Small Group Help Blog tagged 'group leading tips'

Leadership Basics In Small Groups

frank@moviechurch.com — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Bill Search, author of Simple Small Groups, recently posted how caring for others is an essential component of leadership in small groups:

What is the most basic expectation of leading a small group? Some would say it is providing a place for the group to meet. Others would say it has more to do with crafting a riveting lesson with careful attention to interpreting and applying ancient biblical texts. Still others imagine the key component of leading a groupis providin [...]

Advice For Small Group Leaders

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:00:00 +0100

I was browsing the web today and ran across 5 tips for small groups leaders:

Dont go it alone: Team ministry can be more effective and way more fun. Always start your groups with an apprentice, and remember that apprentices are not just for planting new groups, but they make your existing group experience better. And your coach is the other key part of your team, so make the most of the coaching relationship.Expect the revolving door: You may rarely have the exact same set of people in you [...]

Important Group Tips

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 26 May 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Carter Moss at CCC has some great tips for leaders as they are starting new groups at their church:

Don't go it aloneExpect the revolving doorDon't over-emphasize the meeting timeUse your freedom and creativityLeave a legacy

Click here to read the details of his post.

Leading A Great Small Group - Part 4

frank@moviechurch.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Ask The Right Questions

Questions make or break every small group discussion. There is a quick exercise you can do when evaluating the discussion questions before you start you group meeting. Look at each question and ask yourself,

"Does this question require a yes, no, or factual response?"

The best questions that create lively discussion are all about the opinions of your group members, what they think, and how they feel. When there are no wrong or right answers you ar [...]

Leading A Great Small Group - Part 3

frank@moviechurch.com — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:00:00 +0100

Don't Be Afraid Of Silence

A little bit of silence in a small group is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes the type of questions we ask are good questions and require a few seconds of thought. So don't jump in too quickly you should let the silence hang there for a moment. There have been many occasions that a question I've asked took a minute to process and turned into a great discussion.

However, there have also times that I think silence is a good indicator [...]

Leading A Great Small Group - Part 2

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:00:00 +0100

God Is In Charge

I think that when we jump into ministry, whether it is full time or volunteer, we gain a sense of ownership over what we are involved in. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. We all should feel ownership and a sense that we are making an investment in God's kingdom but to what degree?

I do believe that we can gain take this to an extreme and push God out of what we are doing or what our groups need. For example, I am a pretty structured [...]

Helping people find the right group

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Some churches make the mistake of having a one size fits all group mentality. The problem with this is that if you only have one type of small group at your church, you are automatically excluding people from being a part of what you are doing in group ministry. Many people have different learning styles and even different social styles.

Some like large groups(20-40), some like smaller groups (6-15), and some like even smaller accountability/transformation groups (2-3).&nbs [...]

Group Covenants

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Does your small group have a group covenant? If not you may want to consider having this discussion with your group ASAP. Expectations can make or break a group of people in any context. Problems boil to the surface in relationships every single day because of unmet expectations.

This kind of thing happens in marriage, friendships, family, and co-workers. However it can be prevented. Dave Treat recently commented on the topic...

I don't know how many people [...]

More Blessings

frank@moviechurch.com — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:00:00 +0100

I continue to love the members of my small group and I have mixed feelings about how to write this post. On Tuesday, I came home from the office early to help my wife get the house ready for our small group meeting while she had taken the kids to an appointment. During that appointment my son, Michael, had a seizure.

He half way close [...]

Should I Cancel???

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:00:00 +0100

This time of year leading a small group can get challenging. The holidays begin creeping up on you and your small group members begin to travel. Consistent attendance begins to dive, we get discouraged, and we begin to cancel our group gatherings when only a few people are going to show up.

I want to encourage you, DO NOT TO CANCEL. As leaders we need to begin viewing a small turn out as an opportunity for an increase in intimacy. Just last week I was [...]

Go Where Your Group Needs

frank@moviechurch.com — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:34:34 +0100

Sometimes your study guide or scheduled reading for your small group meeting doesn't take you where your group needs to go. We can't view this stuff as a check list. I remember a doing a study recently when my small group was discussing the book of James and the study guide was leading [...]

10 Ways To Spice Up Your Small Group

frank@moviechurch.com — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 05:13:46 +0100

I read this this morning at the Holy Observer blog and I couldnt stop laughing. Here is the top 10 ways to spice up your small group!

10. Start floating air biscuits and wave your hand in front of your face, exclaiming "Whooo, who was that?!?"9. Mention you're not sure who you'll vote for in the upcoming democratic primary.8. Show up dressed like Huggy Bear. Act offended if anyone comments.7. Explain how you're so glad all people go to Heaven because witnessing is [...]

A Group Within A Group

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:00:00 +0100

Does your small group ever breakdown into smaller disscussion groups? Or how about splitting up for activities? Recently the women in my group got together while the men stayed home with the kids. From the sounds of it the ladies didn't miss us much. After my wife (Shelli) got back from the meeting I actually thought th [...]

Dealing With Conflict

frank@moviechurch.com — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:21:47 +0100

Brian Kruckenberg at LifeChurch.tv recently wrote on the topic of conflict. He is their groups pastor at their campus in Mesa Az. Here is what he had to say...Capitalizing on ConflictWhenever you get a group of people together to do anything, one thing is certain: there will be conflict. As a leader, you hav [...]

Authenticity

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:52:43 +0100

I am preparing for a small group training session I am conducting this Sunday at our church. We are going to be exploring the answers to the following question: How do we ensure that people have a meaningful experience in our small groups?

I asked one of my co-workers (Terri) the question and I agree with her answer. She said, "In my group we aren't afraid to say what is on our mind, we speak truth to one another."

Basically, authenticity is a key ingredient. [...]

Tons Of Potential

frank@moviechurch.com — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:00:00 +0100

Do you know people that are in your small group or in your church that would be great as a small group leader? I am sure you have experienced asking that person to lead and they tell you, "No way, I could never do that."

I often run into people that I believe have the ability to lead a small group and are fearful. Here are the three top excuses I receive and how I handle it to get them to test the waters of leading a group.

1. I don't know enough about the Bib [...]

How does your group handle summer?

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:56:03 +0100

I have always found summer to be an interesting component of group life at our church (Christ's Church of the Valley). 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.

They know their summer schedules, vacation times, children's activities, church [...]

Leadership

frank@moviechurch.com — Thu, 31 May 2007 22:00:00 +0100

Small group ministry has its challenges. One of many is the challenge of leadership. Recently the pastor at Lifechurch.tv dealt with the following question, "What do I do if I'm on staff at a church and see ways we can improve but don't have support of those in leadership above me?"

Here is what he had to say...

I'll devote this week to answering the question, "How can I lead up?"
As I write, I do so from the two perspectives, I was an as [...]

CNN Small Group

frank@moviechurch.com — Wed, 16 May 2007 20:26:27 +0100

There are lots of ways to keep your studies in your small group fresh. Some use DVD curriculum, some use different study guides, others will find an interesting book to read, or simply read the Bible together. But what about when you want to do something totally different?

I had a disc [...]