Posts by Mark Howell
Build the Bridge as You Walk On It
What kind of system builder are you? Are you the kind that needs every i dotted and every t crossed? Or can you roll with “good enough?” Do you need full disclosure and fine print? Or can you take your first steps with a handshake and the gut sense that you’re heading in the general…
Read MoreSaved by the Herd
Looking for a video that shows the value of being in a small group in times of trouble? We had Kenny Luck (Everyman Ministries, Men’s Pastor at Saddleback) in to do a conference for men and he showed this video at very end; to help men understand that life is dangerous to do on your…
Read MoreReplenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul
Had a chance this week to read Lance Witt’s new book, Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul. Witt is the founder of Replenish Ministries and former executive and teaching pastor at Saddleback Church where he helped develop and lead the 40 Days of Purpose and 40 Days of Community Campaigns. He’s often called a “pastor’s…
Read MoreJohn Ortberg and Gabe Lyons
I saw this yesterday and wanted to be sure you watch it. Wherever you are today, we are waking to a new day. We are clearly living in a post-Christian world in the west. Gabe Lyons, author of The Next Christians, and co-author (with David Kinnaman) of unChristian, is a voice we all need to…
Read MorePatching Yesterday’s Garment
When you think about how you’re spending your time, would you say that you’re patching yesterday’s garment? Or designing tomorrow’s pattern? Need definitions? Patching yesterday’s garment would be “making incremental changes to try and improve less-than-optimal results.” Designing tomorrow’s pattern would be creating customized steps that lead to what you’ve clarified as a win.” So…
Read MoreAn Unwavering Sense of Direction
Trying to find a way to connect the widening 60% who are unreachable by the attractional model? To do it, you must have an unwavering sense of direction. The very heart of this series of articles on the keys to grouplife at crowd’s edge has to do with the certainty that the well-worn path never…
Read MoreWhat About a Curriculum Pathway?
“What about a curriculum pathway?” That was the question in a recent email from a reader. Specifically, the question included an interest in predetermining the curriculum “scope and sequence” for the small groups in their system. And after interviews with Steve Gladen on Saddeback’s Leadership Pathway and Eddie Mosley on LifePoint’s Discipleship Pathway, you can…
Read MoreThe Reason for God: a DVD-Driven Study featuring Tim Keller
Looking for material that will provoke a good discussion about faith? I had a chance recently to review The Reason for God, a DVD-driven study based on Tim Keller’s book by the same name and I think you’re going to want to add this one to your list. Designed to help groups learn how to…
Read MoreThe Straitjacket of Conventional Thinking
Want to connect people you’re not currently connecting? Then you need to do things you’re not doing now. Obvious…right? After all, if what you’re currently doing worked, at least to the degree you need it to, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. What’s keeping you from doing things you’re not doing now? Conventional thinking. After…
Read MoreCrowd Friendly Leader Qualification
Want to connect beyond the usual suspects? A key to grouplife at crowd’s edge is crowd friendly leader qualification. Sometimes referred to as “lowering the bar in terms of who can lead a group,” it really has to do with setting appropriate guidelines, procedures and expectations; determining answers to three very important questions: who can…
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