Posts by Mark Howell
A GroupLife Glossary for the 21st Century
Language is important. Without a common language, the massive project known as the Tower of Babel came to an abrupt halt. It occurs to me that we in groupland often struggle to understand a model or system, a concept or a strategy because we are hearing and seeing through the filter of our own experiences.…
Read MoreTop 10 Posts of May, 2014
Miss a day? Here are my top 10 posts of May, 2014. I had visitors from 90 countries (and 37 languages!). Thanks for stopping by! New to Small Group Ministry? Start Here. (This is a new page on my blog) How to Build an Effective Coaching Structure (February, 2008) How to Launch Groups Using a Small Group…
Read MoreHere’s My 2014 Summer Reading List
Every summer I create a list of books I think you should read. Sometimes the books I include are strictly about small group ministry, discipleship or spiritual formation. Other times, the books I include may seem pretty far afield (innovation, design, leadership, or strategy). You’ll just have to trust me. I wouldn’t include a book I didn’t…
Read MoreWhat’s the Difference Between a Sunday School Class and a Small Group?
I had some good interaction this week with a reader who took issue with some of my assumptions about the differences between Sunday school classes and small groups. He had read my post, How to Build a Small Group Ministry in a Church with a Sunday School Culture (and later read But We Have Adult Sunday School, True…
Read MoreFAQ: What Does a Coach Need to Know from a Small Group Leader?
I get a lot of questions. Most of them come to me via an email, but there are some that come in as a Facebook or Twitter message. Here’s a question I got over the weekend: @MarkCHowell What might a group leader’s #coach NEED or NOT NEED to know from the leader? This is a good question and…
Read MoreWhat Is Your Small Group Ministry Designed To Do?
What is your small group ministry designed to do? Ever thought about it? It matters, you know. The design of your small group ministry determines the results you can expect. Remember: “Your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing.” Andy Stanley So…what is your small group ministry designed to do? When…
Read MoreDo You Have an Acts 2 Small Group Ministry in an Acts 17 Culture?
What world is your small group ministry designed to operate in? Ever thought about it? Thanks to an insightful observation in a blog post by James Emery White I have what I think is a good way to frame today’s question. White, the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, is…
Read MoreA Great Study for Men: A Man and His Work
Took a look at A Man and His Work this week. The latest in a line of men’s studies called 33 The Series, it was inspired by the Men’s Fraternity material created by Robert Lewis (I reviewed part 1 of the series right here). The relevance of the title caught my attention and the content of…
Read More5 Things I Learned from Carl George
A few months back, near the beginning of last years NBA season, there was a running dialogue about “Who’s on your NBA Mount Rushmore?” Mount Rushmore you remember is a massive sculpture carved into the side of a South Dakota mountain featuring the heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The “who’s…
Read More5 Common Mistakes of Rookie Small Group Pastors
“That was a rookie mistake.” Ever heard that? Ever said it to yourself? Probably all of us have been there and done that. 5 common mistakes of rookie small group pastors: 1. Trying to take care of too many small group leaders. This is a very common mistake and reflects a lack of understanding of…
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