Posts by Mark Howell
Leadership Summit: Bayside in Granite Bay
I’ve had the privilege the last couple years to catch the Leadership Summit live and in person at Willow. This year I’m staying close to home and will join the crew over at Bayside Church in Granite Bay. Should be a good time…always is. Anybody out there planning to hit it?
Read MoreSunday Worship = Defibrillator
In making a case for the power and necessity of small group ministry, I’ve often said that the weekend service is closest in kind to a defibrillator. It can restore an irregular spiritual heartbeat to regularity…but it’s temporary. It’s not surgery or even therapy. As soon as the service is over, you’re back in the…
Read MoreFrancis Chan on Community
I’m often asked for message/sermon ideas that will help raise awareness of the need for/role of community. Don’t know if you’re down with Francis Chan but he did a great job on a very important message back in April at Cornerstone. You can download The Purpose of the Church right here. Definitely one of the…
Read MoreUsing a Blog to Keep Your Leaders Up-to-Date
If you haven’t figured it out yet, keeping your small group leaders up-to-date with what’s happening (and what’s about to happen) is very important. Helping every leader stay a little ahead of what the average member knows is essential if you want them to feel like they’re at the heart of what’s going on. I’ve…
Read MoreRevival in Belfast
Several years ago at Willow’s Leadership Summit I was introduced to Robin Mark and Revival in Belfast. I came home singing Jesus, All for Jesus. This song says it for me…
Read MoreRecruiting Hundred-Fold Players
Want your small group ministry to have an overwhelming impact? Here’s the bottom line: you can’t do it without a team of hundred-fold players as a foundation. End of story. You want to build a pervasive small group culture? You can’t compromise on this reality. You’ll be tempted to settle…but you can’t. You’ve got to…
Read MoreNeed a Spiritual Fill Up?
I believe that if you want anything to happen at the member level, your leaders must experience it first. The way I say it a lot of times is that, "Whatever you want to happen at the member level you have to do to and for your leaders." I really believe that if we aren’t…
Read MoreDecisions vs. Disciples
One of my blogosphere buddies is speaking at the National Outreach Convention in November on a topic that we’ve begun talking about here: making disciples. Here’s the short description of his talk: "If we are serious about accomplishing the mission of Jesus we can no longer be satisfied with “raise your hand”, “sign a card”…
Read MoreWhat Will You Call Success?
When you think about your small group ministry…would you say you’re winning or losing? Are you succeeding at what you’re doing? Or failing? This is a very important question. No doubt you’re already asking it! In fact, that’s probably why you’re here reading this article right now. So…back to the question…are you winning or losing…
Read More5 Keys to a Great Fall Ministry Season
Want to have a different kind of fall ministry season? You have to start now…in the summer. Here are the keys: Work with your senior pastor to develop the ways you’ll be promoting small groups every week beginning ________. You pick the date. It’s a little bit arbitrary. The idea is that on that date…
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