Posts by Mark Howell
Who’s In and Who’s Out? (Bounded vs Centered Sets)
A key concept in The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch has to do with who actually belongs to the community. They illustrate the concept through the use of the diagram to the left and refer to it as the difference between a bounded set and a centered set. Bounded…
Read MoreBASIC: Who Is God? (by Francis Chan)
Had a chance this week to take a close look at Francis Chan’s 7 session DVD-driven study, BASIC: Who Is God?. Produced by Flannel (the group behind NOOMA), you know this is not going to be a run-of-the-mill talking head series. There are several elements that make BASIC: Who Is God? a study that will be…
Read MoreLeader Lifter: How Can I Get My Members to Talk?
(This Leader Lifter is from Allen White, one of the sharpest small group pastors anywhere. His blog, AllenWhite.org, is a great resource.) ————————— After so many questions about dealing with difficult people in groups, I’m tempted to say, “Count your blessings.” But, we do want everyone to get involved in the group discussion. The most significant…
Read MoreWhen Is the Best Time to Launch a Church-Wide Campaign?
Yesterday I kicked off this series by suggesting that of all the ways to launch small groups, nothing compares to the power and potential of a well chosen, strategically timed and skillfully implemented church-wide campaign. Are there other effective methods? Absolutely. Do they pack as big of a punch? No. Definitely…no. But I need to qualify that answer.…
Read MoreHow to Choose the Right Church-Wide Campaign
Of all the ways to launch small groups, nothing compares to the power and potential of a well chosen, strategically timed and skillfully implemented church-wide campaign. All three elements are essential, but when you get all three right…no other strategy comes close. In this article I want to point out three keys to choosing the…
Read MoreReview: Connecting in Communities by Eddie Mosley
Had a chance over the weekend to dig into Connecting in Communities: Understanding the Dynamics of Small Groups by Eddie Mosley. I recently interviewed Eddie about LifePoint’s Discipleship Pathway and was eager to get a look at his new book. I wasn’t disappointed. There’s a lot to like about the newest addition to the small…
Read MoreMore from Josh Walters on Seacoast’s Missional Community Strategy
I began a conversation yesterday with Josh Walters, Seacoast’s Life Group Pastor. One of the most important grouplife trends right now is the development of missional communities. One of the churches on my radar right now is Seacoast Church. They ought to be on yours, too. Mark: You told us yesterday that you started the transition to a…
Read MoreJosh Walters on Seacoast’s Missional Community Strategy
One of the most important grouplife trends right now is the development of missional communities. One of the churches on my radar right now is Seacoast Church. They ought to be on yours, too. Here’s my conversation with Josh Walters, Seacoast’s Life Group Pastor. Mark: I know Seacoast has been moving toward the missional community…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts for February 2011
Here are my top 10 posts for February, 2011. Interesting, only one of these is from 2010. The rest are from January or February. GroupLife Insights from William Vanderbloemen and Justin Lathrop Review: Life’s Toughest Questions (featuring Erwin McManus, from Lifeway’s Platform series) CRAVE: An Exploration of the Human Spirit (a 7 Session Study from…
Read MoreReview: Walking with God in the Desert
Walking with God in the Desert, the newest volume in Ray Vander Laan’s long running Faith Lessons series, is also the newest addition to a growing number of Zondervan produced, church-wide experiences. And if you’re familiar with Vander Laan, you know right away this one will provide a different experience than almost anything else available.…
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