Posts by Mark Howell
How Many of These 4 Essential Activities Are You Missing?
How Many of These Essential Activities Are You Missing? What if it turned out that you spent your time and energy focusing on good things but not the right things? What if at the end of the season you realized that while you were busy taking care of the squeakiest wheels, you were overlooking the…
Read MoreFAQ: How Far Ahead Should I Be Planning?
I get questions. A lot of questions. Some are very particular to specific churches. Others are such common questions, they really beg to be answered here on the blog. One of my most frequently asked questions is, “How far ahead should I be planning?” Here’s how I answer that question. There’s an element of planning…
Read MoreDon’t Miss Perry Noble’s Latest: The Most Excellent Way to Lead
I spent some time this week with The Most Excellent Way to Lead, a new book from Perry Noble. Noble is the senior and founding pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina. The church averages 35,000 people during weekend services at multiple campuses throughout the state. If you’re not familiar with Perry Noble, in addition to being a…
Read MorePicasso on Inspiration
‘Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” Pablo Picasso
Read More4 Things Small Group Pastors Should Never Settle For
Have you settled? I think we’re all familiar with the idea of settling for something less than we’ve hoped for or settling for something less than we deserve. But have you ever examined your small group ministry for signs of settling? I believe there are some things we should never settle for. 4 Things Small…
Read MoreAre We There Yet?
Are we there yet? I’m positive we’ve all asked the question. As children. From the back seat. On a road trip with our parents. Many of us have answered the question. As parents. From the front seat. On a road trip with our children. Are we there yet? The Question Have you ever been asked…
Read MoreBooks that Have Shaped My Thinking
I read continually. I can’t remember the last time there hasn’t been a stack of books on the bedside table and another in my office. One of my early mentors told me you could tell when someone’s brain died by the copyrights dates on his library shelves. I believed him. Still, not every book truly…
Read MoreWhat Can I “Require” of My Small Group Leaders?
I get a lot of questions. Most I just answer with a quick email and a link to one of my almost 2400 articles. Some questions are fairly common, truly a frequently asked question, and they end up as blog posts. “What can I require of my small group leaders?” is that kind of question.…
Read MoreSaddleback’s Not-So-Secret Strategy of Launching New Groups in Waves
What is Saddleback’s not-so-secret strategy of launching new groups in waves? I think you already know what it is, but before I reveal the mystery, I just want to point out several features of the strategy: First, the strategy really does launch groups in waves. This is significant because if you want to reach the…
Read MoreDon’t Miss Wonderlife: The Latest Study from Mike Foster and SecondChance.org
I’ve spent some time with a new resource from Mike Foster and the folks at SecondChance.org this week. I think Wonderlife: A Not So Perfect Guide to Who You Are and Why You’re Here is something you’re going to want to add to your recommended list. Wonderlife “takes people on an authentic journey through their not-so-perfect stories…
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