3 Ways to Keep Jesus First at Christmas
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year! If you’re like me, you’re very busy around this time. As we serve in ministry we can forget one of the challenges of this season is not allowing busyness to lure us away from what really matters—Jesus. I know it sounds cliché, but it really […]
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 […]
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 […]
7 Ways Your Group Can Celebrate this Holiday Season
Written by Michael C. Mack The holidays are coming. What is your small group’s plan? NOW is the time to start planning! Many groups struggle with meeting and studying over the holidays, and this can be detrimental to the health of your group. Not only that, but this is a prime time of the year to […]
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 […]
Stretchy Pants…They’re For Fun!
I have to admit something to you, and it’s kind of embarrassing. I mean being a forty-one year old man I shouldn’t be this embarrassed, but it takes a lot for me to say this, I love wearing spandex. I know, weird right? But if you put it in the context of why, maybe you’ll […]
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. […]
Culture Is The Key To Structure
With the holidays quickly approaching and a New Year on the horizon, this time of year can be a good chance to evaluate where you are as a small group ministry and begin to pray and cast vision for change. One of the areas I think needs to be the most fluid when it comes […]
