Small Group Leaders Blogs – ChurchLeaders

What To Do When No One Comes To Your New Small Group

Alan Danielson — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:28:43 +0000

It’s happened to tons of people. They take the step of faith to start a new small group in their church. They’ve prayed, prepared, and hoped only for no one to show up to the first meeting. Nothing feels more deflating than that kind of experience. So what’s a small group leader to do when […]

The Idolatry of Excellence

Alan Danielson — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 12:01:00 +0000

Most of the pastors I’ve worked with fit a description by Dallas Willard. This is because of what I call the idolatry of excellence.

Fresh Encounter: Experiencing God’s Power for Spiritual Awakening

Mark Howell — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 06:25:00 +0000

Fresh Encounter will be just the ticket for certain groups. With its focus on spiritual renewal, it will be most appropriate for those who long for personal revival and a return to their first love (Revelation 2:4).

The Goal of the Cell Group

Joel Comiskey Group — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 06:32:00 +0000

If your church is going to use a cell group strategy, it's best to define your cell group goals.

“This Is How I Small Group” from the Small Group Network

Small Group Network — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 07:05:29 +0000

This Is How I Small Group is a periodic series at the Small Group Network about getting to know members of the small group. Some will have decades of experience; others will be brand new to small group ministry. #SmallGroups #Strategy

Christian Community: Theology, not a Pragmatic Structure

Scott Boren — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 17:22:00 +0000

I live in two worlds. On the one hand, I read theologians who ask big sweeping questions about God, what God is doing in our world and the call to be God’s people. On the other, I’m always wrestling with what it means to be the church in this day and how do we actually […]

Honor Cell Leaders with Rest and Reflection on Christ’s Incarnation

Joel Comiskey Group — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 15:01:00 +0000

by Bill Joukhadar A successful cell leader is not someone who believes “they” have it all together – “they” alone can do the job. How sobering it is for church leaders who meditate on Acts 17:25, which says, “… human hands can’t serve His needs – for He has no needs. He gives life and […]

Evangelism and the Edification in a Cell Church

Joel Comiskey Group — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 17:15:00 +0000

by Mario Vega Although our lessons at the Elim church are focused on evangelism, it is inevitable for them to be at the same time edifying to the believers. It is not possible to present Jesus as Savior without going through the teachings of Scriptures. Especially when the lessons consist of systematic studies of whole […]

Two Things Build Community

Dave Treat — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 03:00:00 +0000

Grippin' and grinnin' makes for a close knit group.

Andy Stanley: Circles Are Better Than Rows

Mark Howell — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 16:32:00 +0000

Had the great privilege of attending the Re:Group conference recently and there was a moment in one of the main sessions that I just can’t get out of my mind. Andy Stanley was speaking. It was a great session. And then suddenly . . . I couldn’t write fast enough. What he said was just […]

Pursuing God’s Beauty: Stories from the Gospel of John

Mark Howell — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 15:04:00 +0000

If you’re like me you’re often asked for a Bible book study recommendation. ”Our group just wants to study a book of the Bible. What do you suggest?” Over the years I’ve accumulated a few favorites. You’ll find some of those reviews right here. A few weeks ago I reviewed a new Margaret Feinberg study, […]

Are Cell Churches a Fad, Truth or Trend?

Joel Comiskey Group — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 15:38:00 +0000

Myth: Cell Church is a Fad Many look at cell church as a hot trend of the 1990s, but believe that there are now more cutting-edge strategies going on in the church. Some of the newer trends are multi-site ministry, seeker models, video venues, and so many more. Some think the cell church had its […]

Guaranteed Small Group Failure This Summer

Rob Bentz — Sat, 04 Jul 2020 02:00:00 +0000

Put these tips into motion and watch your small group fall apart.

The Commitment Required for Small Groups

Ben Reed — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 02:00:00 +0000

To get the most out of your small group, you’ve got to make a big commitment.

The Best Evaluation Question to Ask

Ben Reed — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 19:33:00 +0000

If you’re a leader, you evaluate. Well…ahem…let me rephrase that. If you’re a good leader, you evaluate. And there are plenty of activities, events, and procedures that you can and should evaluate regularly Trainings Meetings Outings New hires New fires System changes New initiatives Outreach events Sermon series New ideas Old ideas Development days Financial […]

Key Principles for a Successful Transition

Joel Comiskey Group — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 19:32:00 +0000

by Joel Comiskey I’ve coached and observed churches that have failed in their transition to cell church. I’ve also had the great pleasure of witnessing churches who have made it all the way to a fully functional cell church. The churches that successfully transition follow certain key principles: 1. Commitment of lead pastor. It’s possible […]

The Secret to Pleasing God and Making Your Life Really Count

Mike Mack — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 19:27:00 +0000

Do you want to please God? Would you like your life to really count for something? Would you like to make a difference in your world? The secret is in Isaiah 58. (Actually, the principle is provided throughout the Bible, but I just came across it again today as I was reading this chapter.) Isaiah […]

The Difference Between Pride and Confidence

Ben Reed — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:25:00 +0000

The decision I made to move into full-time vocational ministry was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. It took me nearly a year of praying, fasting, reading, and seeking counsel. But when I made the decision, there was no swaying me. Not a chance you were going to convince me I was […]

The Importance of a Small Group Network…Hanging with People Unlike You

Rick Howerton — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 11:59:00 +0000

For the last two days I’ve been hanging with a couple of good friends… Steve Gladen, the groups guy at Saddleback Church in southern California, and Bill Search, the groups guy at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. We’ve laughed, asked each other for input on decisions we’re trying to make, discussed ideas we have […]

5 Ways to “Mix It Up” in Your Small Group Ministry

Spence Shelton — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 02:00:00 +0000

There are many ways to help people find small groups.

Content and Application

Joel Comiskey Group — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:15:00 +0000

by Jeff Tunnell Last evening I dialogued with a long-term educator and school principal. We conversed about learning methods and how evidence shows that lecture is theleast effective for the student to grasp content. He noted that the second best situation for learning was in small groups of 3-4, where conversational exchange was followed by seeking a direct […]

Pastoral Care and Cells

Joel Comiskey Group — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 19:56:00 +0000

by Jim Wall I remember the day I read Exodus 18:21-23 with understanding. I was pastoring a growing church; trying to preach all of the services, pastor all of the people, lead all of the meetings, etc. etc. etc. (If you are in church leadership you know what I’m talking about!) I wasn’t dealing with […]

Connecting the Gap Between Community and Congregation

Mark Howell — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 19:33:00 +0000

If you’ve been along for any length of time, you know that I love a good diagram. Give me a whiteboard or a flipchart…or the back of a napkin…and I am right at home. And one of the diagrams I frequently draw to explain various aspects of small group strategy is Saddleback’s concentric circles (if […]

Old Wine in New Wineskins Doesn’t Work

Scott Boren — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 18:55:00 +0000

Over the last 40 years, authors and preachers have commonly used Jesus’ parable of the wineskins to argue for new ways of being and doing the church. In the early 1990s I was a part of a new wineskin, an organic/missional experimental church in Houston. Of course we did not call it organic or missional, […]

Discipleship: The Foundation for Quality and Quantity

Scott Boren — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:16:00 +0000

I once heard a pastor say that a healthy couple has to take precautions NOT to reproduce life. The same can be said for disciples. Healthy disciples reproduce life in other disciples. And healthy groups naturally reproduce new groups. In other words, quality will result in quantity. We see this in churches all over the […]

Mike Breen on Missional Communities, Part 1

Mark Howell — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 12:48:00 +0000

Mike Breen is one of the most prominent leaders in an important grouplife trend referred to as missional community. Formerly the Senior Rector at St. Thomas Crookes, Sheffield, Breen currently leads 3DM, the global home for an organic movement of biblical discipleship and missional church that is centered in the United States. While at St. […]

Questions to Ask When You’ve Grown Stagnant

Mac Lake — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:18:00 +0000

If something doesn’t move for a while, it usually gets stiff or stagnant. There are times in every leader’s life where we get stuck in patterns of immobility, and before we know it, we’re asking ourselves, “What’s wrong with me?”, “Why have I lost my passion?” OR “Is it time for me to move on […]

Fanatic Discipline: Lesson #1 From Jim Collins’ Great By Choice

Stephen Blandino — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 15:36:00 +0000

Jim Collins and Morten Hansen’s latest book, Great By Choice, is the result of a nine-year research project aimed at answering one question: “Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not?” Our world is unstable, uncertain, and filled with unanswered what ifs. And while we cannot predict the future, as […]

10 Food Ideas for Your Next Small Group Gathering

Andrew Camp — Sat, 21 Dec 2019 12:00:17 +0000

Most small groups aren’t a small group unless there is food shared. Be honest, which of us have not tried to entice our members by the food we serve?

One Free Way to Celebrate Christmas with your Small Group

Steve Curran — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 13:30:58 +0000

When you think about discipleship in a small group what comes to mind? For many people it is Bible study, prayer, fellowship, worship…

Are You Addicted to Big, Fast, and Famous?

Steve Curran — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 12:30:38 +0000

Small Groups create a place where we can share our lives with others. Small Groups create a place where we can encourage and challenge one another. Small Groups create a place where the Holy Spirit can make disciples. And you are creating that place.

5 Non-Negotiables for Brand New Groups

Ben Reed — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Keeping these in mind is vital for a group’s short- and long-term success.

4 Non-Negotiables When Recruiting Small Group Leaders

Stephen Blandino — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 05:00:00 +0000

Keys to help maximize your ability to recruit small group leaders.