Posts by Mark Howell
Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership
Some books get scanned and end up filed away in a bookcase. Others are read thoroughly–maybe even marked up–but still just get shelved and forgotten. And then there are books like Carl George’s Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership. Originally published in 1991, this is a great book and one you’ll use again and again.…
Read MoreAdd “Growing Missional Leaders” to the Missional Conversation
As you’re building the foundation for a missional approach, you might want to add Growing Missional Leaders: Biblical Strategies to Reach Your World for Christ to your resource list. With a very practical approach, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith has put together an easy-to-use equipping manual that will help give building leaders a systematic approach. There…
Read MoreClarifying the Win for Launch-Phase Coaches
You’ve taken the challenge and you’re beginning to work your way through the three immediate action steps that pay off big time. Or you’re at least thinking about it. You might be all the way up to recruiting the additional coaches you’ll need for this fall’s church-wide campaign. If you are…good for you. There’s still…
Read MoreLife-Threatening Situations Call for Extreme Measures
Our discussion this week started off with a look at three action steps you can take right now that will pay off big time this fall. It continued with a look at how to recruit additional coaches for what you’ll do this fall. Before we take the third step in the discussion, I want to…
Read MoreRecruiting Additional Coaches for Church-Wide Campaigns
One of the most exciting aspects of a church-wide campaign using the HOST strategy is that they make it possible to start waves of new groups. Almost every other strategy is addition (i.e., your apprentice is finally ready to leave the next, so you go from one group to two). A church-wide campaign using the…
Read MoreThree Immediate Action Steps…That Pay Off Big Time
If you’re like me, you’re thinking about vacation. And you’re not the only one. Your key leaders (small group coaches and senior, experienced small group leaders) are also thinking about vacation. Still…right now is the perfect time to take three action steps that will pay off big time. And the key is, these steps will…
Read MoreOn the Verge: An Important New Book from Hirsch and Ferguson
Worked my way through a great book over the last 30 days. On the Verge: a journey into the apostolic future of the church (affiliate link) by Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson is well worth the time. A great combination effort by one of the leading missional writers and theorists of our time and one…
Read MoreThe Gospel in Life: a new DVD-driven study featuring Tim Keller
Whether you’re a fan of Tim Keller or not, I think you’re going to see the potential of The Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything (Discussion Guide with DVD). This will be a very potent study for groups that are looking for a challenge. It will also fit nicely into a development pathway for coaches,…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of May, 2011
Here are my top 10 posts for May, 2011. As is often the case, not all of my top posts were from May. In fact, in this months most popular there were two from 2008 and another from 2009. Even more amazing…with over 600 articles in the archives, over 270 of them had at least…
Read MoreWhat Are You Dreaming?
A story is told that soon after the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 someone said, “Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?” And Mike Vance, former Dean of Disney University replied, “He did see it—that’s why it’s here.” I don’t know about you…but I love that quote! I love the…
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