Small groups are the crossroads where life and discipleship meet. This blog is an on going discussion forum about small group ministry in the Christian community and churches. http://www.smallgrouphelp.com Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:27:15 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/269_LeadershipIsolation/ <p>Sometimes group leaders can forget they need accountability and deep personal&nbsp;relationships. &nbsp;My friend Jon recently posted&nbsp; about this on his website:</p><p>A few weeks ago, I found myself in quite a tough spot. Many things around me seemed to be collapsing in on me, and I felt all alone. This seems kind of strange for a guy who has tooted the &quot;GroupLife horn&quot; for so long, but it&#39;s true. At a time when I needed a shoulder to lean on the most, I was generally i [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:00:00 +0100 relationships group ministry http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/268_SmallGroupsDigizine/ <img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1997" src="http://frankchiapperino.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/smallgroupslogo.jpg" alt=" " title="smallgroupslogo" hspace="10" width="137" height="115" align="left" />Christianity Today and SmallGroups.com are offering a new free tool to help small group leaders with ideas, resources, and leadership insights. Their goal through this digizine (digital magazine) is to equip and support small group leaders while offering extra encouragement to those pass [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sun, 08 Aug 2010 22:00:00 +0100 resources http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/267_NewFromBarnaWhoisactiveingroupexpressionsoffaith/ <p>A new Barna study takes a close look at the active profile of those that participate in small groups, Sunday school and house churches and other church activities. The recent study pulled together nine interesting insights:</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; b [...] frank@moviechurch.com Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:00:00 +0100 resources http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/34_Howdoesyourgrouphandlesummer/ <p>I have always found summer to be an interesting component of group life. Some of our groups experience a dip in attendance while others continue to thrive. I have heard all sorts of advice from other small group pastors and breakout sessions at conferences but I am of the opinion that the group leader can make the best decision for his or her group.<br /><br />They know their summer schedules, vacation times, children&#39;s activities, church events, etc. I&#39;ve always been a part of church [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sun, 16 May 2010 22:00:00 +0100 group leading tips http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/266_WhatsNextForMySmallGroup/ <p>Whether your group has been together a long time or just a few months it can be challenging for a leader to decide what to do next with their small group. &nbsp;This article can help you gain some perspective by guiding you through some key questions to evaluate your small group. </p><p>When trying to figure out where to take your smallgroup (bible study or whatever you want to call it) one of the best things you can do is figure out where you are. There are four major relationship areas to c [...] frank@moviechurch.com Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100 group health http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/265_TheSummitAConvergenceofSmallGroupExperts/ <p><img src="http://www.lifeway.com/ev/images/evI_Summit_Small_Group_Experts_570x172.png" alt=" " width="500" height="151" /></p><p>If you can be near a PC on February 18th you wont want to miss this event.&nbsp; It is not often that you can participate in something like this with group leaders around the country and the best part is that its FREE.</p><p>Greg Bowman (co-author of Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders), Lyman Coleman (the father of the small group movement as we know it toda [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100 training http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/264_KeepingTeensEngagedInSmallGroups/ <p>I&#39;m not sure if you are aware but our website has numerous articles available that can help small group leaders and pastors handle the challenges we face in group ministry.&nbsp; Here is an example of a great article by one of our authors, John Noonan:</p><p>Students get bored easily.&nbsp; They sit in classes all day long and the last thing they want is another lecture.&nbsp; So how does a small group leader grab the attention of their students while teaching them about the bible?&nbsp [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100 group leading tips fun stuff http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/263_HowDoYouPromoYourGroup/ <p>I&#39;ve always had fun helping&nbsp;group leaders &nbsp;get started with thier small group at our church. However,&nbsp;some young adults I&#39;ve worked with&nbsp;recently have had a blast jumping head first into group minsitry.&nbsp; Take a look at how they chose to promo their group with their friends on the web...</p><p>Step one - organize a core team</p><p>Step two - start a facebook group</p><p>Step three - Invite friends on facebook to join </p><p>Step four - create a really strange p [...] frank@moviechurch.com Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100 group ideas fun stuff http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/262_StrategicSmallGroupMinistryTraining/ December 10 &amp; 11, 2009Ebenezers Coffeehouse (National Community Church)<br />Washington, DC<p>Leading a single small group is a challenge, but running &quot;point&quot; on a church full of small groups can expose a whole new set of obstacles and opportunities. Discipleship, spiritual formation, missional outreach, and Biblical literacy happen best in small groups, and small groups happen best where organic growth is supported by strategic vision and purpose. If you are responsible for leadin [...] frank@moviechurch.com Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100 training http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/261_FiveReasonsToBeInASmallGroupForLife/ <p><img class="alignnone" src="http://www.riverbendmedia.com/ccn/images/grouplife_header_650x125.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="100" /> At the Group Life Conference this year Andy Stanley shared five reasons that he will be in a small group for life. Here they are: </p><p>1. It&rsquo;s the easiest place to invite un-churched people to, especially if they are not ready for the whole Sunday morning experience. </p><p>2. It&rsquo;s often one of the only contexts for pastors or church staff to enga [...] frank@moviechurch.com Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 group ministry http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/260_GroupLifeHeatherZempelMessySmallGroups/ Small groups are great until the people show up! <p>Community is messy</p><p>Messes of Biblical proportions</p>God createsAdam and eve mess things upCain and Abel kill and messNoah drunk and naked messIsaac and JacobJacob and Joseph and BrothersMosesDavidThe list goes on and onThe church at Corintho Egoso Law suitso Incesto Drunkenness<p>Despite all the mess, the gospel is a gospel of hope and redemption for the messy community we create in our churches.</p><p>Pig Farms STINK</p>How do you stop [...] frank@moviechurch.com Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/259_GroupLifeConferenceHenryCloudSafteyInSmallGroups/ <p>The Uptight Church Requirements</p>You have to be spiritualIf you show your flaws you&#39;ve lost your walkIn this group you look good but your get worse over time<p>Recovery Group Requirements</p>You have to be screwed upIf you show your flaws you&#39;re in denialIn this group you look a mess but heal over time<p>Ways people grow in small groups</p>1. By sufferinga. 1Peter 4 protect yourself by sufferingb. A safe group is not a comfortable group.2. By getting to the drivers underneath our li [...] frank@moviechurch.com Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 openness life change http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/258_GroupLifeConferenceMindyCaliguire/ <p>Matthew 16:24-26 - one of Jesus&#39; provocative questions, What good would it be to gain the whole world but lose your own soul?</p><p>The most critical&nbsp;quality of a group leader - leading from a healthy soul.</p><p><u>Symptoms of a diminishing soul:</u></p><p>Isolation<br />Apathy<br />Insomnia<br />Selfishness<br />Anger/bitterness<br />Being busy<br />Secret sins<br />Critical attitude<br />Fear</p><p><u>A healthy soul displays:</u></p><p>Joy<br />Confidence<br />Safety<br />Purpose< [...] frank@moviechurch.com Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 life change group health http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/257_GroupLifeConferenceDavidJohnson/ <p><img src="http://www.riverbendmedia.com/ccn/images/grouplife_header_650x125.jpg" alt=" " width="550" height="106" />&nbsp;</p><p>Environments of Grace = Life Transformation</p><p>This is HUGE for our churches.&nbsp; Especially for churches that want to reach people that&nbsp;are far from god.&nbsp; We will often use this phrase in our church: NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED.</p><p>We even had it on a sign at the front door for a couple of years.&nbsp; When people know they are accepted for who they [...] frank@moviechurch.com Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/256_UsingSocialMediaInGroupLife/ Relationships are an essential part of the Christian life.&nbsp; To follow Jesus and his teachings means we live in community with God, and community with others.&nbsp; The challenge we face in our culture is the busyness it creates in people&#39;s lives. The very people that we are called to ministered to and I believe social media is a tool we can leverage to enhance our relationships. So here are three ways you may want to try to apply social media in group life. <p>Create A Facebook Group</p [...] frank@moviechurch.com Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100 Small Groups 2.0 http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/255_FreeSmallGroupTrainingChicago255/ <p><img src="http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu111/dtreat/schmoozapalooza2.jpg" alt=" " width="400" height="75" /></p><p>If you are a small group ministry point leader for your church, then you can attend Schmoozapalooza for FREE! On October 23rd ThinkingSmall.net and Christ&#39;s Church of Oak Brook are teaming up to hold some practical small group workshops.&nbsp; Here&#39;s the scoop:</p><p>Whether you&#39;re a volunteer or paid church staff, if you&#39;re responsible for the small groups [...] frank@moviechurch.com Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100 http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/253_GroupLifeConference2009/ <p>Here is the latest off info from the group life conference website, they just released a promo video too!&nbsp; If your church is not hosting this event you will want to find a local host near you:</p><p>[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8vhUPZLvYM 560x340]</p>What&#39;s the next, right step for your small groups?<p>Real growth is possible, especially in the fertile soil of genuine Biblical community. This is <br />the place where hearts open to grace, where relationships heal, where sin [...] frank@moviechurch.com Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100 training small group resources http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/252_EvaluationForAStrongStart/ <p>&nbsp;</p><p>Many groups take a break in the summer and often leaders wonder what they should do next with their group as the fall season begins. It is a common question because people are often coming back from summer break and they are ready for something fresh. However, for leaders I think that answers can be found in asking the right questions. To honestly figure out where your group needs to go... you need to figure out where you are and there are four major areas to consider: </p>1. God [...] frank@moviechurch.com Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100 group health http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/251_WashingtonDCSmallGroupTrainingEvent/ <p>National Community Church is hoting a strategic small group training event at Ebenezers Coffee House on December 10th-11th, 2009.&nbsp; Russ Robinson and Dave Treat will be speaking on the following topics:</p>Clear Ministry ObjectivesEffective Point LeadershipSuccessful Coaching StructuresOngoing Leader DevelopmentAn Open-Group MindsetA Broad Bandwidth of GroupsAssimilation that Works<p>I have personally heard both of these guys train small group leaders at advanced small group training sess [...] frank@moviechurch.com Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100 training http://www.smallgrouphelp.com/250_TrendsInGroupMinistryMarkHowell/ <p>Mac Lake recently posted a quick interview with Mark Howell on some growing trends in group ministry.&nbsp; Mark is connected with quite a few churches around the country and really has his finger on the pulse of group life.&nbsp; Here is what Mark had to say - </p><p>[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFgRVX6sorc 560x340]&nbsp;</p> frank@moviechurch.com Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100 group ministry