What do God’s people do when faced with challenges like a worldwide pandemic or civil unrest? We always have a choice: immediately seek solutions or turn to God. Of course, this is not a binary choice—we can do both—but it’s...
Tag: dealing with challenges
Church Leadership
Every Decision Point Is an Opportunity to Grow (and a Possibility for Pain)
Why do some churches grow and multiply, some plateau, and others decline? It’s a question I’ve considered for a long time, and my experience as well as everything I read and study and all the people I talk to reinforce...
TIPS
Leadership TIPS of the Week: August 28—September 1, 2017
I share these leadership TIPS each weekday on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to help equip ordinary people to lead extraordinary churches, groups, classes, ministries, businesses, teams, families . . . whatever you lead! Then I compile each week’s TIPS here...
Discipling, Small Group Leaders
The Need for Accountability in Groups
GUEST POST by C.J. Stephens, Small Groups Minister at Northeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky I hear the stories over and over again. They vary in subtle ways, yet they’re always about that person in your group—the one who seems...
TIPS
Leadership TIPS of the Week: June 12-16, 2017
Here are this week’s all new Leadership TIPS ... for all kinds of spiritual leaders. Each day this week, we Tweeted them, posted them on our Facebook page, and posted them on LinkedIn. Use these tips in your ministry. Retweet...
Small Group Leaders, Spiritual Life
Don’t Let the Sheep Lead the Flock!
God often takes us places we didn't plan to go. As I got into my rental car in Louisville, Kentucky, to head out to The Groups Conference in Mattoon, Illinois, where I was speaking last weekend, I set the route...
TIPS
Small Group Leader TIPS of the Week: Nov. 7-11, 2016
Here are the Small Group Leader TIPS for the last week as Tweeted, posted on our Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. This week’s TIPS focus on building healthy authentic community / unity even in a political...
Discipling, Facilitating Discussion
25 Tips for Dealing with Politics in Your Small Group
How do you discuss politics civilly in such a politically charged culture? Or should you even try? Your group members may debate whether you should even talk about politics in small group meetings. Some would maintain that this could fracture...
Small Group Leaders
Small Group Clown Sightings
Clowns have been seen entering small group meetings. What do you do as a leader when this happens? Do what Jesus did. Jesus’ small group was full of clowns. Except for its leader, this leadership-training group seemed to lack any...
Ministry Leaders
Should We Shake Up Small Groups?
I was recently asked this question via email from a church leader in Canada: There has been some question in the past at our church about how long a group should be together. A thought had been to "shake" things...