Posts by Mark Howell
Easy Win: Resource Your Small Group Leaders
Some things you do require lots of time and preparation. Some things can make a difference in just a few minutes. Resourcing your small group leaders can be an easy win you build into your week. Here’s the idea: A very small percentage of small group leaders come up with creative ideas for group meetings…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of January, 2013
Miss a day or two? Here are my top 10 posts of January, 2013. Cool to see that I had visitors from 75 countries! Thanks for coming along! New from Beth Moore | The Law of Love: Lessons from the Pages of Deuteronomy (August, 2012) 101 Great Ideas to Create a Caring Group: A Classic Resource…
Read MoreDon’t Miss the Latest from John Burke: Mud and the Masterpiece
Spent some time with Mud and the Masterpiece this week. John Burke’s latest, it is a masterpiece itself and immediately joins the required reading list for anyone who wants to reach people at crowd’s edge. (Be sure and see the special offer at the end of my review!) Burke, the founding pastor of Austin’s Gateway Church, is…
Read MoreFAQ: What Should I Count in My Small Group Ministry?
One of my most frequently asked questions is “what should I count in my small group ministry?” Here are the seven numbers I’m looking for: Average adult worship attendance: This gives you a baseline attendance number that provides one of the numbers you need to determine percentage connected. Most recent holiday adult worship attendance: Whether…
Read MoreIf I Was a Martian…Could I Identify Your Real Mission?
Think about your mission…the one on your wall and in your vision talks. Got it? Let it roll around in your mouth for a minute so you can really get the taste. Here’s the question: If I was a Martian (or a visitor), and I showed up at your church this weekend or called your…
Read MoreHow Long’s It Been…Since You Checked These 3 Details?
Just like that cracked windshield or the little tear in the armrest of your car, there are certain things that just blend in after a while. To you. You don’t even see them anymore. Everyone else? They see them immediately. Just like the way you don’t even remember the last time you really looked at…
Read MoreComing Soon: Bible Studies for Life
I’ve wanted to tell you about it for months. A few of you saw my invitation to preview it. I just can’t wait any longer! Last fall I was invited to help put together a new Bible study series for LifeWay. And coming soon to a website and bookstore near you is Bible Studies for…
Read MoreSideways Energy
Ever found yourself struggling with a program that draws a crowd and generates a kind of buzz…but actually moves people in a different direction than you want them to go? For example, you’ve designed your strategy to move everyone in the direction of a small group, but a legacy program, maybe an ongoing on-campus class…
Read MoreHere’s How Saddleback Does Week #1 of a Church-Wide Campaign
Willing to take a dare? If you want to know how Saddleback launched their newest 2200 small groups–and that’s not a typo–I dare you to give me 3 minutes of your time. Watch the first 3 minutes of this video to get a feel for the way Saddleback launched What On Earth Am I Here…
Read MoreMinistry in a Fog? Here are 6 Critical Questions that Create Clarity
Yesterday I added a simple exercise you can use to identify next steps. It occurred to me as I wrote yesterday’s post that even completing that simple exercise is very tough for many organizations, because they don’t know the answers to a set of essential questions (what I often refer to as the Drucker Questions).…
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