We welcome good friend Mark Howell to Eagles In Leadership today. His article today is a reprint, used by his permission. Mark is a valued friend and wise leader. We know you will enjoy this installment.

What is the philosophy of your small group ministry?  Do you have one?  I think that the most fundamental step for every small group ministry is to develop a personalized philosophy of ministry.

Developing a personalized philosophy of ministry is critical because you will be the one defining priorities, determining next steps and defending actions.  Without a personalized philosophy of ministry what you do will be far more driven by the urgent and not the truly important.

Here are some of the core elements of my philosophy of small group ministry:

• Life-on-life is the optimum environment for spiritual growth. I’ve often said that what happens in a worship service is closest in kind to a defibrillator.  A great message and inspiring worship can jump start your heart spiritually, but it’s not permanent change.  It’s temporary.  As soon as you’re in the traffic jam on the way out of the parking lot you’re heart is back to where it was.  What does bring change?  Life on life.  Surgery or therapy happens when the Holy Spirit uses relationships.
• The best delivery system for life-on-life is a small group. Will it work for everybody every time?  No.  But the easiest way to impact the most people is a small group system that is pervasive.
• Interaction is a key to life-change. A smaller version of the worship service (singing together followed by listening to a Bible teacher) is not the ticket.  Facilitated discussion leading to personal application combined with the support and nurture of shared lives leads to life-change.
• Every believer is the relative shepherd to someone (and in most circumstances a group of someones).  The Small Group Connection strategy works because there is a relative shepherd in every group gathered.  The HOST strategy works because when I gather a few of my friends, I tend to be a step or two ahead of the ones I gather.  As my friend Brett says, “I don’t have to be Jesus Junior.  Only a step ahead.”
• Whatever I want to happen at the member level in groups has to be happening in the life of the leader. This is the raison d’être for a coaching structure.  Coaching is only about technique and skill training in the very beginning.  It is almost entirely about life-on-life once a group is beyond 90 days.
• Groups have a life span.  The normal life span of a group is about 18 to 24 meetings.  Groups can meet much longer than that but barring the infusion of new blood and a very proactive leader, groups that continue to meet become more about fellowship and less about transformation.
• Providing life support for dying groups is counter-productive. When I proactively send new members to a dwindling group I am usually keeping alive something that needs something a few new members won’t provide.  Better to build leaders and groups that are intentionally building new relationships outside the group.
• The easiest way to impact a community is through an ever growing network of outward looking groups. With the right curriculum and the right strategy…a church can impact the neighbors and friends of every member.  This is the essence of crowd-to-core.

These are some of the essential pieces of my small group philosophy.  Every group life discussion I have is influenced by this philosophical stance.  As I’ve often said, there is no problem-free solution to anything.  This philosophy produces the set of problems I’d rather have.

What’s your philosophy of small group ministry?  How is it different?

Steve and Matt

Photo Credit: Melodee Smith

In today’s episode, we return to the world of the 1^st century and try to discover how the early church exploded upon the Roman Empire so quickly.

Matt’s guest today is Steve Gladen, who is currently the Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, where he oversees over the development and expansion of over 3,500 small groups.

Gladen, a quick, energetic, and passionate personality, loves working with people in small groups and teaching individuals and churches the foundations of growing relationships within those same groups.

Today Matt and Steve talk about how to create healthy small group communities in your church and launch people into vibrant, balanced ministry. They will explore Steve’s new book, Small Groups with Purpose.

We know you are going to enjoy today’s interview.

You can also learn more about Steve’s ministry by clicking this link.

We are giving away TWO copies of Steve’s book. Here’s how you can get your copy:

1. Tweet or Post on Facebook the following:

Win a free copy of “Small Groups On Purpose.” Details: http://EaglesInLeadership.org

2.Sign up for the Eagles In Leadership blog (so you can be notified of winning) at http://EaglesInLeadership.org.

3. Comment at http://EaglesInLeadership.org, expressing your desire to have the book.

That’s it! Winners will be selected on July 20 and will be notified via EaglesInLeadership’s blog – on July 21st.

Matt encourages you to pick up a copy of Steve’s book, Small Groups with Purpose. This is a great resource from a great man of God. You can find more about the book and how to purchase a copy here.

Artwork Credit: currie-baptist.org.uk

Often church leaders ask me, “How can we help our people care for one another more? I like to refer them to Acts 2 and ask them if they have a dynamic small group ministry.

When I first came to faith, I joined a small group (long before they were popular or even named “small groups”). Those key leaders of 3 generations discipled me and encourage me. I can safely say that the depth of my faith came as we did life together. I was discipled, disciplined and directed into the mission of Jesus through these dear men and women who became more than friends, they are family to this day!

Those dynamics, and so many more, are part of the original plan of Jesus found in the New Testament. Let me say clearly that small groups are born as people gather in genuine love and care for one another. (Acts 2.42-47)

1.      In a small group we are able to talk freely about the things that matter most to everyone. (Acts 2.42)

• We are able to talk about the Pastor’s message and how we are working it out in our daily lives.
• We are able to draw closer to one another and discover the joys and burdens others are living through.
• We are able to enjoy great food from the hands of those who come together, thus revealing who we are all the more.
• And we are able to immediately pray for the burdens of those who are dear to us, showing our love and compassion.

2.     In a small group, we are able to share in the financial and practical needs of those in our growing spiritual family. (Acts 2.44-45) And in the small group is where the church meets the needs of others!

• When we gather in our small group, we become a family, a unity of God’s people in a place!
• When we gather for small group, we care enough to meet each other’s needs, as a family would normally do.
• When we leave the small group and head for home, the Spirit of God motivates us to consider ways we could meet the needs of those at the meal.
• When we give sacrificially, we invest with the love of God in such a way so as to bring joy and praise to all who hear!

3.     As the small groups continue over time, this practical demonstration of the love of God wins the hearts of men and women. (Matthew 18.20; Acts 2.46-47)

• Assembling for worship every week was essential to their spiritual understanding in their hearts.
• Meeting for fellowship in their homes every week was vital to the spiritual demonstration of their faith.
• Combining these dimensions of the spiritual life each week was essential to their spiritual magnification of God!
• Gathering for small groups in their homes each week was critical to their spiritual evangelism of the world.

If you would like help with small groups, leadership development or the discipleship process, we are here to help you with all of your leadership needs. Contact us for individual, leadership team or corporate consultation.

Artwork Credit: ragamuffinsoul.com

Many churches ask me, “How do we grow our people into deeper faith?” As the Gospels and the book of Acts demonstrate, the best way to grow your faith is to live it in community! Jesus chose 12 to be around him. Paul constantly has a circle of men around him, training them for life and ministry.

It is my sincere belief that small groups are THE primary discipleship / leadership tool for the church. If you are considering starting a small groups ministry, I would encourage you to consider the elements of the following action plan …

• 1^st phase 6-12 months: Develop a relationship with the body, understand the church, the community and the city. This would include getting to know people, leaders and the pastor’s heart (if not you). You are seeking to grasp the corporate culture and history, the vision, dream and mission of the church on a visceral level. Seek to discover what makes the leadership and people tick. Look for hurts, habits and hang-ups that keep people stuck. Part of this time should be involved in vision casting, discipleship and leadership development. The end of this phase would be marked by having organized and established “the roadmap for spiritual growth ” at your church through the elders and pastors. At this point you will want to discuss why you want small groups, what is the purpose of small groups, what is the purpose of Sunday School (if you have one), how do you make all of these work with to your central mission statement. Small groups must complement the mission of the church, or they are just a fad that will eventually die off from lack of participation.

• 2^nd phase 6-12 months: Begin implementing the roadmap for spiritual growth. Small groups aren’t something you do, its something that causes spiritual growth. Therefore, leadership development becomes of great importance here. This is something that is unique to every church and follows the growth benchmarks in the New Testament. In your roadmap, design it to fulfill your church purposes.

• 3^rd phase (at the same time): Launch of small groups off of targeted fall campaign as set forth by the senior pastor. Focusing the congregation around a central time to host a new group brings about a significant increase in the number of small groups / people involved in them. Constantly be starting new groups with each fall campaign, as well as throughout the year. The pastor needs to encourage people each week to join / start a new small group. Those could be on their college or work campus, in their homes, at the local coffee shop or where ever. The best, most effective small groups happen off the church campus.

• 4^th phase: Establish the leadership components for the small group hosts to grow them in ministry / mission. This is an ongoing process that involves incorporating all of the training aspects of the roadmap and adding additional components on group health, etc. This process is part of the alignment of the mission and purposes of the church and the needs of health and growth of the groups.

As always, we are here to help you with all of your leadership needs. Contact us for individual, leadership team or corporate consultation.