The Top 5 Posts of 2016
I love a good “best of” post. Whether you’re looking for the “best gifs,” the “best celebrity fails,” the “best travel destinations,” or the “top 5 ways to get rid of that foot fungus” (here’s to you, Steve Gladen :-)), we all love a summary of the best. Which is why I particularly love the […]
Effectively Marketing Small Groups
Great marketing has the power to move us and to change our routines. Starbucks Coffee did this by marketing a new way of life thereby changing millions of American’s morning routine. Starbucks made coffee drinking and going to coffee shops a lifestyle. At the heart of it, marketing, especially church marketing, is about changing habits and replacing them […]
Small Group Ministry Leadership Lessons My Dad Taught Me
Growing up, I never thought we were poor and yet the truth is, we didn’t have a lot of money. We did have love, friends, family, and a church family – but the happiness of my childhood was never measured in gifts or activities or living in nice houses. I never once thought about inheriting […]
Shepherds Are Sheep Too
If you pastor, lead, or mentor others in the church then you are a shepherd. You are what the Bible refers to as an “overseer” (Acts 20:28) and those who are placed under your care are your sheep. A shepherd’s primary responsibility is to the safety and welfare of the flock. I our world, that […]
3 Values to Cling to in a Busy Season
No one is immune to the many demands of life. Everyone has a busy season. You would think the more active we are the more we would rely on God. Unfortunately, that’s often not the case. When the demands of ministry, work, family, and more weigh on us we often lean more on our own […]
Receiving in the Midst of so Much Giving
Recently during a staff devotional, my senior pastor was leading us through discussion on the announcement regarding the birth of John the Baptist found in Luke 1:5-25. If you are not familiar with the story, here is a summary: Zechariah, a priest from the line of Aaron, and his wife are both described as “upright […]
The Value of a Diverse Small Group
I have a diverse group of folks in my small group. And by diverse I mean: single dating married divorced in college doctorate degree(s) masters degree jobless fitness nuts fitness haters no church background legalistic church background mature in their faith not a follower of Christ yet young old stay-at-home moms working moms past addiction issues […]
Small Group Leadership Essentials with Carolyn Taketa
Q Do you need some encouragement, fresh strategies and practical advice as a small group point person? If your answer is “Yes,” then you’ve come to the right place! Carolyn Taketa is the Executive Director of Small Groups at Calvary Community Church in West Lake Village, CA. She is the author for such publishers as “Christianity […]
Top 10 Books for Small Group Ministry Leadership
Fourteen years ago I began leading my first small group and quickly realized that I didn’t have a clue. Over the years I have been mentored by some of the greatest small group ministry leaders and thinkers through their books. Here are ten small group ministry books that have been most influential to me. Small Groups with […]
Are You a Paid Salesperson or a Satisfied Customer?
Arnold Kiburi, pastor of small groups at Karura Community Chapel in Nairobi, Kenya, and the leader of a Small Group Network huddle in that city, was my guest recently and we talked about his 11 years of leading small group ministries in several churches. Among the many topics we entertained was the issue of transparency. […]
