Customer Friendly Web Design

Have you ever looked at your website from the vantage point of a customer?  I know that may sound strange, but it is very important that you see it this way.  Until you begin to look at your website from the customer vantage point you’ll miss out on some critical connecting opportunities.  Before we get…

Read More

The Role of the Senior Pastor – Part 4

In addition to coordinating the themes for the year, the Senior Pastor has the unique opportunity to spike the weekend message with a call to action.  What am I getting at?  Easy.  Every message has the potential of taking on a group life angle.  The insertion of illustrations and stories offers the chance to comment…

Read More

Build Crowd to Core Flow in Advance

Many effective strategies are multi-component strategies.  That is, there are multiple essential components to the strategy and effectiveness and impact are a result of these components working together.  HOST, often used in conjunction with launching a church-wide campaign, is an example of a multi-component strategy. Remember that in the HOST strategy, the “T” stands for…

Read More

Does Your Website Match Your Vision and Strategy?

Have you ever examined your website to see how closely it matches your church’s vision? Did you know that the design of your website is often a better indicator of your church’s below-the-water-line vision and strategy than the handout at the membership class? Take a look at Saddleback’s homepage. Click here to open it up…

Read More

Better Connecting Through Technology

Are you making it as easy as you can for unconnected people to connect with a group?  Have you removed every unnecessary obstacle?  Are you taking advantage of advances in plug and play matchmaking?  Or are you spending valuable time and energy on things that could be automated…while opportunities that only you can do are…

Read More

Matchmaking: Making It Easy to Find a Group

How do you help unconnected people find a group?  Are you a matchmaker?  Do you provide an individualized, custom designed fitting for each person looking?  Or are you more of a self-serve, off-the-rack  location?  The way you help unconnected people find a group combined with the number of groups you have and the number of…

Read More

What Do You Call Your Small Groups?

Important Note: Every day a few dedicated small group ministry champions (staff and volunteers) find this post. Can I be honest? I hope this blog post (written in 2009) gives you an idea or two. My real hope? I hope you’ll subscribe to MarkHowellLive.com so you can get the latest in small group ministry strategies,…

Read More

The Tangible Kingdom Primer

Some time back I wrote about The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, an engaging and challenging book about creating incarnational community.  I love it.  If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you can order it right here. Couple weeks ago I received a copy of the new Tangible Kingdom Primer, designed…

Read More

Planning an Alignment (Church-Wide Study)

It’s that time of year.  The very detailed people on your team are already thinking about September and October.  The play-it-by-ear crowd hasn’t even thought about Memorial Day (FYI, it’s early in the month this year!).  Where are you on the continuum? Here’s the thing.  Wherever you are on the continuum, September 13th is coming…

Read More

How To Recruit HOSTS

What’s the best way to recruit HOSTS for your upcoming alignment (church-wide study)?  You might say it depends on what you’re hoping will happen.  Bottom line, the way you recruit HOSTS will determine who you are able to recruit and who you recruit will absolutely determine who ends up doing the study. How’s it worked…

Read More