Small Group Leaders: Qualifications, Hoops, and Lowering the Bar
One of the most pressing challenges in developing a pervasive groups ministry is finding enough leaders. It may be the #1 challenge (just ahead of finding enough coaches). Let me say two things. First, it is a challenge. Second, your success will be determined by the answer to a few questions. Here they are: Are…
Read MoreSmall Group Leaders: Finding, Recruiting, Developing
One of the most common questions in small group ministry is how do I find enough leaders? Right on it’s heels are two other very common questions: How do I recruit leaders (once I’ve identified them)? How do I develop leaders (once they’ve been recruited)? How Do I Find and Recruit Enough Leaders? This is…
Read MoreResolve To Become An Innovator
Do you have what it takes to be really effective at small group ministry? Like anything else there are a number of ingredients to this kind of effectiveness. I really think you’ve got to be a learner. You can be an introvert but it really helps to be a relational person. After all, it’s important…
Read MoreResolve To Be A Student
What was the last book you read that was a little outside your field? What was the last conference you attended or talk you listened to that was not quite on the topic of choice? Who’d you buy coffee for last that has an expertise that’s different from yours? If you’ve been reading, if you’ve…
Read MoreThe Summit: A Convergence of Small Group Experts
If you haven’t heard about The Summit: A Convergence of Small Group Experts, now is the time to jump in and register. This FREE 90 minute online event features many of the most recognized small group names including Lyman Coleman, Bill Donahue, Steve Gladen, and Carl George. Thursday, February 18, 2010, 10:30 a.m. to Noon…
Read MoreSkill Training: Four Questions Every Coach Should Be Asking
What are you training your coaches to do? Have you trained them? Or have you left what they do and how they do it up to them? Let me suggest that certain things can be left up to your coaches. Since they each have their own personality, experience level, and skill set, it only makes…
Read MoreWhat Questions Are You Asking?
One of my goals here at MarkHowellLive is to provide answers to basic small group ministry questions. Although I provide a full range of consulting and coaching options, I’m hoping it helps to be able to find a lot of what you need online, right here, or at one of the websites/blogs in my blogroll.…
Read MoreLowering the Leader Bar
Great conversation continues to come out of the comments generated by my response to Randall Neighbor’s article over at SmallGroups.com. If you missed out, be sure and read them to catch up. Today I want to expand the discussion on a potential strategic difference that a crowd-to-core strategy brings…that is not present in the cell…
Read MoreCrowd-to-Core, Quality Control and Problem-Free
We’ve had a very good discussion here over the last 48 hours about the difference between “cell groups” and “small groups” (prompted by Randall Neighbour’s article on SmallGroups.com and my response). The comments here have been very engaging and have all had a great spirit and attitude. It’s been very fun to watch! Several of…
Read MoreThe Difference Between a Cell Group and a Small Group | A Response
Tripped across Randall Neighbour’s response to this question over at SmallGroups.com and needed to respond. Two preliminary observations need to be made: First, I think it’s critical that we all learn to recognize and acknowledge our own bias. Alan Kay rightly pointed out that perspective (point of view) is worth 80 IQ points. In any…
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