Posts by Mark Howell
Pursuing God’s Love: Stories from the Book of Genesis
I had the chance this weekend to work my way through a very good DVD-driven study from Margaret Feinberg. New from Zondervan, Pursuing God’s Love is a six session study that takes a look at several of the major themes of Genesis. Feinberg, named one of the “Thirty Emerging Voices” of Christian leaders under age 40…
Read MoreBen Reed’s Latest Learning
In Switch, brothers Chip & Dan Heath (http://www.heathbrothers.com), write about the difficult process of change. One principle they drive home is that in order to bring about change in others, you’ve got to script the step people need to take and shape the path you want them to travel. _____________________________________ In a recent post, I pointed out…
Read MoreStart with the End in Mind
This diagram has been at the heart of a lot of my consulting work for the last several years. There is so much meaning in it. I used a version of the diagram for yesterday’s presentation in The Twelve…a Global Online Gathering. There’s a lot to it. Way more than I can show in a…
Read MoreYou Are Here
You have an idea of where you’d like your small group ministry to go. It might be a pretty vague idea. It might be close-your-eyes-and-picture-it accurate. But you have an idea. MarkHowellLive is all about helping you get to there…to where you dream of going. I think getting to there begins with an accurate appraisal…
Read More“Everything Works Better Connected” | Great Video from North Coast
Don’t know if you’ve seen this. Love this very short commercial for grouplife from the folks at North Coast Church: Growth Groups: Bungee from North Coast Church on Vimeo. .
Read MoreYour Results May Vary
Whether I’m working in our small group ministry at Parkview or on the small group ministry of a church I am consulting or coaching…I’ve learned that a fairly small number of variables determine results. I’ve also learned that some of these variables are in my control…and some are not. Remembering Andy Stanley’s great line that…
Read MoreReview| Guardrails: Avoiding Regrets in Your Life
Looking for new studies to add to your approved list of small group resources? I think you’re going to want to take a look at Guardrails: Avoiding Regrets in Your Life. From the same curriculum series that introduced Taking Responsibility for Your Life, this is going to be a very popular study. New from Zondervan, Guardrails…
Read MoreHow Fresh Is Your Latest Learning?
Are you paying attention to what’s really happening in your small group ministry? Not what you hope is happening or what you think will happen…but what’s actually happening. Are you watching for subtle variations in the way things turn out? Are you noticing when two groups that start on the same time and in the…
Read MoreA Simple Change You Can Make with Huge Implications
Sometimes the simplest changes have the biggest impact. I’m frequently asked questions like, “What’s the best small group strategy?” or “When’s the best time to launch new groups?” Right on the heels of those two questions I’m asked, “How to work around my senior pastor’s lack of passion for grouplife?” and “How can we find…
Read MoreSteve Gladen’s Latest Learning
When is the best time to launch new groups? How much advance preparation does it take to pull off DVD-driven curriculum? How can you incentivize launching new groups? _____________________________________ In a recent post, I pointed out the fact that we’re not living in “a day when the status quo is a good thing. At the beginning…
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