5 Keys To Exponential Group Life in 2010
This is the time of year when all of us are working on two things at the same time. We’re looking ahead to the new year…while we’re still swamped with to-do lists (and memories) from the old year. We want the new year to be more effective. At the same time, we know it didn’t quite work as planned last year. There were some hits and misses…and we want the new year to be more hit and less miss.
Sound right so far?
Here’s my prescription for a more exponential 2010:
- Take some time and evaluate 2009. If you’re not signed up for my twice monthly e-newsletter (Just-In-Time Resources for Small Group Ministries) you may want to sign up today. The newsletter that goes out this week will include an opportunity to download my year-end review packet.
- Make it an immediate priority to calender 2010. Do your best to plug in the big rocks for the full year. I even suggest extending into the first few months of 2011. You may only be able to get the big rocks in this week, but that will help you begin to see what must happen right away. I wrote an article about a year ago that gives a pretty good overview of the planning process. You can read it right here.
- Another immediate priority is to plan the first quarter (Jan-Mar) in detail. Now is the time to make room reservations, arrange promotional materials, schedule announcements, order materials, etc. I hate to beat the drum, but if you’re not signed up for my enewsletter you probably want to do that today. This week’s edition will also include an article that gives more detail about planning the first quarter.
- I love starting the year with a Small Group Connection sometime in late January or early February. This strategy identifies new leaders better than anything else I’ve ever tried. You may have tried a Connection in the past. If you’ve never done it my way…you may want to carefully read the series of articles right here. There are a lot of ways to do a Connection. My way gets results.
- A great big rock to include early in the year is a leader encouragement meeting. Call it what you want. I like to schedule it about a week after a Connection. That way I can begin promoting it now with existing leaders and include my newest leaders as well. I’ll have more about how to pull off a great leader encouragement meeting in an upcoming post. The key is to get it on the calender. Important Note: Choose a date that your pastor can attend. There’s almost nothing more important that having your pastor’s help to make this meeting a great experience for your leaders.
I hope this short blast gets you started today! This is a really big week and you won’t want to lose a step right now, so get a coffee and pull out a calender!
