Group Ministry, Author at Group Ministry

Church Leadership, Group Leadership, Uncategorized

May 21, 2019

Six Summer Strategies to Invigorate Your Group

by Reid Smith

By the end of spring, It’s not uncommon for groups to want to change things up for the summer instead of starting a new Bible study. This comes from a common felt-need to take a break and get refreshed before school, ministries, and so many other things restart in the fall.

However, if you only saw the summer as a chance to unplug, you’d be missing easy and effective opportunities to invigorate your group. Groups don’t have to break from being together in the summer and potentially breakdown their momentum of community-building. Rather, they can use this season to change gears with their regular meeting rhythms in order to find new ways to grow together in Christ.

Mix it up! Instead of your usual, say, Tuesday, 6:30-8pm time – decide to get together every other Friday for dinner and a movie together. If you meet weekly, try meeting every other week. Or everyone could plan to attend the same service and afterwards do an outdoor activity together.
Morph into a shared interest group. Discover who shares the same interests in your group and organize activities around them. Start out by asking:

“What do you enjoy doing the most with your free time?”
“If you could invite a few others to join you in an activity, what would it be?”
“What special interest, topic, creative hobby or sport do you enjoy doing?”

You don’t have to choose one! Create a “mixed shared interest group” out of the ideas that came up. You might do a specific topical study one week and then softball the next. Plan it all out, but don’t try to do too much; just enough to keep the relational connection and continue building upon the community that God has built so far.

Schedule it! Before the onset of summer, ask group members to bring their calendars to a meeting and plan around the dates people know they are going to be away. Before scheduling, appoint somebody to find out what is happening in your surrounding communities during the summer like farmers markets, festivals, outdoor concerts, etc. Besides community events, other examples of fun activities to put on the calendar include:
- Going out to a restaurant together and/or the movies.
- Grilling in a local park or the backyard of somebody other than your typical host.
- Going to a sports event together or doing an activity everyone can get into like bowling, paddle-boating, volleyball, hiking, etc.
- Taking a day-trip to the coast, mountains, or state/national park.
- Watching July 4^th fireworks together (invite neighbors to join you and introduce them to others in your group).
- Having group members pray for one person in their lives they can invite to your group by the end of the summer. (Take a meeting to pray for these people and for what group members hope to see happen in their personal lives by the end of the year.)

Plan a servant evangelism project together. Click HERE for ideas and select a project that would be low risk for people in your group and shows God’s love in practical ways.

Volunteer to help your church with an event or project.

Encourage group members to discover and develop their spiritual gifts. Here’s a simple three-step process: 1) Read and discuss 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:1-8; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11. 2) Have each one complete a spiritual gift assessment. 3) Affirm the outcomes for everyone and brainstorm how they could use them to build up the group in the fall.

Group members who wouldn’t take on new responsibilities for the group in the midst of a study might be willing to do so during the different pace of the summer. Seize this season to “test drive” potential co-leaders by giving them bite-size responsibilities that will help you implement any of the strategies above. Also, seriously consider sub-grouping by gender when you change things up in any of these ways because it will help relationships grow deeper and develop new leaders for future groups so more people can be impacted with the love and message of Jesus Christ!

Reid Smith has been equipping leaders in churches of all sizes and stages of growth for effective disciple-making since 1996. He currently serves as a Pastor of Groups at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach County, FL and has been a contributing author for various publications, including LifeWay’s Ministry Grid. Learn more about how to start and multiply healthy groups throughout your church at www.reidsmith.org.

Group Answers Podcast

May 15, 2019

Group Answers Episode 100: Rick Howerton

By Group Ministry

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:47 — 49.3MB) | Embed

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On this special anniversary episode of Group Answers, Chris, Brian, Brandon, and special guest Rick Howerton, talk about the history and future of the Group Answers podcast.

This Episode’s Sponsor: One of the greatest predictors of a disciple’s spiritual growth is regular Bible reading. That’s why LifeWay created the Daily Discipleship Guide. To download four free sessions of the Daily Discipleship Guide, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/DDG.

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in LifeWay’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at LifeWay and author of Leading Small Groups.

Friday Features

May 10, 2019

Friday Feature: Life + Love

By Group Ministry

The group’s responses to this week’s topic were instantaneous even though they were not unanimous. Singleness. Some tensed up, feeling negative emotions. Others checked out as they had left that stage years prior. But, the group leader still had to lead all members in discussion.

How do group leaders navigate conversations around life and love? In his new Bible study Life + Love: Navigating Singleness, Dating, Engagement, and Marriage, Ben Stuart from Passion City Church D.C. brings us through these four relational stages. His wisdom on singleness, partially excerpted below, can get you started on these vital conversations.

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Though seasons of singleness vary in length, God has purposed that every human being on the planet experience this stage of life. So it’s fair to ask the question: Why? If we say the purpose of singleness is simply to find someone to marry, then we’re saying Jesus and the apostle Paul failed at singleness. I don’t know anyone who wants to say that. So let’s ask the fair question: What does God want our single season to be about?

We’re at our best when we function as we were designed. Freedom isn’t the absence of boundaries. It’s the ability to fulfill our created intent. Fish are most free when they swim, and birds when they fly. The same is true of human beings. We’re most alive when we fulfill our Creator’s intent for our lives.

If singleness existed just to lead us to marriage, Jesus was a failure.

Because of the freedom single people experience, they have more time to focus. However, most people use this season to focus on one of two interests:

1. CAREER. They’re working to get ahead or climb the ladder.

2. THEMSELVES. They say things like “I’m taking this time to focus on me.”

Neither of these pursuits is wrong, and yet neither focus will ultimately satisfy our hearts.

What pursuit, other than Jesus, are you tempted to focus on because of the freedom found in the phase of singleness?

Ben told the story of Jesus talking with the woman at the well in John 4:1-26. Jesus encountered a woman who had been married five times and was now living with a man. He told the woman her problem was that she was thirsty for something only the Lord could satisfy. We have to get our relationship with God right before we can ever hope to get a relationship with a guy or a girl right.

Have you seen this thirst in people who were looking to satisfy themselves with something only the Lord can satisfy? What does an unhealthy thirst look like in the context of a relationship?

In Greek the word devotion is made up of two words: good and beside, meaning we need to become good at being beside God, attentive to His Word and involved in His work. Ben gave some practical ways we can do this, from reading and writing out the Gospels to making extra money to sponsor a child.

What changes can you make in the way you structure your time in order to prioritize devotion to God? What do you need to uproot from your schedule and plant in your life so that you can focus on devotion to God?

What can you do this week to take advantage of your freedom as a single person that you won’t have as a married person?

If you’re not single, how might this discussion be helpful to single people you know?

Ask God to help the group treasure Him during the stage of singleness. Pray for patience when you’re tempted to rush through this stage and for help to center your lives in Him alone so that you can grow spiritually before joining your lives with someone else. Ask Him to help you find rest in Jesus.

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Your learning doesn’t have to stop here. Find out more about Ben’s new resource at LifeWay.com/Life+Love.

Group Answers Podcast

May 8, 2019

Group Answers Episode 99: Kevin Queen and Dave Clayton

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian sit down with Pastors Kevin Queen and Dave Clayton to talk about community at every level of leadership.

Kevin Queen is a husband, father, pastor, and communicator. Born and raised in the Atlanta area, he’s a graduate of the University of Georgia, New Orleans Seminary, and Bethel Seminary. Before joining Cross Point’s staff in August 2017, Kevin served for 14 years on staff at 12Stone Church, a large multi-site church with 8 campuses in Metro Atlanta. During his last 10 years at 12Stone, he served as both a Campus Pastor and Teaching Pastor.

Dave Clayton is a disciple, husband, and dad to 3 young boys. Along with his wife, he planted and helps lead Ethos Church, a young, urban church in Nashville, TN that is passionate about reaching the lost, serving the poor, and releasing ordinary people to plant churches all over the world. In addition, he is the founder and lead visionary for Onward, a global family of leaders who are committed to making disciples and planting churches across the world and Awaken Nashville, a city-wide movement unifying churches in strategic initiatives of prayer and fasting in the greater Nashville area.

Questions Asked:

Kevin and Dave, give us a brief overview of your churches and how they and you came to be there?
Why is pastoring such a lonely world? After all, you are up in front of 1000’s every week.
Why are church leaders afraid to build community with other church leaders?
What does your community look like? How important is it for your church members to see a healthy model?
Tell us about the recent 30-day fasting and prayer movement, Awaken.
Kevin, you are a student of revivals. What are the next steps toward a city-wide revival in Nashville?

Quotes:

When we are known and loved, that’s what God does.

We wonder, “If I shared that, would I truly be loved?”

As pastors, we are often ghosted in our past. People naturally leave your church and it leaves wounds on your heart.

If an average person sitting in my congregation has to fight against the current of isolation, I have to fight twice as hard.

Are we going to build fans, or are we going to build a family? If we are going to build a family, getting hurt has to be a part of it.

The world is full of friends that I haven’t met yet.

What we’re praying for is what we’re looking for, and what we’re looking for we tend to find.

I had to first see my own heart. It’s easy to be so disconnected from my own heart.

Now that I’ve seen what’s in my heart, I have to share it with people I trust.

I want to be the chief follower of Jesus, not the best leader in the room.

Church Leadership

May 7, 2019

Leading Your Small Group Through Church Scandal

By Group Ministry

by Jared Musgrove

I think what I’m concerned for most is our imagination. In the wake of one scandal of a fallen Christian leader after another (with the fallen-condition promise of likely more), I’m quite worried about our Christian imagination. It’s the imagination that is key to church scandal. The minute we read, hear, or scroll the news, our imaginations run wild. Rarely to holy or informed places.

But there is a way to help one another’s imaginations when the scandal strikes. It takes a community to care for souls in shock. Small group leaders are essential in such times of devastation, questions of trust, and attack on our Christian imaginations.

There are practical ways a leader may lead in batting down the gossip, speculation, and the lack of self-control so widespread in the wake of leader scandal. The first is to recognize that your church leaders and staff are likely stunned as well. They are church members first. This is also their spiritual family. As well as their vocation. A small group can take this into account in order to pray for and tangibly minister to a hurting staff of ministers and pastors, regardless of the size.

When the scandal comes, direct your small group to ask questions openly and honestly, and preferably personally, of an elder or pastor within the church. Speculation among members is the wrong use of imagination. But being proactive and productive with your questions, even if you do not get every detail you want, will help you shepherd each other’s imaginations with right information.

Consider together that though it is desirable that everyone hear the same news at the same time and in the same way, that is rarely the case. The nature of news travel in this century aids neither clarity nor with ending speculation. It is most likely that your church’s leadership team tries their best to be the ones to share and shepherd minds and imaginations through terrible news, but they aren’t always allowed to be the ones leading with the information. Method and best practices are all too often overrun by the way news now travels. Your leadership is doing their best with an awful situation. Is there ever a perfect way to share terrible news?

Model for your group members the approach of asking questions rather than engaging imaginations in gossip. Or leading one another into a type of destruction and disunity fueled by unchecked imaginations. And tongues. Lead your members to scrutinize their information and imaginations.

And remind them that there is sadly no playbook to exposed or exposing sin. It’s awful every single time. Every instance is unique because there are singularly unique souls, families, and local churches affected. If you’ve seen one church leader scandal, you’ve seen one church leader scandal. Sin doesn’t conform to our predictions or expectations. Every situation is sadly unique and hurtful. Lord have mercy on us, for we are sinners.

And that’s why we really need our imaginations re-arrested in times of scandal. Small group leaders, lead imaginations to the one Leader Whose only scandal was dying unjustly in our place so that He might be a propitiation for our sins. Jesus is the Leader of His church. Though His under shepherds disappoint and even wound at times, His leadership is without compromise or an iota of sin. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Imagine that together in your small group. The gospel is the only balm to harmed church bodies and minds. Help your group members confront the existential crisis of leader scandal by reminding them of the gospel, together.

Dr. Jared Steven Musgrove is Groups Pastor and an elder serving The Village Church in Flower Mound TX where he directs Home Groups and Recovery Groups. He is a contributor to For The Church, PreachingSource.com,and LifeWay Groups. He serves on boards for Southwestern Seminary and Beta Upsilon Chi, is the co-founder of the Community Leadership Cohort, and is author of the group guide to B&H Academic’s Superheroes Can’t Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies. He is the proud husband of Jenny and father of Jordan and Joshua. You can follow him on Twitter at @jsmusgrove.

Friday Features

May 3, 2019

Friday Feature: Leading Small Groups

By Group Ministry

This week’s post is from Leading Small Groups by Chris Surratt. Fill out the form at the end of this post by Monday, May 6th at 11:59pm to enter for a chance to win this free resource!

Small Group Leaders are Shepherds

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. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Pet. 5:2–4)

Notice Peter did not say, “Teach God’s flock.” The spiritual gift of teaching is not the most essential gift for a small group leader. In fact, the teaching gift sometimes does not translate well into leading a small group. That is one reason why a senior pastor is not always a great small group leader. I always suggest a teaching pastor be in a small group but not lead a group.

The elders of the church were put in place to shepherd the congregation in the same way we as small group leaders are to shepherd our portion of the church. Although we are not that familiar with shepherds in today’s society, God chose shepherds throughout the Bible to lead His people. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and David were all shepherds chosen as leaders by God. Jesus even referred to Himself as a shepherd: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me” (John 10:14).

Why Did God Choose Shepherds?

Good shepherds lead from the heart. They know each sheep in their care and will work hard to get them to their destination. The small group leader’s role is to help the people in their group take the next spiritual step to get them from where they are to where they need to be. A shepherd leader will work hard to make sure no one is left behind on their spiritual journey.

Good shepherds lead with compassion. Jesus (the ultimate shepherd) set the example as a leader who always had compassion for His followers—even when it was most inconvenient.

We see in the book of Matthew Jesus withdrawing for time alone to grieve immediately after receiving the news of the death of John the Baptist, but He still could not escape the crowds.

When Jesus heard about it, he withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick. (Matt. 14:13–14)

Even though Jesus had every right to not care for another person at that moment, He saw sheep without a shepherd and had compassion for them. There will be many times as a small group leader where a member of your group will have a need at the most inopportune moment. It may be a phone call late at night. It may be someone who wants to stay after group to talk. It may be someone at church who needs to grab time in the lobby during the service you are about to attend. While inconvenient, it’s at those times where we have to remember the compassionate example of Jesus.

Good shepherds lead from the front. “When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4). A leader that people will follow is a leader willing to go first. This may mean sharing a vulnerable story with the group to set the example of authenticity. The group will model the behavior you display. If you want your group to be open, open your heart first. If you want the group to serve, serve them first. Leading from the front does not mean dictating direction. It means setting the example for others to follow.

Good shepherds lead sacrificially. There will be times when leading your group will be a sacrifice. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). While your sacrifices will probably not involve laying your life down for someone, opening your home to a group of people weekly is a sacrifice. You have to keep the house clean, put up the pets, pull out all the extra chairs, make sure there is food, etc. It’s exhausting to host a group! You will need occasional breaks to not burn out, but that sacrifice of time and effort will lead to a group that bonds through consistency.

At the end of our time as leaders, we want to know we led our flock well. We can look to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and follow His example of shepherding His flock. Though we will not be perfect, we want to lead from the heart, lead with compassion, lead from the front, and lead sacrificially.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. You can follow his blog at www.chrissurratt.com.

This article is excerpted from the just released book, Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply your Small Group by Chris Surratt. Used by permission from B&H Publishing.

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Group Answers Podcast

May 1, 2019

Group Answers Episode 98: Leading Small Groups

By Group Ministry

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:15 — 34.8MB) | Embed

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk about Chris’ new book, Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead and Multiply your Small Group.

Questions:

1. Small Groups for the Rest of Us came out in 2015, why did you write Leading Small Groups now?

2. Who is Leading Small Groups primarily for?

3. What do you see at the biggest barrier to someone becoming a small group leader?

3. Walk us through the four stages of leading a small group: Gathering, Launching, Leading & Multiplying.

4. Which stage is the most difficult for a small group leader to navigate?

5. How can a church leader best use this book in training his group leaders?

6. Are there other resources available to go with the book?

Church Leadership

April 29, 2019

Links We Love

By Group Ministry

Read below for some links that we loved this past week!

Three Prayers to Pray as You Open God’s Word – Michael Kelley
Most people have a morning routine. Alarm goes off, coffee pot goes on, maybe you head to the gym – it’s different for every person. But for most of us, the routine follows the same general pattern on a given day. Hopefully, by God’s grace, part of that routine is opening the Word of God. This action, like the routine as a whole, looks different for different people. Maybe you’re in the habit of reading one chapter of Scripture a day. Or perhaps you read a psalm and a proverb. Or maybe you only read a few verses and then journal your way through them.

3 Keys to Leading When You’re Not in Charge – LifeWay Men
“Lateral leadership” is one of the hottest terms in the business world these days, it seems. The idea behind lateral leadership is that you lead your peers in the workplace without having any hierarchical authority over them. You lead a team of peers on a project. Perhaps you even have to lead a group of people who have more hierarchical authority than you do.

Building Community as a Leader – LifeWay Women’s Ministry
If you’re a leader, you know the importance of investing in those you lead. You understand relationships are pivotal to your success and that they require patience, mentorship, and intentional time with others. But, how are you at building community with others yourself? What are some ways leaders develop a sense of belonging? If you’re in search of a way to build community as a leader, we can all learn from early believers in the second chapter of Acts.

What is Family Ministry? – LifeWay Leadership
Family ministry is one of the greatest opportunities the local church has to teach kids, develop leaders, and equip parents in order to train up and disciple the next generation. When a local church embraces the unique possibility of an intentionally designed effort to invest in the next generation, it embraces the possibility of a ministry that won’t just change a kid or a home but that can actually change a community and reach the world.

Don’t Compliment by Comparing – Eric Geiger
Compliments via comparisons are too common. If you are a leader you have likely received them and given them. “My son is learning so much more in your class this year than he did last year.” “It is great to finally have someone who executes well in this role.” “For the first time in a long time, we have someone who…” “I am thankful for (name of last person), but I really love how you …” “You are my favorite preacher ever …” Sound familiar? For some reason we are prone to compliment by comparing instead of simply complimenting.

Church Leadership

April 25, 2019

3 Ways to Give Your Group the Leadership It Needs

By Group Ministry

by Tyler Quillet

“I’ll host a group, but I just want to ask questions. I don’t think I’m capable of giving much more than that.”

That was the response a volunteer small group leader once gave me. Most small groups are relying on the leader to not only ask questions, but to supply the insight and Biblical understanding they are hungry for. Although it would certainly be easier to just ask questions, your group often needs more from their leader.

As a small group leader, you may be desiring to give more to your group. You may also not be sure how to go about doing that. There are different kinds of leaders, and that’s a good thing! However, if you are looking to give more as a leader, keep these three simple things in mind.

1. Know God’s Word

If you have a desire to share more with your group about the context or background of the text your studying, you have to know God’s word. Be a daily reader of His word and study it in depth. When it comes to preparing for your group time, do your work and know what additional content you’d like your group to know. Know the questions you’ll be asking and be prepared with answers if your group is unsure. Try www.smallgroup.com, where thousands of Bible studies are available to you with questions and additional content already created for you, and is all customizable by you! This will help you immensely in leading your group, as you’ll have the additional insight you want your group to have, right at your fingertips! And the price is remarkably low!

2. Know Your Group

Depending on a variety of factors, you have to know what your group can comprehend or how much to give them within your time together. For example, I had a small group of men that I met with for many years. One man had a brain injury from a past heat stroke. Another had a brain injury from trauma while in the military. Another dropped out of school at an early age and never learned to read or write. Yet another was an alcoholic at such a level that he’d often show up to group having had a few too many. These men all loved Jesus, but I had to be careful with my choice of words and how much insight I shared with them. We took God’s word in simple and small chunks. I’ve also led groups that have included other pastors, a PhD college professor, the head of IT for a school system, business owners, etc. I’m not saying any one is better than the other (far from it), but we have to know what our group members are capable of and share with them accordingly. Know your people, know their stage of life, know their history, know their testimony, know their sin issues, know where they are in their trust in Jesus, and then teach and ask questions accordingly.

3. Know Yourself

Don’t try to be something you aren’t, but certainly don’t stop growing as a leader! Maybe you aren’t the theologian you wish you were and maybe you don’t have many answers to the questions your people have about scripture. But, maybe someone else in your group does have that knowledge. Lean on them, if they are willing. Maybe you are someone who naturally dominates conversation. Learn to pull back and allow others to speak. Or, maybe you naturally don’t say much at all and always let others speak. As the leader of your group, there are times you’ll need to take the reins and lead. Simply know who you are and don’t try to be someone you’re not.

No matter what type of small group leader you are, simply continue to 1) point your people to Jesus, 2) give them opportunities to share their hearts and how the day’s text applies to their lives, and 3) give them biblical insight / challenge / encouragement that will help them in their daily trust in Jesus. Most importantly, your group needs a leader who loves them and loves Jesus even more. You got this!

Tyler Quillet is the Discipleship Strategist for the Custom Bible Study team at LifeWay Christian Resources. He lives in the Nashville, TN area with his incredible wife, Cathie and two boys, Cylas and Bowen. Tyler spent 15 years as a pastor in Ohio before moving to the Nashville area and is passionate about serving churches and pouring into church leaders in a variety of ways.

Group Answers Podcast

April 24, 2019

Group Answers Episode 97: Greg Surratt

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian welcome Pastor Greg Surratt to the podcast. Greg is the founding pastor of Seacoast Church, which was planted with the goal of reaching unchurched people in the Charleston area. Greg led Seacoast as it grew from one campus to many, as Seacoast became one of the first churches to pioneer the multi-site approach to the weekend experience. Greg is the president and co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), which is a global church-planting initiative that has established 804 churches worldwide since its founding in 2000. He is the author of the book IR-REV-REND, as well as a contributor for Outreach Magazine, Ministry Today magazine, and Charisma Magazine. Greg is married to his childhood sweetheart, Debbie, and together they have 4 children and 14 grandchildren. He enjoys photography, fishing, golfing, and rooting for the Cubs,Broncos and Gamecocks.

Questions:

Your latest book, Re-Visioning, is kind of a story about the life of Seacoast Church. What led you to write it at this point?
You were able to do something that seems extremely rare these days, pass off the leadership of a mega-church successfully without any kind of scandal. What do you credit that to?
How important were small groups through the years of evolving ministry at Seacoast? How important is it for you personally to be in community?
For all of the small groups and discipleship point people that listen to our podcast, how can they best support their senior pastor?
Through your work with the ARC now, you have the opportunity to spend time with and pour into the lives of a lot of young pastors. What is the biggest advice you give them about successfully making it to the finish line?

Quotes:

The book is about keeping your vision fresh through every stage of the journey. Life, church and sheep will knock it out of you.

These are lessons and principles that have been accumulating through a lifetime of ministry. It’s the right time to share it.

There were some fun times, but there were also some incredibly painful ones.

The story is still being written for all of us. My prayer every day is I want to finish well.

Around year four, the first couple with gray hair showed up at church.

You can’t build the church for the next generation, but what you can do is build the leaders for the next generation. – Chip Judd

Small group was a part of what we did from the beginning, but became even more important as we grew.

Seacoast was the slowest growing mega-church on the planet.

The best thing you can do for your leader is be a low-maintenance, high-impact person.

This Episode’s Sponsor: With Ministry Grid’s library of over 3,000 training videos, it’s now simpler than ever to train every volunteer and leader in your church. And this is training you can trust. Each Ministry Gridvideo features an experienced ministry leader who has been where you are now. Learn how to get unlimited access for you and your church at MinistryGrid.com.

Group Answers Episode 100: Rick Howerton

Group Answers Episode 99: Kevin Queen and Dave Clayton

Friday Feature: Leading Small Groups

This article is excerpted from the just released book, Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply your Small Group by Chris Surratt. Used by permission from B&H Publishing.

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Group Answers Episode 98: Leading Small Groups

Links We Love

Group Answers Episode 97: Greg Surratt

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