Determining Who Can Lead

Regardless of the method you use to launch a small group (Connection, HOST, apprentice or plain old fashioned recruiting), determining who can lead is a prerequisite.   Some churches are uncomfortable allowing non-members to lead a small group.  Some are much less restrictive, allowing anyone to pick up the material and invite friends.  Still others determine…

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Church Is a Team Sport

Picked up a copy of Church Is a Team Sport: A Championship Strategy for Doing Ministry Together by Pastor Jim Putman of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho.  With attendance of 8,000 on the weekend, this 8 year old church is one of the fastest growing churches in America.  Even more impressive?  They’re in…

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DVD-Driven Curriculum

Looking for a way to help more of your congregation have a toe-in-the-water experience with a small group?  You’ll find some recommended church-wide campaign ideas right here. You can find my reviews to the newest DVD-driven curriculum right here. Below you’ll find some of the DVD-driven small group studies that you should know about: Experiencing…

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If I Was Starting Today: Part 7

(This is part 7 of a 7 part series.  You can read part 1 right here) If I knew then what I know now…I’d take advantage of the central role of the senior pastor.  This is a huge concept and absolutely explains a key difference between churches that with groups and churches of groups (see…

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Alignment

The concept of an alignment, or a church-wide campaign, (the combination of a weekend message series and a small group curriculum) is probably the most important spiritual growth development in the last hundred years.  Preaching in series allows an idea to be fully developed.  Adding the element of a small group study that complements the…

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The Titanic, Your Lobby and Lifeboat 14

Storytelling is one of the most important aspects of building a dynamic small group culture.  Telling the right stories, choosing the right metaphors, makes all the difference in communication.  Buy-in is almost always a direct result of the spot-on selection of the stories you tell. One of the stories I tell all the time when…

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Group Life 2008

I’m excited!  This year (after attending for years) I get to be part of Willow’s Group Life 2008 conference!  That is very exciting for me.  I’ll be doing my workshop Getting to There: Building a Dynamic Small Group Ministry.  Lots of fun to do it.  Always fun to see everybody. Sidenote: My breakout is on…

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If I Was Starting Today: Part 6

(This is part 6 of a 7 part series.  You can read part 1 right here) If I knew then what I know now…I’d work harder to make heroes out of the right people.  That is, I’d carefully select the stories I’d make a big deal out of…and I’d make a big deal out of…

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