Todd Engstrom on Austin Stone’s Missional Move (part 2)
The Austin Stone Community Church is one of several prominent churches moving in the direction of missional communities. Todd Engstrom is the Pastor of Missional Communities at Austin Stone and this is part two of a three part interview. You can read part one right here. What are your goals for missional communities? What do…
Read More5 Things Senior Pastors Need to Know About Small Group Ministry
There are 5 things every senior pastor needs to know about small group ministry: First, senior pastors need to know that they are the most important champion of small group ministry. If they want grouplife to happen, if they want to be a church OF groups, they must accept this role. They might hope to…
Read MoreTodd Engstrom on Austin Stone’s Missional Move
One of the most important current grouplife trends is the move in the direction of missional community. The Austin Stone Community Church is one of several prominent churches moving in this direction. Todd Engstrom is the Pastor of Missional Communities at Austin Stone and this is part one of a three part interview. What is…
Read MoreTwelve: The Global Online GroupLife Gathering
Have you made plans for September 14-15, 2011? That’s when 2011’s biggest online grouplife event happens. 2 days. 3 tracks. 8 sessions. Featuring 36 top small group thinkers…this is a seriously good list. The best news? Through June 29th you can register for as low as $25! Three Tracks Essentials Track: This is a highly…
Read MoreThe “Catch a Moving Train” Scenario
You know the feeling. No matter how many new groups you start, an equal number of groups lose interest and drop out. No matter how many apprentices you’ve recruited and trained, you’re not starting new groups fast enough to keep up with the number of small group sign-ups. No matter that you even launched a…
Read MoreIt’s Not What You Think…It’s the Design
Have you ever been really stumped by something, really trying to puzzle out an answer, and then be shocked at how simple the explanation was? It’s easy sometimes to just be looking at something from the wrong angle and be really surprised by how different it looks from another angle. I was talking about a…
Read MoreMission: St. Louis is Transforming a City
One of the coolest ideas in On the Verge is being implemented by Mission: St. Louis, a non-profit that exists “to transform the city of St. Louis through education, empowerment and development by connecting churches with neighborhoods in need.” Mission: St. Louis was launched by The Journey in the St. Louis area with a vision of “building…
Read MoreNine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership
Some books get scanned and end up filed away in a bookcase. Others are read thoroughly–maybe even marked up–but still just get shelved and forgotten. And then there are books like Carl George’s Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership. Originally published in 1991, this is a great book and one you’ll use again and again.…
Read MoreAdd “Growing Missional Leaders” to the Missional Conversation
As you’re building the foundation for a missional approach, you might want to add Growing Missional Leaders: Biblical Strategies to Reach Your World for Christ to your resource list. With a very practical approach, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith has put together an easy-to-use equipping manual that will help give building leaders a systematic approach. There…
Read MoreClarifying the Win for Launch-Phase Coaches
You’ve taken the challenge and you’re beginning to work your way through the three immediate action steps that pay off big time. Or you’re at least thinking about it. You might be all the way up to recruiting the additional coaches you’ll need for this fall’s church-wide campaign. If you are…good for you. There’s still…
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