I’m a big fan of today’s guest blogger. I’ve known his dad, Kent Odor, who we affectionately call Small Group “Yoda,” for years, and he’s been a great encourager, mentor, friend, and coworker. His son Micah has the same kind of traits. Micah has made it a regular practice to sit in on workshops I’ve led at various events, and …

Small Group Leadership TIPS of the past week as Tweeted, posted on the Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. *     *     *     *     *     *     * Monday, 11/30: Be (way) more concerned about how much people change than how much they know. Prepare accordingly. Tuesday, 12/1:  If you’re hosting, facilitating, shepherding, emailing, + discipling… you’re not sharing …

It was about this time 20 years ago—the fall of 1995—that I started a new ministry from my basement in Cincinnati, Ohio. For a couple of years I had considered developing a national magazine for small group leaders, and I even had an offer from the preeminent small group ministry of that time to publish it—in due time. As I …

Small Group Leadership TIPS of the past week as Tweeted, posted on the Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. *     *     *     *     *     *     * Monday, 11/23: Each day this week, send a letter or email or call group mbrs to #thank them for what they bring to the group. Tuesday, 11/24: Thank your #church leaders: …

GUEST POST by Jay Daniell, Small Group Network, jay@smallgroupnetwork.com; @jaydaniell *     *     *     *     *     * As the small group point person in your church, there is no need to stand alone. Around the turn of the century, God moved in me as a volunteer to launch small groups in …

Small Group Leadership TIPS of the past week as Tweeted, posted on the Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. *     *     *     *     *     *     * Monday, 11/16: Do you feel free? Forgiven? Loved? Do you have peace? This affects your leadership. Talk to God abt it 2day. Tuesday, 11/17: Be radically, irrationally different, as a ldr …

GUEST POST by Joel Comiskey, Ph.D., president of www.joelcomiskeygroup.com. *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *   I really wanted John to replace me as the small group point person. He was knowledgeable, talented, friendly, and likable. He was a good friend and always positive. But he was the wrong guy. Why? He just wasn’t FAT. Or better, he …

Small Group Leadership TIPS of the past week as Tweeted, posted on the Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. * * * * * * * * Monday, 11/9: Don’t be selfie-obsessed. Resurrect compassion in your group. See vid by @craiggroeschel: http://ow.ly/UfidM  Tuesday, 11/10: Focus your study on the Gospel-the death & resurrection of Jesus. It’s the …

GUEST POST by Rick Howerton, Discipleship & Small Group Specialist at LifeWay. Read Rick’s Blog. *     *     *     *     *     *     *     * Because the Bible is getting its rightful place in group life again, sometimes the term, “teacher,” is being used to describe the person leading the group’s Bible study time. If you’ve been around the small group world …

Here are the Small Group Leadership TIPS of the past week as Tweeted, posted on the Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. * * * * * * * * Monday, 11/2: Has someone in your grp hurt you? Forgive. It may be the most powerful lesson you ever teach. Tuesday, 11/3: Move your Bible study from …