Posts Tagged ‘small groups ministry’
Escaping the Straitjacket of Conventional Thinking
How limited is your thinking? When you stop long enough to examine how your ministry is designed…particularly the assumptions that it is based on…how limited is your thinking? Need an example? Try these statements on for size: “New groups must begin with a qualified leader and an apprentice.” I remember hearing Jim Dethmer talk about…
Read MoreDetermining Essential Ingredients
Had a fascinating discussion over the weekend with a passionate devotee of the worship + ABF philosophy of ministry. He was definitely passionate. He was absolutely committed to the philosophy. And he was in some amount of denial about why it is so difficult to find churches with contemporary worship, relevant teaching and a great…
Read MorePhilosophy of Ministry: Off-Campus Groups vs. On-Campus Classes
I’ve written quite a bit about the subject of building a small group ministry in a church with a Sunday School culture. This is an important topic because it is where so many churches are. A legacy program in a changing landscape. And it’s a challenging situation. That said, I want to talk today about…
Read MoreDiagnosing Your Discipleship Strategy
Ever slow down long enough to look at whether your discipleship strategy is actually working? I know…who has time? Here’s the thing, we better make time! As I see it, you don’t have to read between the lines to see the link between leadership and accountability for results (See Matthew 25 or Luke 19…
Read MoreWhere Can I Find New Coaches?
A great conversation yesterday drew an important question. We’re getting ready for a church-wide campaign and know we’ll need coaches for our newest hosts. Where can I find new coaches? Ever asked that one? It’s a good question. Important on a couple levels. First, it is important that your newest hosts have a coach who…
Read MoreTake a Small Group Vacation!
You heard me right. Encourage your small groups to take a small group vacation! What’s it mean? Probably not what you think! I’m asked all the time what I think about the idea of apprenticing. And honestly, I don’t think about it very much anymore. Why? Because the truth is, there are easier ways to…
Read MoreThe 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 MoreTop 10 Reasons Church-Wide Campaigns Miss the Mark
While there are some key steps to launching a church-wide campaign that lead to greater participation, higher follow-through, broader community interaction, and deeper values integration…there are also some devastating missteps that cause campaigns to miss the mark. Here are my top 10: Selecting a topic that doesn’t engage the crowd, from the hard end of…
Read MoreWhat 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 MoreHeaven
When you think about Heaven…what comes to mind? For most of us, even those of us who have been walking with Christ a long time, Heaven is a only a very vague concept. Is it a real place? Will there be clouds? Will we have wings, play harps and walk on streets of gold? Will…
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