the point. It is all about transformation. Is that happening in your on-campus class? Is it happening in your off-campus small group? If the experience isn’t making disciples…then there’s something missing.
Are we helping our congregation prioritize the activities that make disciples? Since every member’s available time is limited (again, this leads to a deeper discussion), and since all of us struggle to choose what is best for us, many churches are moving in a simple church direction that limits activities to those that contribute best to the desired goal. Options are eliminated in order to insure that the right choices are easy, obvious and strategic.
Does the on-campus arrangement make service less likely? My argument is that on-campus tends to provide additional opportunities to consume while making it more difficult to contribute (serve). This is a little complicated, but if by providing a worship + class arrangement I’ve insured that whole segments of the congregation are unavailable to serve…

Obviously, there are other key questions. These are three that must be asked when determining your discipleship philosophy of ministry.

Where Can I Find New Coaches?

Mark Howell — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:48:53 +0000

A great conversation yesterday drew an important question. We’re getting ready for a church-wide campaign and know we’ll need coaches for our newest hosts. Where can I find new coaches?

Ever asked that one? It’s a good question. Important on a couple levels. First, it is important that your newest hosts have a coach who is available to help and who is checking in with them on a weekly basis. The first 10 to 13 weeks of their new existence is a critical time period, not unlike the first few days and weeks of a newborn’s life. That said, it follows that if you recruit a wave of new hosts to open their homes for a church-wide campaign, you could suddenly need an additional coach (or 10!). So…where will they come from?

Here are a couple thoughts:

Although it’s not essential, I look first among existing small group leaders for coaches. You probably do to. The reason I look there is that they’ve made it as a group leader and understand some things about what works.
Depending on what I find among existing group leaders, I’m not opposed to recruiting from outside but they have to really fit the bill from a teachability standpoint and from a SHAPE standpoint.
I’m not looking for warm and willing. I’m looking for hot and qualified. That is, the ideal candidate has a passion for group life, is a high-capacity leader, is loyal to our church and our pastor, is very relational and fun to be around.

The second reason this is an important question is that coaches need to be recruited to the function before they’re recruited to the form. You’ve heard of “form before function?” I’ve found it makes a big difference when I simply ask a seasoned small group leader to take a new host or two under her wing, just for 10 to 13 weeks (six weeks of the campaign, couple weeks before, couple weeks after). I’ll frequently say:

I’ve seen you in action over the last year. You’re doing a great job with your group. Would you be willing to help get a couple of our new hosts get off to a good start? Sit with them at the orientation. Connect with them weekly. Make sure they have what they need to really succeed?

This is function before form. Before I sit down with them and invite them to join our coaching team, I want to see them in action. By agreeing to help get a couple new groups started they’re able to put their toe in the water without a long-term commitment. I’m able to see if they’ll do the job and whether they’re really a fit for it…before I offer them an ongoing role on the team. This is big because it’s a lot easier to ask someone to become a coach than it is to ask them to stop coaching!

Once you’ve had a chance to see them in action you can decide if they are a good fit and whether you’d like to add them to the coaching team. I’ve found it is really beneficial to ask them how it felt to help a couple new hosts get started. You need them to be fruitful and fulfilled. One without the other is not good. Fruitful without fulfillment doesn’t lead to long term service. Fulfillment without fruit doesn’t help anyone. You want both and it’s worth holding out for.

5 Areas You Must Tweak with Your Small Group System

Mark Howell — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:26:02 +0000

I got a great question recently and knew you’d want to get in on the answer. You might even want to suggest something different or argue with me. Any way you slice it, this is a great topic. Here’s the question:

What are five areas you believe every church body should be continually tweaking with their small group system?

That is a great question! Here’s my take:

First, you ought to have a well-developed understanding of the business your small group ministry is in. I’ve written about this before, but the short version is that you’ll never know if you’re succeeding if you don’t know what you’re trying to do. This should be a stable concept, but flexible on the edges. In other words, you need to know the kind of person you’re trying to produce but you might emphasize different aspects this year (I’ve written more on this in The First Question Every Small Group Pastor Must Answer).
Second, you ought to know how you’re doing at what you’re trying to do. Once you’ve determined the business your groups are in, you can predetermine what it will look like to succeed in that business. You’ll be tempted to make this a purely numerical exercise. Don’t give in to that. It’s not a bad idea to build in some numerical elements (i.e., a win is moving from 40% of our adults in groups to 55%, a win is adding another 30 groups using the HOST strategy, etc.), but it shouldn’t be limited to numbers (I’ve written more about this in The Second Question Every Small Group Pastor Must Answer).
Third, I am a firm believer in the idea that whatever you want to happen at the group member level will have to happen in the lives of your group leaders first. In other words, if you want your members to feel cared for…that will only happen if your group leaders feel cared for and see how to do that for their members. If you want your group members to feel prayed for, your group leaders will have to experience that first. That means you will always need more leaders of leaders (You’ll find a lot more about this in my Top 10 Articles on Small Group Coaching).
Fourth, if you want your small group system to be pervasive…it has to be part of the daily conversation of your whole leadership team and that begins with your senior pastor. Integrating personal stories along with live and video testimony into every service is so critical. Knowing that your people only come once every three weeks is really important and makes it even more critical that you’re talking groups every week (You’ll find more about this in Your Senior Pastor as Small Group Champion).
Fifth, what would you put for #5? Or what would your 5 be?

Thanks to @jasonarredondo for a great question!

Want do you think? Have a fifth area? You can click here to jump into the conversation.

While you’re here, be sure and sign up to get the update!

Learning How to Pray Together

Mark Howell — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:37:58 +0000

If the greatest fear that people have is public speaking…it only makes sense that many people will be hesitant to pray out loud. Here are some ideas that I’ve found very helpful:

Distribute index cards and pens and ask each person to write out a simple one sentence prayer request. Swap cards and read them aloud.
Ask each person to fill in the blank and say one thing they’re thankful for: “God, I’m thankful for my ______________,”
Pull a chair into the middle of the room and suggest that since Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20),” in tonight’s meeting let’s speak to him as if he was right in that chair.
Sentence prayers with no conjunctions (and). One idea only. For example, “God help me with __________.” “God I’m thankful for _______________.” “God be with Dean tonight in a way he can sense.”
Ground rule: You can only pray for a personal concern tonight. Nothing for your sister’s husband’s co-worker’s daughter.
Ask your members to pair up or get in groups of three. I’ve written much more about this idea in The Power of a Spiritual Training Partner.

Have you got some ideas that have worked for you? Use the comments to spread the word!

What’s the Best Way to Close a Meeting in Prayer?

Mark Howell — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:38:55 +0000

Q: “What is the best way to close a group meeting in prayer?”

A: Great question! There are several parts to my answer. First, the entire meeting structure ought to vary according to the needs of the group’s members. After all, new groups will be much less willing to share genuine needs. Long-term groups may spend a much longer portion of their group time praying.

Second, if the intensity of a meeting ought to change over time, it makes sense that the way your group prays together ought to change over time. The closing prayer at the very first meeting might be more of a blessing than anything else. As the group begins to get to know each other you may find that what used to take 5 minutes now takes 30. You may also find that without some intentionality the authenticity of your member’s prayer requests are stuck at a fairly superficial level. This is the point when it will benefit everyone to take advantage of the idea of a spiritual partner.

Third, if the only person that can close is the official leader…you’ve missed a great opportunity. As early as possible you’ll want to begin to help your members learn how to pray together.

Essential Ingredients for a Meaningful Small Group

Mark Howell — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:14:09 +0000

I recently got an email from Peter that asked, “What are the essential ingredients to making a great life group and how do I get them?”

That is a great question! Let’s take an initial stab…and then open up shop for comments (or further questions) that you might have.

The essential ingredients to making a great life group are both simple and challenging. You’ll find most of what you’re looking for in the values listed on the Purpose Driven Group Agreement. A group that integrates these 8 values will have the basis for a very rich experience. Take a look:

Group attendance is prioritized. Seems obvious, but this is very important. Group members need to be committed to putting group meetings ahead of other opportunities.
A safe environment is one where members can be heard and feel loved. Easy? No. Learning to listen and ask follow up questions without offering pat answers or snap judgments is very difficult. Short of a safe environment you cannot expect to cultivate the kind of group experience that actually produces life-change.
Confidentiality is an essential ingredient. What is shared in the group, stays in the group. Nothing kills an experience like the knowledge that we’re not all in this together.
Spiritual health is made possible through a kind of shared accountability and support. It’s not a solo operation. I need you and you need me. Together we can be healthy.
Determining in advance that your group will be a welcoming place for new people is important. Maintaining that potential (beyond lip service) is difficult but essential. Without this element a group can easily become stale.
Developing a sense of shared ownership allows each member to play a part. It is both more work and less work. More work in that the leader must proactively engage a contribution from everyone. Less work in that with the help of everyone the leader can focus on leading.
Rotating the facilitation responsibility among group members allows for the development of confidence and the identification of additional leaders. Brett Eastman calls it, “The crock pot of leadership development.” Side note: This is also one of the major predictors of groups that survive when the leader moves away or otherwise stops leading.
Sub-grouping for spiritual growth. Whether you take the step of accountability partners, or simply sub-group into groups of 3 or 4, this will encourage deeper sharing, more meaningful prayer and a greater sense of connection. Having 10 to 12 regular participants is great but it is too large for everyone to share their experience in a meaningful way.

While there are other aspects that are important (for example, how often you meet, focusing on transformation as opposed to information, and how you handle conflict), I really think these are the most essential ingredients of a meaningful small group. How do I begin to implement them? Intentionally moving in this direction. Starting with an agreement is a great first step. Tracking progress and actually measuring alignment with these values is also very important.

Thoughts? Use the comments and lets talk about it!

How Important Is It To Have An Apprentice? (Part One)

Mark Howell — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:43:06 +0000

One of the most commonly accepted truths of the small group movement is that every leader should have an apprentice. Many churches have practiced the idea that before you could start a new group you had to have a leader and an apprentice. Many churches measure the percentage of their groups that have an apprentice in place.

The "how important is it to have an apprentice?" question is asked very frequently, But…misses the question before the question.

What's the question before the question? Here it is: "How will you identify and develop enough leaders to provide a way for everyone in your congregation to connect in community?" (OK, I know that's two questions. Just work with me!)

Ever wrestled with those questions? They must be asked first, because they determine how much stock you'll put in the apprentice idea. Let's tackle them one at a time.

First, how will you identify enough leaders to provide a way for everyone in your congregation to connect in community? That begs a prior discussion. Before you can know how to identify enough leaders, you'll need to know how many Unconnected Adults you have. How do you find that out? Here are the questions:

How many adults are part of your congregation? Careful! It's not enough to know your average adult attendance. You need to know how many adults attend your church (usually over the course of a month). That may take a little work, but it will be worth thinking through. As a shortcut, you might use your Easter or Christmas Eve adult numbers. In many churches that is a pretty accurate representation of the number of adults that attend your church. This is "Total Adults."
How many are already connected? How many adults are in your groups? Real numbers. This is "Already Connected."

Once you know those two numbers you can do the math. Here's the equation:

Total Adults – Already Connected = Unconnected Adults.

What did you come up with? Now divide it by ten. That's approximately Enough Leaders to take care of the number of adults who are currently attending.

Tracking? How big is that gap? The one between the number of leaders you have and the number of leaders you need?

Here's the next questions: "Can the apprenticing idea resolve that gap? Can it resolve the gap in time?"

How Important Is It to Have an Apprentice (Part Two)

What About Alcohol at Group Meetings?

Mark Howell — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:31:05 +0000

Great question this morning in my email inbox:

I don’t know how to address the issue of alcohol that is being served at small group meetings. Do you see alcohol consumption, in moderation, as a problem at small groups? I’m not coming at this from a judgmental standpoint. I don’ t have a problem with folks who wish to drink alcohol outside of their group time, in moderation. However, it doesn’t seem to be a healthy thing for group leaders to allow during their weekly meeting.

Here’s my answer:

There are two key questions that must be asked. First, what’s your church’s position on alcohol? Second question has to do with who’s in your group? From the standpoint of giving preference to the stumbling issues of members, individual freedoms might need to be set aside. I’ve talked about it with our leaders by teaching on Phil. 2:3-4.

What do you think?