Posts by Mark Howell
The Most Recent Things I’ve Learned…AGAIN
The Most Recent Things I’ve Learned…AGAIN “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Whether this famous one-liner was first said by Winston Churchill, Edmond Burke or George Santayana may be up for debate, but the truth of the statement isn’t. One of the most important things we can do is…
Read MoreDear Senior Pastor…
Dear Senior Pastor… Just wanted to take a moment to remind you of a few things. Most of them you probably already know. A few you might’ve forgotten. One might be a complete surprise. First, if you want your church to be a church of groups you have to be the small group champion. First, if…
Read MoreHow to Reach Milestones (on the way to your preferred future)
How to Reach Milestones (on the way to your preferred future) In today’s post I want to explain a process that I think will help all of you. Since all of us are attempting to build a thriving small group ministry, one of the things we must learn is how to identify the preferred future…
Read MoreUse My Signature 10 Point Checklist to Evaluate Your Small Group Ministry
Use My Signature 10 Point Checklist to Evaluate Your Small Group Ministry Everyone knows that before you take your car on a road trip…you really should do more than fill up the gas tank. You might check the tire pressure and take it in for an oil change. You might decide it’s time for new…
Read MoreVisualize, Prioritize, Optimize and Supersize (Your Small Group Ministry)
Visualize, Prioritize, Optimize, and Supersize (Your Small Group Ministry) You know how they say what got you here won’t get you there? How sometimes what worked before definitely isn’t working anymore? Or isn’t working the way it needs to for continued growth and momentum? With over 25 years experience in small group ministry I’ve learned that…
Read MoreFriday’s List | August 25
Every Friday I post a short list of the things I’m reading, listening to, loving and wrestling with: Here’s what I’m reading right now: Radical Candor — The Surprising Secret to Being a Good Boss by Kim Scott. Hands down, the best thing I’ve read or listened to this week. HT @TerryStorch. WHEN DELEGATION BECOMES ABDICATION by…
Read MoreAdd We Saved You a Seat to Your Recommended List
Spent some time with We Saved You a Seat: Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships, a new study by Lisa-Jo Baker. As you should be able to tell by the title, this study is designed from the outset as something more than understanding friendship. It really is designed to help members get past the barriers that limit…
Read More5 REASONS YOUR 20TH CENTURY MINISTRY DESIGN ISN’T WORKING
5 REASONS YOUR 20TH CENTURY MINISTRY DESIGN ISN’T WORKING You may have already picked up on the fact that I believe what got us here won’t get us there. And you may have already asked the question, “If something is biblical, won’t it work every time and all the time no matter when it is…
Read More5 ESSENTIAL PRACTICES OF A 21ST CENTURY SMALL GROUP MINISTRY
“Hey Mark…you do know it’s 2022, right? It’s been the 21st century for like…over twenty years.” Yes, I do know that. I also know that the single most common reason small group ministries struggle is that they are using a design that would have been awesome in the 20th century. The single most common reason…
Read More3 LAST MINUTE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO LAUNCH MORE GROUPS THIS FALL
If you’re like me…you’re what seems like moments away from starting the biggest opportunity you have all year to launch new groups. Of course I’m talking about mid-September to early October. And we’re just a few weeks away. But are there still last minute things you can do to launch more groups? Absolutely! Here are…
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