According to Dictionary.com, the definition of the word “system” is: “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.” We are sometimes afraid of systems in the groups world because community is supposed to happen organically, not through an organized scheme. But at its core, a system […]
Peter gave us this definition of leadership as he exhorted the elders of the first-century church: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. […]
After finishing the book, Small Groups for the Rest of Us, in 2015, I wasn’t sure that I would ever desire to write another full-length book. Writing a book is a grueling experience, and unless you have a topic you’re super passionate about, not a lot of fun. Fast forward four years, and now my […]
Launching a group can be an intimidating process. There are a lot of questions to think through, but the first question we have to wrestle with is: What type of group will this be? We can get locked into the belief we have to begin with a small group of people meeting in our home, […]
I am not a big fan of January. It’s not necessarily because of the cloudy skies and painful cold where I live. And it’s not completely because January feels like this month-long let down after two straight months of holidays, eating and celebrations. Although those are good candidates to dislike the first month of the […]
Stepping out to start a new group can be an intimidating and scary experience. All of us have the same questions starting out: Will anyone show up? Have I invited the right people? Have I picked the right study? How will I disciple everyone in my group? All of these questions are natural and healthy. […]
Video Transcript Last time we talked about the three distinctives of every small group, the three things that your group should be about, if you have a purpose. They were about creating disciples, being in community, and being on mission. So if you have those three things happening in your small group, you should have […]
Although church sponsored small groups have been around for awhile, there are still misconceptions about what they are–or are not. With that in mind, here are seven popular myths that I hear about small groups. 1. Groups are for everyone–all of the time. It’s okay for people to take breaks from group life occasionally. Even […]
A common fear for almost every small group leader is not being “good enough” to be considered a leader in a church-based community. After all, how can I live up to the high standards of biblical leadership? If people only knew… The things I have done in my past My shortcomings as a spouse My […]
One of the churches in which I served sat on an interesting place geographically. The side of the main road where the building sat was quickly gentrifying: grand homes were being restored and flipped for big dollars, and the neighborhood was becoming a desirable place to live again. However, directly across the street was a […]