Comments on: Semester Based Groups

By: Mark Howell

Mark Howell — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:05:58 +0000

Thanks Joe! Glad you found it helpful.

mark

By: Joe Donaldson

Joe Donaldson — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:57:17 +0000

Great article, Mark. I think you hit the pro’s and con’s dead-on. We’ve just launched our first sermon-based group semester and after 4 weeks are enjoying high participation and high retention. It will be interesting to compare with the ‘free-market’ semester launching in January.

By: Mark Howell

Mark Howell — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:19:08 +0000

Hey Danny! Thanks for jumping in to the discussion! My intent as I work through this series is to begin to flesh out a way of thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of each system that will help individual congregations make decisions about what works best for them.

mark

By: Danny Buzzard

Danny Buzzard — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:14:04 +0000

Mark,
I love the discussion on philosophy and strategy. Surely, we’re not the only hybrid out there. Any thought to discussing how different models work together to mitigate risks or known problems? For example, we adhere to a semester system regarding leader training (3 big leader meetings a year) but our groups are open and not time bound. Most of the new individual groups we’re starting are niche-affinity-free market type groups brought up out of our body by the spirit working but we would also like to try some sermon based groups. Help me as I wrestle internally with my black and white in a totally gray world.

thanks for what your doing.

By: Mark Howell

Mark Howell — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:44:44 +0000

Thanks Ed! You may get some takers.

mark

By: Ed Applegate

Ed Applegate — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:05:19 +0000

Mark as you know, we run Activate at Crossroads. If people are interested in talking this through I’d be happy to talk to them. Just email me at ed@crossroadsgrace.org.