Posts by Mark Howell
Review: Just Walk Across the Room
There are a couple main categories of church-wide campaigns. Some are designed to be an easy invitation for unconnected people or less-than-fully committed people who really need a next step. Other campaigns are designed without apology to be a developing experience for everyone who participates. Just Walk Across the Room, released in 2006, is without…
Read MoreMost Popular Curriculum Reviews of 2011
I review a lot of curriculum every year. Some DVD-driven. Some homework intensive. Some story-driven visual media. I review everything. Although my blog is sponsored by several of the larger publishers (much appreciated), it was interesting to see that 2 of the 3 most popular reviews I did were for Not a Fan and Basic:…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of 2011
Every year it’s interesting to see what the top 10 posts were. This year, I took some extra time and created two separate lists. These posts were all written in 2011 and were about building a more effective small group ministry. Tomorrow’s list is the top 10 small group curriculum reviews: Clue #1 When Designing…
Read MoreThese Two Questions Will Change the Game
Looking for a question or two that might be game-changers? Magazine Luiza is one of Brazil’s most admired companies, catering to the needs of the country’s poorest shoppers. Really quite a fascinating story (as detailed by Bill Taylor in Practically Radical). In preparation for Magazine Luiza’s biannual strategy session (referred to as the “Big Meeting”)…
Read MoreResponding to Yesterday vs. Reminiscing about the Future
Stop what you’re doing. Just stop for a moment. If you think about the solutions and strategies you’re currently queuing up…are they about responding to yesterday’s issues? Or are they about solutions and strategies that solve tomorrow’s challenges? I love this line from Bill Taylor’s Practically Radical: “The art of starting something new…is a matter of ‘reminiscing…
Read MoreVictory in Spiritual Warfare: A Powerful DVD-driven study from Dr. Tony Evans and Lifeway
If you’re looking for a study that will help your groups understand spiritual warfare, you need to take a look at Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Tony Evans. An 8 session DVD-driven study featuring the teaching of Dr. Evans and based on his 2011 book, Victory in Spiritual Warfare: Outfitting Yourself for the Battle…this is…
Read MoreMuslims, Christians, and Jesus: a new DVD-driven study from Zondervan
Looking for a way to help group members understand their Muslim neighbors? You might want to take a look at Muslims, Christians and Jesus, a new DVD-driven study from Zondervan. Based on the acclaimed 2008 book by Carl Medearis, an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations, it is one of the most…
Read MoreDilbert on Smartphone Creep-Out
As I’ve said before…sometimes you just need a laugh. Whether you have the new iPhone 4s or you believe the machines will one day take over in a truth is stranger than fiction Terminator kind of way, this one rings eerily true:
Read MoreCoke’s Vision for an Extended Family
I remember seeing this commercial last year and how easy it was to resonate with the vision. If you dream of your groups being more engaged in their neighborhoods…this is must see TV! Click here to see the video. (HT @mike_breen)
Read More3 Common Misconceptions about DVD-driven Small Group Curriculum
There are several common misconceptions about DVD-driven small group curriculum. But first, a little history: In January of 2001, when Saddleback took the energy and resources that were producing their mid-week service (Side Note: averaging about 1,000 adults in attendance) and shifted that energy and those resources into producing video-driven small group curriculum, two important…
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