Posts by Mark Howell
Breakout Chicago 2010
Looking for a way to provide training for your small group leaders? If you’re near Chicago you may want to take a look at Breakout Chicago 2010. Coming up on Saturday, April 20th, the training event features 10 breakouts to choose from on a wide range of topics presented by a top notch panel of…
Read MoreGroupLife Philosophy: Test Drive First
“What if I’ve got a coach that really isn’t a good fit for the job?” That was one of the questions I was asked in a recent survey here at MarkHowellLive. Another question was, “We need more leaders! How can I encourage more of our congregation to step up and lead a group?” I want…
Read More2 GroupLife Keys That Predict Sustainability
What are the keys to sustaining the groups you launch? Although there are many variables, I’ve found there are two that are often missed…and they are both easy to build in to every group in your system. What are they? Multiple facilitators and multiple locations (The idea for this article came from a survey I’m…
Read MoreTake Advantage of My Free ‘Launch Groups This Easter’ Call
You can register and listen to the recording of this call right here. Easter is just around the corner (April 4th) and with it comes one of the three best opportunities to launch groups. So that you don’t miss a trick, I’ve scheduled a free 60 minute teleconference designed to help you increase the number…
Read MoreThe Good and Beautiful God
There is a new spiritual formation series out that you need to know about. The Good and Beautiful God, by James Bryan Smith, is a must have for your curriculum resource shelf. More importantly, it just might be what you need personally to take an important next step. [quote] You’ll get some sense of this…
Read MoreDiagnosis: Senior Pastor Buy-In
There is a reason that an annual physical is recommended. Although we may show up for the physical with some concerns, a thorough physical examination will sometimes identify developments that we did not sense already. In much the same way, an annual diagnosis of your small group ministry is a good idea. I’ve already identified…
Read MoreResource: A Convergence of Small Group Experts
If you missed The Summit: A Convergence of Small Group Experts you missed a great 90 minutes. But it’s not too late! They filmed it and you can watch it right here. What a great conversation! Bill Donahue, Steve Gladen, Carl George, Lyman Coleman, Bill Search, Reid Smith, Rick Howerton, Randall Neighbour, Eddie Mosely, and…
Read MoreDiagnosis: The Coaches in Your System
One of the most important steps in diagnosing your small group ministry is to accurately assess the health of your coaching system. Much like your physical body, having a respiratory system is essential…but it has to be a working respiratory system. Here are what I think are the most important diagnosis questions about coaches: Have…
Read MoreDiagnosis: The Leaders in Your System
Once you’ve gathered the basic information about the groups in your system, it’s time to find out a little more, to look more closely at the leaders themselves. And as I mentioned in the first article in this series, there is a purpose to this step. From your diagnosis you’ll learn a lot about how…
Read MoreHow To Diagnose the Groups in Your System
As I mentioned yesterday, the first step in the diagnosis of your small group ministry is a thorough examination of your existing groups. Depending on the number of groups in your system (and whether you’re new on the scene), this may be an easy job or may take you some time. It’s important though, because…
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