Posts by Mark Howell
4 Things Small Groups Are Not (or shouldn’t be)
4 Things Small Groups Are Not (or shouldn’t be) I’ve written a lot about what small group ministries should be (to thrive, to be effective, etc.). But I don’t think I’ve ever written about what small groups aren’t or shouldn’t be. See also, 10 Powerful Benefits of a Thriving Small Group Ministry. Take a few minutes…
Read MoreFAQ: What’s the Best Way to Connect the Largest Number of Unconnected People?
What’s the Best Way to Connect the Largest Number of Unconnected People? There are frequently asked questions…and then there are FREQUENTLY asked questions. This is one of the most frequent questions I am asked. “What’s the best way to connect the largest number of unconnected people?” Usually, the asker has done the math and realized…
Read MoreMaking THIS Decision Now Will Connect WAY More People This Fall
Did you know there is a decision you can make now that determines how many people you connect this fall? Well, there is. And it actually is a simple decision. It’s sometimes not easy, but it is simple. The reason so many of us grimace at the thought of it is that it’s a simple…
Read MoreFour Keys to Recruiting Coaches for New Groups
Planning to launch some new groups this fall or next spring? Don’t miss an important step in helping keep your new groups going! Increase their sustainability by assigning coaches to help new leaders start well and make it through the critical first 8 to 10 weeks. Like a rocket launch, launching new groups well requires…
Read MoreAn Analysis of the Church-Wide Campaign-Driven Strategy
An Analysis of the Church-Wide Campaign-Driven Strategy Unlike the Free Market system or the Sermon-Based system (both of which are also very commonly semester systems), the Church-Wide Campaign-Driven strategy is actually part of a system and not the whole shebang. For example, at Canyon Ridge we use several different strategies designed to connect people to…
Read MoreQuotebook: Speaking the Last 10 Percent
“Sometimes love must be bold. Bold enough to say things to one another that we usually lack the courage to say. Bill Hybels calls it ‘saying the last 10 percent.’ We will usually say 90 percent of the encouraging words, or 90 percent of the hard-to-hear words of truth, but we usually hold back from…
Read MoreInsight: The Upside of a Scorecard over a Job Description
I’m frequently asked for a sample job description for small group pastors. Generally it is a senior pastor or executive pastor asking for a copy (to use as they enter the hunt to hire a small group pastor). I tell them, “We don’t use a job description at Canyon Ridge, but I can share my…
Read More4 Tell-Tale Signs Your Small Group System Is Broken
You know how certain things in life are tell-tale signs something is wrong? For example, when your car’s bouncing down the road and the tires are wearing unevenly…it’s a tell-tale sign that your car’s wheels need to be aligned. Or when your thermostat is set on 72 but it’s 82 in the house and the…
Read MoreFriday’s List: October 28
Friday’s List: October 28 I’ve been meaning to do this for quite awhile. I’m asked for recommendations all the time. I’ll be posting a short list every Friday. Here are the things I’m reading, listening to, loving and wrestling with: Here’s what I’m reading right now: Steve Jobs on communicating your core values ow.ly/PM1u305qkDm by Garr…
Read MoreCelebrating 2000 Posts: My 20 Favorites
Earlier this month I published my 2000 post here at MarkHowellLive.com. I knew I was closing in on it, but honestly it slipped by without me noticing. I began blogging here in early 2008. Although I don’t have accurate stats on readers and pageviews until 2009, I know it was a slow beginning in terms…
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