Launching Missional Communities: a field guide
Missional Communities are at the epicenter of one of the most important current trends in grouplife and the work of Mike Breen and 3DM is at the heart of it. In my recent 5 part interview with Breen, he mentioned Launching Missional Communities: a field guide (co-written with Alex Absalom). I’ve had a chance…
Read MoreThe Next Christians | DVD-Driven Group Discussion
One of the books that had the biggest impact on me in 2010 was Gabe Lyons’ The Next Christians. Huge impact on my thinking. At the same time, a very important confirmation of some of my core convictions about ministry in 2011 post-Christian America and the importance of the x-factor at crowd’s edge. When I saw…
Read MoreLove Talk | A DVD-Driven Study from Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott
Looking for a DVD-driven study on marriage to recommend to your small groups? Although it was released in 2004, I’m just taking a look at Love Talk: A Six-Session Guide to Speaking Each Other’s Language and this is some very good stuff! Based on their popular book by the same title, the DVD segments combine…
Read MoreKeep Your Eyes on the Edges
Where do you find yourself looking…for leaders? Are you focused on getting in good with the usual suspects so they’ll finally take you up on leaving their group helping you start a new one? Are you spending time getting to know the healthiest members of your existing groups? Hoping they’ll sense God’s calling on their…
Read MorePutting Plan B Into Action (New DVD-Driven Study)
Had an opportunity last year to read Pete Wilson’s Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? Great stuff from the lead pastor of one of the most creative churches I’ve come across. Like an growing number of churches, Cross Point is doing a great job…
Read MoreClue #3 When Designing Your Small Group System
Every small group ministry system comes with its own unique set of problems. None of them are problem-free. This is a huge realization and essential for you to come to grips with the fact that every system, every strategy, has a set of problems that come with it. At some level, we’re all in a…
Read MoreBelonging or Believing…Which Comes First?
How do you think it works? Think people believe first and then belong? Or do you think they act on an innate desire to belong and then believe? What do you think? There was an interesting flare up last week after an article by Michael McKinley on the 9marks blog outlined a wolf awareness program…
Read MoreWho’s In and Who’s Out? (Bounded vs Centered Sets)
A key concept in The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch has to do with who actually belongs to the community. They illustrate the concept through the use of the diagram to the left and refer to it as the difference between a bounded set and a centered set. Bounded…
Read MoreBASIC: Who Is God? (by Francis Chan)
Had a chance this week to take a close look at Francis Chan’s 7 session DVD-driven study, BASIC: Who Is God?. Produced by Flannel (the group behind NOOMA), you know this is not going to be a run-of-the-mill talking head series. There are several elements that make BASIC: Who Is God? a study that will be…
Read MoreLeader Lifter: How Can I Get My Members to Talk?
(This Leader Lifter is from Allen White, one of the sharpest small group pastors anywhere. His blog, AllenWhite.org, is a great resource.) ————————— After so many questions about dealing with difficult people in groups, I’m tempted to say, “Count your blessings.” But, we do want everyone to get involved in the group discussion. The most significant…
Read More