Posts by Mark Howell
Thinking Thursday: Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius
Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. Can’t see the video? You can watch it right here. Every week I…
Read MoreDallas Willard on Being vs Doing
Jesus does not call us to do what he did, but to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him. —Dallas Willard Share on X To see the rest of my quotebook, click here. Image by Daniel Horacio…
Read More5 Stupid Things Small Group Pastors Need to Stop Doing
You know that thing that you do that every time you do it you slap your forehead and say, “Why do I keep doing that?!! And every time you do it you swear you’re going to never do it again? We all do them. They’re just stupid. And we need to stop doing them. Here…
Read More5 Things You Need to Know about 21st Century Small Group Ministry
When we woke up this morning, we woke up to a very different world than our parents lived in. Truth be told, we actually woke up to a rapidly changing culture. As we step deeper into the 21st Century there are some things you need to know about how cultural changes impact small group ministry.…
Read MoreAdd “Praying with Paul” to Your Recommended List
Spent some time this week with a new study from D.A. Carson and Brian Tabb. Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Formation, based on Carson’s 2015 book by the same title, is an 8 session DVD-driven study that “leads group members into the Epistles to see what Paul taught in his ‘school of prayer.’” DVD-driven,…
Read MoreAdd “Jesus the King” to Your Recommended List
I spent some time with a new study this week that I think you’re going to want to know about and add to your recommended list. Jesus the King: Exploring the Life and Death of the Son of God, is a 9 session study by Tim Keller and Spence Shelton. While this study will be…
Read More10 Things Small Group Pastors Should Always Be Thinking
“Albert Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask… for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” There are a few things smart…
Read MoreThree Church-Wide Campaign Secrets that Everybody Knows…and Very Few Do
These are not really secrets. I think almost everyone knows these things already, but almost nobody does them. They’re just too obvious. And honestly, it is just hard work to do them. But if you do them, your campaign will succeed like never before. If you want to connect far beyond the usual suspects you…
Read MoreYou’re Invited! Join My 2016 Coaching Network!
My Winter/Spring 2016 Small Group Ministry Coaching Network experience is designed to give you the tools and strategies you need in order to build a small group ministry that works in the 21st century. The coaching network program will expose you to a new perspective. While it makes sense that in order to get different…
Read MoreAdd “Hosea: Unfailing Love Changes Everything” to Your Recommended List
Had an opportunity this week to spend some time with Hosea: Unfailing Love Changes Everything, a new 7 session study from Jennifer Rothschild. A popular speaker and author of 10 books and Bible studies, Rothschild brings a little bit of southern charm to everything she does. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, you can find out…
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