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 […]
Because God has shown us hospitality through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, we are to mirror that through our love for one another. This is the essence of the gospel. I don’t know a better opportunity for displaying this kind of extravagant love than in a small group of believers, so how do […]
The new year always brings feelings of hope and excitement for what’s possible in the next season of life. There’s nothing specifically different about the actual day or month, but we often use it to reset our life goals and aspirations. It’s a great time to kick off that fitness goal, or Bible reading plan, […]
Who doesn’t love the fall season? College and pro football games are back. The air is a little more crisp in the morning. Sweaters and boots can finally come out of the boxes in the attic. It’s a great time of the year! Fall can also be a productive season for your group, where group […]
We are afraid of silence. Especially as small group leaders. If there is silence in the room, then that means no one is talking. And if no one is talking, then we are surely failing as facilitators. But I believe we are missing out on an effective tool if we completely eliminate silence from a […]