Posts by Mark Howell
What Are Your Groups Designed To Produce?
There are at least two questions. What are your groups designed to produce? is one of them. I think the answer right now for many would be, disciples who make disciples. In the 80s, Willow’s mission was to make fully devoted followers (still is). And I’m pretty sure in any conversation they’d say now and…
Read MoreQuotebook: Change and Irrelevance
“If you don’t like change you’ll like irrelevance even less.” General Eric Shinseki, former Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Great line, isn’t it? Although it is a line that comes to my mind quite often, I’ve learned not to use it on the people who bring it to mind. There is great wisdom in having…
Read MoreDiscipleShift: An Important New Resource for Churches that Want to Make Disciples
Picked up a copy of a new book from Jim Putman last week. DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples. Trust me…this is one you’re going to want to carefully work your way through. There are some very important ideas in this book. Putman, founding pastor of Real Life…
Read MoreYour Church-Wide Campaign Topic Determines Two Huge Outcomes
Warning: Do not miss this important concept. The topic you choose for your church-wide campaign absolutely determines two very important outcomes: The topic determines who you are able to connect. The topic also determines who will say yes to hosting a group. Here’s what I mean: First, the topic you choose for your church-wide campaign…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of May, 2013
Miss a day? Here are my ten most popular posts in May, 2013. A great month, there were visitors from 68 countries around the world (they used Google’s translation feature to read my blog in 35 languages!). You’ll notice that only two of this month’s top 10 were actually written in May. The other 8…
Read MoreDilbert on Building Trust
Here’s an exercise for your team:
Read MoreRecruiting Like Jesus
If you are at all like me…you’re always on the lookout for leaders and leaders of leaders (whether you call them coaches, mentors, community leaders, etc.). Isn’t that our reality? In the last few weeks I’ve been studying the gospels, examining them to try and understand the sequence of Jesus’ invitations to the disciples. Here…
Read MoreQuotebook: Dallas Willard on the Greatest Issue Facing the World Today
Here is something for all of us to chew on today: “The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life…
Read More5 Honest Thoughts about Small Group Ministry
I am a natural born analyst. Not a day goes by that I’m not analyzing what I’m reading, what I’m hearing, what I’m seeing. As I analyze any small group system or aspect of a strategy, I always add a few important understandings and questions. First, I am sure there are no problem-free solutions. Second, I’m…
Read MoreGroupLife Philosophy for the 21st Century
Disclosure: Depending on your own bias or bent, you might read this rant as either heresy, confirmation that I’ve lost it, or maybe something worth sharing with your team. To start with, at some level I believe the missional community strategy and the current discipleship emphasis are both needed and smokescreens at the same time…
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