Our first priority is to delight in the Lord. It is not to seek the desires of our heart.
Tag: spiritual growth
10 Recommended Books for Small Group Coaches
I recently asked some of my small group ministry friends for their recommendations for small group coaching books. The first five are their recommendations, followed by five I regularly recommend.
Life to the Full with a Broken Patella
One year ago today, October 10, 2021, I fell mountain biking in Brown County Indiana, and fractured my kneecap. To summarize, over the last year, I've had three knee surgeries, a severe infection following surgery #1, six weeks of intravenous...
The Power of Authenticity
When I was about 10 years old, I made friends with two brothers in my neighborhood, Tim and Jeff Ward. Perhaps because I didn’t have a brother living at home, or just for fun, I told them I had a...
Four Reasons Every Lead Pastor Should Be in a Small Group
Lead pastors who lead a small group create a win-win dynamic. The pastors and the churches they lead both become healthier and grow as a result. Jim Egli, who has served as a senior pastor, associate pastor, missions pastor, and...
Step #1 in Becoming a Great Leader: Gut-Level Honesty
The World’s Greatest Small Group Leader is a perfect model for us. Jesus’ priority was his relationship with his Father. He said and did and taught nothing on his own, but only what his Father gave him. Henri Nouwen once...
‘Where Are You?’
"Where are you?" The obvious answer to that question is a physical one ... but there's a much more vital spiritual answer. "Where are you?" is the simple, three-word question God asked Adam (Genesis 3:9) after he and his wife...
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...
Small Group Leader TIPS of the Week: Feb. 20-24, 2017
It's Friday! That means we're sharing our Small Group Leader TIPS of the week as Tweeted, posted on our Small Group Leadership Facebook page, and posted on LinkedIn. Use these tips in your ministry! #SmallGroupLeader #TIPoftheDay: A great SG leader...
C.J. Stephens on Prayer in Group Life
Today's guest blogger is C.J. Stephens, Small Groups Minister at Northeast Christian Church. Because I lead a Northeast small group, I receive C.J.'s monthly newsletter called "Leader Connect." This past month, C.J. wrote about prayer in groups, an important topic...