Healthy groups grow and multiply. Unhealthy groups are a strain on you as a leader and your whole ministry. I wrote Small Group Vital Signsout of my own experience as a small group minister assessing the health of our groups and then implementing a process for developing the health of our groups. This process helped our groups grow spiritually, numerically, …

Today: Proverbs 16 Right now, many small groups are making plans for the fall season. So are families as their kids are going back to school. One of the vital signs of a healthy small group is that it proactively sets goals and makes plans. But is it right to make your own plans and set your own goals?  There …

Today: Proverbs 14 As a “small groups guy,” people often try to suck me into a debate about doctrinal impurity that may come about in a small group discussion. In a recent discussion on a Facebook forum, one leader said, “Without the right leadership you end up with far too much ‘I think’ or ‘what this means to me’ and …

Today: Proverbs 11  Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety (Proverbs 11:14, NLT).  As we head toward Election Day in the United States, this proverb has never been more vital! Both sides would argue that they are wise leaders and their opponent is not. Their policies are wise and the other candidate’s are unwise. This …

Here are ten tweets I’ve retweeted over the last couple months. A lot of great wisdom here!  Rick Howerton‏  @rickhowerton Either a leader leads like Christ, from a heart of love and mercy, or they aren’t a Christlike leader. Jim Lyon‏  @PastorJimLyon Everbody has some baggage. The trick is to let God pack your bags + develop the itinerary. Travel …

The first commandment for small groups is this: “I am the Lord your God … you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath . . .” (Exodus 20:2-4). How can your group live out this first and most fundamental …

My good friend from Boise Idaho, Carl Douthit, posted this on Facebook yesterday: Too often we (and I definitely include myself) focus on “what” we DO in a relationship. God shows us that we should focus on “who” we ARE in a relationship. If our relationship with God depended on what we could do for Him, there wouldn’t be a …

What is your small group doing this summer? Did you know that summer can actually be the BEST time for small groups? It’s a great time to get outside together, serve together, do more socially together, play together, learn some new things together. What’s the key word here? That’s right … together! Here are some ideas: Pull out your calendars now …

Many small groups are like Igor in Young Frankenstein. One of my favorite scenes in the movie shows Igor, played by Marty Feldman, and Dr. Frankenstein, played by Gene Wilder, talking. Dr. Frankenstein says, “You know, I’m a brilliant surgeon. I can help you with that hump.” To which Igor responds in perfect deadpan, “What hump?” This happens so often …

I’m blessed to have partnered with many people over the years who have in one way or another shaped my thinking about small groups, community, discipleship, and ministry. I’ve been to the same conferences with many of them, been a part of the same teams and networks, and hung out together over dinner just talking life. I’ve read many of …