In ministry, we love trends. We love to love what other people are loving. We love to see the trends in phones, clothes, food, and cars. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.
Pastors love trends, too. Looking at trends helps us to see what others value, what “buzz-words” are hot right now, and what our culture values so that we can speak in and lead where God has us. We want to be on the cutting edge not just because we have a desire to be “cool,” but because we want the message of community, discipleship, and spiritual growth to be couched in terms that resonate with our culture.
There are few people on the planet that have a better pulse on the trends in small group ministry than Rick Howerton. Rick is the Small Groups and Discipleship Specialist at LifeWay Church Resources. Rick’s deepest passion and his goal in life is to see, “a biblical small group within walking distance of every person on the planet making disciples that make disciples.” He has authored many small group studies, Destination Community: Small Group Ministry Manual as well as A Different Kind of Tribe: Embracing the New Small Group Dynamic.
