Group Answers Podcast

March 25, 2020

Group Answers Episode 145: Steve Gladen on Virtual Community During a Crisis

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Steve Gladen about how Saddleback Church is responding to the COVID-19 crisis by helping people find online community.

Steve Gladen has been Executive Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. He oversees the strategic launch and spiritual development of more than 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. He is the author of Small Groups with Purpose, which has been translated into eleven languages, and Planning Small Groups with Purpose.

Resources Mentioned:

Registration for free webinar on Effectively Leading Groups in a Time of Social Distancing

www.lifeway.com/coronavirus

Free Video Studies

Zoom.us

Group Talk Podcast with Jay Kranda

Episode Sponsor:

For more than 25 years, Portable Church® has helped thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. They design custom solutions that fit each budget, vision, and venue. Everything you need to launch a mobile church — an inviting worship space, kids ministry areas, welcome spaces, storage cases, etc — all in a system refined to make it fast, easy & fun for the weekly volunteer teams.

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.

Group Answers Podcast

March 18, 2020

Group Answers Podcast

March 11, 2020

Group Answers Episode 143: Jonathan Pitts

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris sit down with Pastor Jonathan Pitts.

Jonathan Pitts is an author, speaker, and executive pastor at Church of the City in Franklin, TN. Prior to pastoring, Jonathan was executive director at The Urban Alternative, the national ministry of Dr. Tony Evans in Dallas, Texas. Jonathan lives in Franklin, Tennessee with his four daughters.

Questions asked:

Tell us about your new role at Church of the City
How are you emphasizing the significance of community in this role
You have experienced community in a profound way in the last season. How have you personally felt the impact of redemptive biblical community and how will this inform how you lead from this point forward?
You were a significant part of the Kingdom Men Rising documentary that was in theaters last spring. How would you encourage men to offer community and create community?

Resources mentioned:

Church of the City

For Girls Like You

Kingdom Men Rising Movie

The Urban Alternative

Episode Sponsor:

Group Answers Podcast

March 5, 2020

Group Answers Episode 142: Robin Dance

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris sit down with author, Robin Dance, to talk about her new book: For All Who Wander.

A former marketing and PR professional, Robin Dance now encourages others in life and faith as a writer, speaker, and small group leader. She’s a founding contributor for (in)courage, DaySpring’s online community for women, has been featured in HomeLife and Mature Living magazines, and advocated for children in poverty as a Compassion International blogger in India.

Robin believes listening well, laughter, and generosity are indispensable superpowers, and there might not be a sweeter ministry than a warm delivery of sourdough bread. Married to her college sweetheart and mom to a daughter and two sons, Robin currently lives in middle Georgia and online at robindance.me.

Questions asked:

What prompted you to write “For All Who Wander”?
Who did you write it for? Is this book only for people who are walking through or have experienced a time of doubt and wandering?
Tell us about the story you tell in this book.
What is the difference between wandering and being lost? What prompted your season of wandering?
When you were in your season of wandering, did you know you were in it? How did you know you were out of it? What helped you most in this season?
How can Christians in community together practically help those around them who might be wandering or in seasons of doubt? What is something you wish you had during that time?
What is something you’d want to go back and tell yourself while you were wandering? What do you want others who are wandering to know?
What do you hope for readers of this book? How do you hope their perspective/faith/journey is changed?

Resources mentioned:

For All Who Wander book

Help My Unbelief Bible study

Episode Sponsor:

Group Answers Podcast

February 26, 2020

Group Answers Episode 141: Andrew Peterson

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to author and musician, Andrew Peterson.

Andrew Peterson is an award-winning singer-songwriter and author. The second book in his Wingfeather Saga, “North! Or Be Eaten” (2009) won the Christy Award for Young Adult Fiction, and the fourth, “The Warden and the Wolf King” (2014) won Children’s Book of the Year in 2015 from “WORLD Magazine.”

In 2008, driven by a desire to cultivate a strong Christian arts community, Andrew founded a ministry called The Rabbit Room, which led to a yearly conference, countless concerts and symposiums, and Rabbit Room Press, which has published thirty books to date. He’s been married for 24 years to his wife Jamie, with whom they have three children.

His new book, “Adorning the Dark”, is both a memoir of Peterson’s journey and an encouragement for artists, written in the hope that his story will provide practical tools to others stumbling along in pursuit of a calling to adorn the dark with the light of Christ.

Question asked:

Why did you decide to create The Rabbit Room community?
Community seems to be important to you – The Rabbit Room, Behold the Lamb of God tour – why is it important to have a community – even in the world of artists?
How do you keep a consistent community when you’re constantly on the road as a musician and speaker?
What prompted you to write “Adorning the Dark”?
For whom did you write this book? Can those who don’t work in the arts and may not consider
themselves a creative person use this?
What is one thing you have learned about creativity and the Christian life in your 20 years as a
singer/songwriter, that you wish you could go back and tell your younger self?
How does our calling as Christians intersect and inform the “great mystery of creativity”?

Resources mentioned:

Episode Sponsor:

Group Answers Podcast

February 19, 2020

Group Answers Episode 140: Claude V. King on Experiencing God

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Claude King about the 30th anniversary of the Bible Study, Experiencing God. Claude King serves as Discipleship Specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources. After attending school in New Orleans, Claude began work as an editor at the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville, Tennessee. He met and began working with Henry Blackaby in 1986. That relationship led to their developing “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” which was first released in 1990. In his current job at LifeWay, he speaks, leads workshops and seminars, and consults with pastors and church leaders to help them and their churches obey Jesus Christ’s final command to make disciples of all nations.

Questions asked:

Tell us about the genesis of Experiencing God.
What was it like to work with Henry Blackably?
Were you surprised at how well received the study was, and how it has impacted almost every Bible study written since then?
What kind of stories have you heard about its impact worldwide?
Tell us about your newest resource, Return To Me.

Resourced mentioned:

Experiencing God Bible Study

Return To Me Bible Study

Episode Sponsor:

Group Answers Podcast

February 12, 2020

Group Answers Episode 139: My New Life Study

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Tyler Quillet about the new Bible study, My New Life. Tyler is the Discipleship Strategist for the Custom Bible Study team at LifeWay Christian Resources. He previously spent 15 years as a pastor and is passionate about serving churches and pouring into church leaders in a variety of ways.

Questions asked:

What was the genesis of the new study, My New Life?
Why is it important to have a study like this for new believers?
Can this study be done individually?
Walk us through the spiritual journey that this study takes people on.
What kind of tips would you give a group leader or mentor who is leading new believers through this study?
What would you suggest for someone’s next steps after this study?

Session topics:
1. My New Life in Jesus
2. Understanding the Gospel
3. The God Who Made Us
4. Abiding in Jesus
5. The Importance of the Church
6. Joining God on Mission

Resources mentioned:

My New Life Bible Study Book

Episode Sponsor:

Group Answers Podcast

February 7, 2020

Group Answers Oscars Bonus Episode

By Chris Surratt

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On this bonus episode of Group Answers, Brian, Chris, and Jenaye look at how pop culture events, like The Oscars, can be fun gatherings for your community. They also break down this year’s Best Picture nominees.

Group Answers Podcast

February 5, 2020

Group Answers Podcast

January 29, 2020

Group Answers Episode 137: Dan Darling & Trillia Newbell on The Church and the Racial Divide

By Group Ministry

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On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Dan Darling and Trillia Newbell about the new small group study: The Church and the Racial Divide.

Daniel Darling is the Vice President for Communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC), and the author of multiple books.

Trillia Newbell is the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and also the author of several books.

Questions Discussed:

Tell us about The Church and the Racial Divide. How did this project come together?
What is racial reconciliation and why does it matter?
How can this be pursued by racially homogenous churches and groups?
What does a church look like that’s pursuing diversity and practicing healthy racial reconciliation in their church and city?
What would you tell a group leader that was considering this study for his or her group?
What tips do you have for someone who might be leading this study?
What excites you about this study? What do you hope this does for churches?

Resources Mentioned:

The Church and the Racial Divide Bible Study

The ERLC

Group Answers Oscars Bonus Episode

Group Answers Episode 137: Dan Darling & Trillia Newbell on The Church and the Racial Divide

All Ministry Sites

Digital Resources

LifeWay Network