When I was a kid I loved the show MacGyver about a secret agent who saves the day once a week. In every show Mac, as his friends call him, ended up in some impossible life and death scenario where he used just his smarts, a stick of gum, a bit of wire and his trusty Swiss Army Knife to get out. Every week Mac always made it. He seemed to know it and could do it ALL, and all by himself. Occasionally there were cameo roles but MacGyver was the expert, no matter the situation. MacGyver taught me some things. Most problems are solved in an hour, SWISS ARMY KNIVES rock, and if you want to be the guy, you’ve got to always know what to do. But, it turns out MacGyver lead me astray.
As I’ve found out in the real world Mac doesn’t know all the answers. Real heroes have resources, well and their form of Swiss Army Knives. For Small Group ministry leaders it’s often a smart phone. And as for resources for those impossible scenarios, you don’t have to be the lone hero, the Small Group Network provides a wealth of resources. One of the greatest is Group Talk, the Small Group Network Podcast. So go ahead and grab your multi-purpose smartphone and prepare for all those leadership scenarios, not alone, but with the wisdom of the network. Here are the top five downloads from 2016 to get you started:
- Small Group Systems are not one size fits all. The overall health of the ministry depends on choosing wisely. In the Best Small Group System for Your Church Will Johnston discusses small groups systems and methods for determining the best fit for your context.
- No matter the opinion, good or bad, very few of are indifferent to the generation that encompasses those in their late teens to mid thirties known as millennials. In Insights About Reaching Millennials From Two Millennials Pastors, Tommy Carreras and Jennifer Ip share their insights from the trenches on how to reach, rally, and raise the millennial generation.
- Jesus commanded us to make disciples as we go. One imperative of making disciples is meeting people where they are, and today by overwhelming numbers people are online. One great way to facilitate disciple making is through online groups. Jay Kranda discusses The What, Why and How of ONLINE Groups.
- We all know there is no better champion of small groups in a church than the senior pastor, but what do you do when that’s not the case? Steve Gladen shares 7 Ways to Lead Effective Small Group Ministry When Your Pastor May Not Be On Board.
- Do small groups really make disciples? In Discipleship through Small Groups Part 1 Reid Smith discusses the core components, essential environments and indicators of success for small group discipleship.
So with the right tools and the right shared wisdom, you should be prepared for any scenario that comes your way, especially as you continue to listen to Group Talk.
