Small Group Help Blog

What's Next For My Small Group?

frank@moviechurch.com — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0100

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. This article can help you gain some perspective by guiding you through some key questions to evaluate your small group.

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 [...]

The Summit: A Convergence of Small Group Experts

frank@moviechurch.com — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

If you can be near a PC on February 18th you wont want to miss this event. 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.

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 [...]

Keeping Teens Engaged In Small Groups

frank@moviechurch.com — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:00:00 +0100

I'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. Here is an example of a great article by one of our authors, John Noonan:

Students get bored easily. They sit in classes all day long and the last thing they want is another lecture. So how does a small group leader grab the attention of their students while teaching them about the bible? [...]

How Do You Promo Your Group?

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0100

I've always had fun helping group leaders get started with thier small group at our church. However, some young adults I've worked with recently have had a blast jumping head first into group minsitry. Take a look at how they chose to promo their group with their friends on the web...

Step one - organize a core team

Step two - start a facebook group

Step three - Invite friends on facebook to join

Step four - create a really strange p [...]

Strategic Small Group Ministry Training

frank@moviechurch.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +0100

December 10 & 11, 2009Ebenezers Coffeehouse (National Community Church)
Washington, DC

Leading a single small group is a challenge, but running "point" 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 [...]

Five Reasons To Be In A Small Group For Life

frank@moviechurch.com — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

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:

1. It’s the easiest place to invite un-churched people to, especially if they are not ready for the whole Sunday morning experience.

2. It’s often one of the only contexts for pastors or church staff to enga [...]

Group Life - Heather Zempel - Messy Small Groups

frank@moviechurch.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Small groups are great until the people show up!

Community is messy

Messes of Biblical proportions

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

Despite all the mess, the gospel is a gospel of hope and redemption for the messy community we create in our churches.

Pig Farms STINK

How do you stop [...]

Group Life Conference - Henry Cloud - Saftey In Small Groups

frank@moviechurch.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

The Uptight Church Requirements

You have to be spiritualIf you show your flaws you've lost your walkIn this group you look good but your get worse over time

Recovery Group Requirements

You have to be screwed upIf you show your flaws you're in denialIn this group you look a mess but heal over time

Ways people grow in small groups

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 [...]

Group Life Conference - Mindy Caliguire

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Matthew 16:24-26 - one of Jesus' provocative questions, What good would it be to gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

The most critical quality of a group leader - leading from a healthy soul.

Symptoms of a diminishing soul:

Isolation
Apathy
Insomnia
Selfishness
Anger/bitterness
Being busy
Secret sins
Critical attitude
Fear

A healthy soul displays:

Joy
Confidence
Safety
Purpose< [...]

Group Life Conference - David Johnson

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Environments of Grace = Life Transformation

This is HUGE for our churches. Especially for churches that want to reach people that are far from god. We will often use this phrase in our church: NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED.

We even had it on a sign at the front door for a couple of years. When people know they are accepted for who they [...]

Using Social Media In Group Life

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Relationships are an essential part of the Christian life. To follow Jesus and his teachings means we live in community with God, and community with others. The challenge we face in our culture is the busyness it creates in people'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.

Create A Facebook Group

Free Small Group Training - Chicago

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100

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's Church of Oak Brook are teaming up to hold some practical small group workshops. Here's the scoop:

Whether you're a volunteer or paid church staff, if you're responsible for the small groups [...]

Group Life Conference 2009

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Here is the latest off info from the group life conference website, they just released a promo video too! If your church is not hosting this event you will want to find a local host near you:

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8vhUPZLvYM 560x340]

What's the next, right step for your small groups?

Real growth is possible, especially in the fertile soil of genuine Biblical community. This is
the place where hearts open to grace, where relationships heal, where sin [...]

Evaluation For A Strong Start

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100

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:

1. God [...]

Washington DC - Small Group Training Event

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:00:00 +0100

National Community Church is hoting a strategic small group training event at Ebenezers Coffee House on December 10th-11th, 2009. Russ Robinson and Dave Treat will be speaking on the following topics:

Clear Ministry ObjectivesEffective Point LeadershipSuccessful Coaching StructuresOngoing Leader DevelopmentAn Open-Group MindsetA Broad Bandwidth of GroupsAssimilation that Works

I have personally heard both of these guys train small group leaders at advanced small group training sess [...]

Trends In Group Ministry - Mark Howell

frank@moviechurch.com — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Mac Lake recently posted a quick interview with Mark Howell on some growing trends in group ministry. Mark is connected with quite a few churches around the country and really has his finger on the pulse of group life. Here is what Mark had to say -

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFgRVX6sorc 560x340]

Merging Social Media and Ministry

frank@moviechurch.com — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Group life is has already entered the online environment and there is no doubt in my mind that online communities will continue to grow in number and influence. However as our churches embrace the social media environment there are some things I recently wrote on my personal blog that I think we need to keep in mind...

I have been having a ton of conversations about social media in recent weeks and I recently listened to a webinar that got me thinking further about our need to mer [...]

Small Groups at Saddleback Church

frank@moviechurch.com — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Todd Rhodes at Monday Morning Insight interviewed Steve Gladen about group ministry at Saddleback Church. The participation rate at Saddleback is about 120% of Sunday attendance. To learn more watch the video below:

[video:http://vimeo.com/5942217 251x192]

Group Life Conference - 2009

frank@moviechurch.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0100

What if you could give every small group leader in your church laser focused small group training from some best experts in Group Life? The Willow Creek Association is handling the Group Life Conference in a brand new - one day format. Plus you can host it in your own church. As we prepa [...]

Are You A Control Freak?

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:00:00 +0100

Sometimes as group leaders we can be control freaks. And in a small group environment we need to remember that when we are too controlling in during our meetings it can often mean we are less relevant.

Often when we are making our way through a Bible study we have prepared for, or some other study guide we've purchased, a topic will pop up during discussion that the study doesn't address. I'll never forget the day that my group was right in the middle o [...]