Posts by Mark Howell
Joseph Myers on the Small Group Fraternity Call
Joseph Myers has been one of the most interesting and disruptive voices in small group land in the last decade. The Search to Belong shook up a lot of minds and introduced a new way to think about relationships. Organic Community was no different, challenging many assumptions and provoking great conversations everywhere. When Joe’s onto…
Read MoreNew from Lifeway: Small Group Life
Looking for what’s next for your small group ministry? I like what I’m beginning to hear about Lifeway’s new line, Small Group Life. Great topics, streamlined sessions, and the pricing looks great. What’s not to like? I think you’ll get the flavor from this video: Small Group Life from Lifeway.SmallGroups on Vimeo.
Read MoreEncouraging Group Leaders
Sometimes I trip across great ways to promote group life or recruit leaders and they’re so good I have to share them. If you’re ever stumped about how to encourage group leaders, to let them know how much they mean to their members and how much of a difference they make…you’ve got to see this…
Read MoreUnexplainable: Pursuing a Life Only God Can Make Possible
What in your life is unexplainable apart from God? Is there anything? Or is there a perfect explanation for everything do? For your decisions about jobs, your finances, and your relationships? If this is a question that intrigues you at all, you might want to take a look at a new 8 week DVD-driven…
Read MoreNorth Point’s Small Group System
Important Note: Every day a few dedicated small group ministry champions (staff and volunteers) find this post. Can I be honest? I hope this blog post (written in 2009) gives you an idea or two. My real hope? I hope you’ll subscribe to MarkHowellLive.com so you can get the latest in small group ministry strategies,…
Read MoreGot Plans Saturday? Join the Group Life Action!
Saturday morning at locations across North America some 8500 group leaders will gather for encouragement, training and challenge. This Changes Everything, the Willow Creek Association’s 2009 Group Life conference kicks off at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern and Mountain), 8:30 a.m. (Central and Pacific). It’s not too late to jump in! You can find a location right…
Read MoreThe Connecting Church
The Connecting Church by Randy Frazee is based on a core idea that there is more room for life when you simplify or streamline your small group relationships to center on the people who live near you. In fact, Frazee’s followup to The Connecting Church, Making Room For Life, is even more centered on that…
Read MoreChurch-Wide Campaign-Driven Small Groups
When comparing small group ministry strategies and systems there are some fundamental questions to consider. What are the requirements to be a leader? What does a new member commit to? How will you care for the leaders? How does a new group begin? What materials can be used? One of the most effective small group…
Read MoreHow to Choose a Small Group System or Strategy
What is the best way to do small group ministry? Is it better to use a free-market approach? Does a sermon-based group strategy make sense in a seeker-sensitive church? Can we kind of do a mash-up of several strategies and come up with one that really works for our community and our congregation? These are…
Read MoreSemester Based Groups
Semester-based groups is a strategy that has growing popularity due to books like Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas. Essentially, semester-based is a strategy designed to take advantage of three well-timed opportunities to help people connect with a group. Semester-based is also a strategy that is used…
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