Posts by Mark Howell
Start with Perfect and Work Backward
Are you dreaming about the perfect way to do small group ministry? Or settling for a version of what you can already do? The preferred future is one of my favorite things to talk about in my consulting work. I illustrate it with this diagram (that I got from Glen Hiemstra). See it? Sure…you see it…
Read MoreWitness Essentials: Evangelism That Makes Disciples
Had a chance this week to make my way through Witness Essentials: Evangelism That Makes Disciples by Daniel Meyer. Based on the simple observation that “in much of the Western world…Christian witness is obviously struggling, churches are shrinking and the credibility of the Christian message is sinking,” this study aims carefully at a doubly important topic…
Read MoreTwo Big Opportunities That Will Connect More People This Spring
I’ve written more than once about the power of using special days (like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day) to launch groups. Looking at my archives for other examples alerted me to the fact that I didn’t update you fully on a key strategic innovation that I tripped across two years ago and confirmed last year.…
Read More“Must Learn” To Do List: #1 View the World Around You with Fresh Eyes
Want to connect people no one else is connecting? I think your very first step is to “learn to view the world around you with fresh eyes.” It’s so critical! It’s built into all of us to grow accustomed to the way it is, to look right at glaring issues and completely miss the obvious…because…
Read MoreHow to Calm an Unconnected Person’s Second Greatest Fear
We’ve all seen the studies that show that people are more afraid of speaking in public than they are of dying, right? Or…you’ve at least heard that statistic referenced in a sermon. But what about when it comes to grouplife? What are unconnected people really afraid of? Here’s what I remind my team about all…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of March, 2012
Here are my top 10 posts of March, 2012. It’s always interesting to me to see which articles are actually getting read the most. In part because I choose an article or two everyday from the over 800 in my archives and tweet and post them to Facebook, I guess it’s not really surprising that…
Read MoreTop 10 Reasons to Discontinue Small Group Coaching
First of all, you’re not alone. Okay? Everyone’s had these thoughts from time to time. Here are the top 10 reasons to discontinue small group coaching: We tried coaching back in 1988 after a Meta Church conference and it never really caught on. The coaches we recruited in 1988 have a lifetime gig like a…
Read MoreThe Futility of the Mainstream
What’s your plan for connecting the rest of the unconnected people in your congregation? Have a plan? Thinking about a plan? What’s your plan for connecting the people beyond the usual suspects who join you this Easter? Or next Christmas Eve? Have a plan? Thinking about a plan? Ever? One thing I am absolutely convinced…
Read MoreTWELVE Plus: Saddleback’s 2012 Online Small Group Conference
Looking for a great conference focusing on small group ministry? I can’t tell you how often I’m asked to recommend a conference that is designed for small group ministry leaders from the ground up. Several times a week at a minimum. What do I tell them? The best thing going in terms of content and…
Read MoreWhat Story Do You Want to Tell?
I don’t often ask you to do this, but today I really want to encourage you to try an experiment with me. It’s a three step experiment. Here’s the first step: I want you to try and think ahead to next year at this time. Imagine yourself one year from now. Maybe you’re sitting in…
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