These Two Questions Will Change the Game
Looking for a question or two that might be game-changers? Magazine Luiza is one of Brazil’s most admired companies, catering to the needs of the country’s poorest shoppers. Really quite a fascinating story (as detailed by Bill Taylor in Practically Radical). In preparation for Magazine Luiza’s biannual strategy session (referred to as the “Big Meeting”)…
Read MoreResponding to Yesterday vs. Reminiscing about the Future
Stop what you’re doing. Just stop for a moment. If you think about the solutions and strategies you’re currently queuing up…are they about responding to yesterday’s issues? Or are they about solutions and strategies that solve tomorrow’s challenges? I love this line from Bill Taylor’s Practically Radical: “The art of starting something new…is a matter of ‘reminiscing…
Read MoreVictory in Spiritual Warfare: A Powerful DVD-driven study from Dr. Tony Evans and Lifeway
If you’re looking for a study that will help your groups understand spiritual warfare, you need to take a look at Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Tony Evans. An 8 session DVD-driven study featuring the teaching of Dr. Evans and based on his 2011 book, Victory in Spiritual Warfare: Outfitting Yourself for the Battle…this is…
Read MoreMuslims, Christians, and Jesus: a new DVD-driven study from Zondervan
Looking for a way to help group members understand their Muslim neighbors? You might want to take a look at Muslims, Christians and Jesus, a new DVD-driven study from Zondervan. Based on the acclaimed 2008 book by Carl Medearis, an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations, it is one of the most…
Read MoreDilbert on Smartphone Creep-Out
As I’ve said before…sometimes you just need a laugh. Whether you have the new iPhone 4s or you believe the machines will one day take over in a truth is stranger than fiction Terminator kind of way, this one rings eerily true:
Read MoreCoke’s Vision for an Extended Family
I remember seeing this commercial last year and how easy it was to resonate with the vision. If you dream of your groups being more engaged in their neighborhoods…this is must see TV! Click here to see the video. (HT @mike_breen)
Read More3 Common Misconceptions about DVD-driven Small Group Curriculum
There are several common misconceptions about DVD-driven small group curriculum. But first, a little history: In January of 2001, when Saddleback took the energy and resources that were producing their mid-week service (Side Note: averaging about 1,000 adults in attendance) and shifted that energy and those resources into producing video-driven small group curriculum, two important…
Read MoreJeff Gibson on How Central’s (AZ) Small Group Strategy Has Changed
Hearing about the latest innovations in small group ministry is one of my absolute favorite things. Another one is sharing those things with you! One of the fastest growing churches in the country is Central Christian Church in Arizona. Jeff Gibson is the Life Groups Pastor there. Here’s his take on how their groups strategy…
Read MoreA Sense of Who You Are
One of the things each of us needs is an accurate sense of who we are. This is essential. First, our appraisal needs to be accurate. This is where 360 degree evaluations come in. This is where Marcus Buckingham’s strengths assessment or the one in Stand Out (Buckingham’s new, even more powerful, assessment) come in.…
Read MoreDistinctives of the Three Types of Small Group Connecting Events
While every church has its own names for the three main types of small group connecting events (I’ll also tell you about a twist that I’ve found interesting and effective), there are certain key distinctives that set them apart. I think it’s important to make these distinctions because sometimes people will tell me they’ve already…
Read More