Posts Tagged ‘small groups’
Live Like You Were Dying
Inspired by the Grammy Award winning song recorded by Tim McGraw, and developed by a group of incredible church-wide campaign experts, Live Like You Were Dying offers a great experience for your congregation. Designed to help your congregation wrestle with how to live life to the fullest, this church-wide campaign has everything you need to…
Read MoreHow To Sequence A Small Group Launch
When NASA prepares for a shuttle launch, there are certain steps that are a given. There is a sequence to what they do. When anything unexpected happens during the launch preparation (mechanical issues, weather change, etc.) it isn’t unusual for NASA to restart the sequence. In much the same way, when you’re preparing for a…
Read MoreEscaping the Straitjacket of Conventional Thinking
How limited is your thinking? When you stop long enough to examine how your ministry is designed…particularly the assumptions that it is based on…how limited is your thinking? Need an example? Try these statements on for size: “New groups must begin with a qualified leader and an apprentice.” I remember hearing Jim Dethmer talk about…
Read MoreDetermining Essential Ingredients
Had a fascinating discussion over the weekend with a passionate devotee of the worship + ABF philosophy of ministry. He was definitely passionate. He was absolutely committed to the philosophy. And he was in some amount of denial about why it is so difficult to find churches with contemporary worship, relevant teaching and a great…
Read MoreCustomer Friendly Web Design
Have you ever looked at your website from the vantage point of a customer? I know that may sound strange, but it is very important that you see it this way. Until you begin to look at your website from the customer vantage point you’ll miss out on some critical connecting opportunities. Before we get…
Read MoreThe Role of the Senior Pastor – Part 4
In addition to coordinating the themes for the year, the Senior Pastor has the unique opportunity to spike the weekend message with a call to action. What am I getting at? Easy. Every message has the potential of taking on a group life angle. The insertion of illustrations and stories offers the chance to comment…
Read MoreDoes Your Website Match Your Vision and Strategy?
Have you ever examined your website to see how closely it matches your church’s vision? Did you know that the design of your website is often a better indicator of your church’s below-the-water-line vision and strategy than the handout at the membership class? Take a look at Saddleback’s homepage. Click here to open it up…
Read MoreMatchmaking: Making It Easy to Find a Group
How do you help unconnected people find a group? Are you a matchmaker? Do you provide an individualized, custom designed fitting for each person looking? Or are you more of a self-serve, off-the-rack location? The way you help unconnected people find a group combined with the number of groups you have and the number of…
Read MoreWhat Do You Call Your Small Groups?
Important Note: Every day a few dedicated small group ministry champions (staff and volunteers) find this post. Can I be honest? I hope this blog post (written in 2009) gives you an idea or two. My real hope? I hope you’ll subscribe to MarkHowellLive.com so you can get the latest in small group ministry strategies,…
Read MoreThe Tangible Kingdom Primer
Some time back I wrote about The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, an engaging and challenging book about creating incarnational community. I love it. If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you can order it right here. Couple weeks ago I received a copy of the new Tangible Kingdom Primer, designed…
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