Look Up, Look In, Look Out
About two years ago, I began to wrestle internally with what was going on within my life and ministry. I didn’t feel particularly close to God, His calling on my life, and even my relationships were starting to pay the price. I felt as if I had grown into a stagnant relationship. I knew I […]
3 Areas of Growth After Learning the Hard Way
I am not writing this as an expert, but I am currently learning some valuable lessons the hard way. In May, as this Small Group Semester came to a close, I began to call a few groups to ask about their summer plans. As I hung up the phone with one group leader, my worst […]
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 […]
Becoming a Discerning Leader
I was recently challenged by a quote by Ruth Haley Barton: The spiritual leader is distinguished by his or her commitment and ability to guide the discernment process so the community can affirm a shared sense of God’s desire for them and move forward on that basis (Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership). I don’t […]
6 Reflections on Community Inspired by Bonhoeffer
My church has recently launched a series on community called Better Together. In conjunction with the sermon series, I, in collaboration with my senior pastor, wrote a small group curriculum to compliment the series. I love community, which is why I love small groups. Like many of you, I work hard on our small group […]
The Only Basis for my Leadership
A few weeks ago, I invited some dear friends of mine, Matthew and Monica Green, to conduct some training for my small group leaders. They used 1 John 1 as their guiding text throughout the training. What I especially loved about what they shared is that they combined in such a seamless manner both a […]
Distinctly Christian Leadership Part 1: “Learning” By Dave Alford
There’s an old adage that says that leaders are learners. That statement is particularly meaningful for followers of Christ because learning is absolutely at the center of our ability to lead effectively. Since leadership development is so important to our work in small group ministry, how can we help those we are developing to be effective […]
