Here are last week’s Small Group Leader TIPS as Tweeted, posted on our Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. *     *     *     *     *     *     * Monday, 6/6: Encourage mbrs of your community to spend time in solitude w/ God. Each practice makes the other stronger. Tuesday, 6/7: Try different approaches to Bible study. e.g., Read various …

As a shepherd leader, you are undoubtedly concerned about those you lead. You care about their souls. You pay attention to their spiritual conditions and want to lead them deeper with God. At least I hope so. Being in a small group is—or should be—good for your soul as well. But I’ve found, through my own experience and from talking …

It’s been a couple weeks since returning from my trip to Brazil, training cell pastors and leaders at two conferences. Yesterday, I shared the first of some of my discoveries from my trip: Community Is a Way of Life in Brazil, and because of that cells fit into that culture. While I believe that’s true, I also noticed that the …

I came across a quote in an article by Henri Nouwen recently that made me laugh and then made me think: Your inner life is like a banana tree filled with monkeys jumping up and down.* This is hilarious … and true … and sad. I’m so distracted with so much. Even as I write this, I have Monday Night …

Quite often, God puts his children on hold. King David experienced this. “I wait quietly before God,” he said in Psalm 62. (Actually, David wrote often about this act of waiting on God.) I’ve experienced this and so have you. Perhaps you’re on hold right now. God is always with us. It’s not as though we’re sitting on hold while …

I confess, even after 51+ years, I need the Lord to “teach me how to live” (Psalm 27:11). I don’t have this life-thing all figured out yet. I’m reminded of that fact every so often when I think I have everything under control. God knows the best way for me to live. He knows the path ahead of me much …

As I sat down to spend time with my Father this morning, I went through a ritual of sorts. Not the kind of dead ritual of thoughtless, purposeless religious duty, but a heart-felt practice I’ve developed over the years. I share it here hoping that you may find something that helps you drawl closer to God each day. This is …

Yesterday I began a 3-part post about how to respond when you are not seeing any fruit in your ministry, small group, or just about anything else you are involved in. Read Part 1 here. In reading Isaiah and considering other Biblical leaders, I see two reasons why we face failure and what to do about each one. Today I’ll …

I write this blog primarily for leaders. When I’m writing, I’m thinking about leaders and I try to speak to the hearts of leaders. So sometimes I might say something that can be misconstrued if read from a different perceptive than my target audience. This just happened today. I posted a brief excerpt from my November 6 blog, “Solitude Before …

“Why is it so important that solitude come before community? If we do not know we are the beloved sons and daughters of God, we’re going to expect someone in the community to make us feel that way. They cannot.” –Henri Nouwen  I’ve been blogging a short series about our inner life, discipleship, community, and ministry, inspired by Nouwen’s Spring …