Big Ideas about Small Groups

Stop recruiting, now!

Carter Moss | CCC-New Thing Adult Catalyst

I am currently reading "Organic Leadership" by Neil Cole, and he expounds on a point he made in "Search & Rescue" which I found extremely interesting, and I'm still wrestling with in my head. He says that the main difference in churches that have plenty of leaders vs. those that don't, is in how they get new leaders. He says it's that churches that struggle recruit their leaders, but that this is not an addition strategy, it's actually a subtraction strategy. Why? Because it's taking leaders away from one ministry to serve in another.

Instead, he says we need to farm leaders--develop people when they first begin to follow Jesus, disciple them, and as a natural result of discipleship, they will want to jump in on God's mission. So we need to start with discipleship (farming), not recruiting.

I realize this is a very limited summary of what Neil takes the appropriate time to set up, so I hope it doesn't do his point any injustice. But based on this, or maybe what you've read and tried--is he on the right track?  Do we need more farming and less recruiting?

Where do you end up finding most leaders, specifically small group leaders?

Missing: Jesus (Discussion Guide: Found!)

This weekend at COMMUNITY we kick off our brand-new series which will take us up to Easter--Missing: Jesus. Through this series, we will explore 4 different stereotypes/caricatures that we often have of Jesus, and we will attempt to uncover the real Jesus that the gospels tell us about.

The 4 differerent Jesus stereotypes we will be tackling are:
*Spooky Jesus
*Middle-Class Jesus
*Sunday School Jesus
*Buddy Jesus

To go along with this series, we have written an excellent Small Group Discussion Guide that help facilitate discussion around the 4 weeks of this series. So be the first to download a copy--HERE!

Following the Leader

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Ministry Champion

I had the opportunity to speak at Tri-County Church this past week and spoke to their Leadership Community about being a Reproducing Church.  They are located in DuBois, PA - a rural area - and God has been very generous to them as they are averaging about 1200 a weekend.  Not only that, they are going multi-site a week after Easter!  Here are the basics of what I shared to their biggest Leadership Community gathering in 7 years:

Following the Leader

Luke 5 - Follow Me - it starts with us as Leaders following Jesus - are you following Him?

Luke 10 - Get an Apprentice - Jesus sent them out in pairs - why?  Are you following the buddy-system?

Luke 15 - Help people find their way back to God - I shared some thoughts from The Prodigal God, Tim Keller - Keller reminds us that Luke 15 has two parts: about the younger son and the older son - meaning those far from God and Christians who are not following Jesus but are prideful about their "good works".

Luke gives a great progression of discipleship for the local church.  Follow Me, Get an Apprentice and Help People Find Their Way Back to God!

Four Secrets to Great Question-Asking

Carter Moss | CCC/NewThing Adult Catalyst

One of the most important skills for small group leaders to develop is the skill of asking GREAT questions. Great questions will help create a great discussion. Of course it's more of an art than a science, but here are some tips that are hopefully helpful for you: 

Secret #1: Ask open-ended questions!

• Avoid the yes-no, true-false, multiple-choice questions [“Is Jesus the sheep or the shepherd in this parable?”]
• Avoid questions that let people off the hook with a simple “Sunday school answer” [“Why did Jesus die on the cross?”]
• Ask questions that require people to have to share some actual thoughts and feelings [“Which of the challenges the author mentioned has been the most difficult one for you in this past year? Where are some ways that you have done well in overcoming that challenge?”]

Secret #2: Ask follow-up questions!

• Many people default to trying to stay pretty surface level with their levels, so get in the habit of not letting them off the hook—ask more follow-up questions.
• Here are some examples of good follow-up questions for short/simple answers people give:
  • What makes you say that?
  • How do you feel about that?
  • How do you think that would’ve affected you if you had been living in the time of Jesus?
  • How would you explain your answer to a non-Christian friend or neighbor?
  • Try to get at the core of what people are really trying to say.

Secret #3: Start an argument!

• I like to tell my groups that if we all just always agree with each other and with every word that every author we read says, then it makes for a pretty boring group and somewhat pointless discussion. The point of actually discussing things is to get different perspectives and wrestle with things!
• Here are some examples of questions that can help create discussion by playing a little “devil’s advocate”:
  • Do you really agree with what the author is saying in that chapter?  Why or why not?
  • Why did God design it to work that way? Why not just do (whatever else) instead?
  • What would you say to someone who disagrees with that?
  • Why do we really have to do it like that? Why can’t we just go (some other route) instead?

Secret #4: Make sure the rubber hits the road!

• I often tell my small group that by the end of the night, we need to make sure we apply what we’re discussing to our current lives—otherwise we just leave group a little smarter, rather than with changed lives!
• Whatever it is you’re discussing, make sure to end with some application questions. Here are some examples:
• So what in the world does that have to do with our lives today?
  • How can you change your perspective from today on regarding that issue?
  • What one thing can you do differently in this next week to start living that out?
  • Some groups will add some accountability to that last question, recording what members share, and asking them to report back the next week.

Discover the Dream

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Ministry Champion

Have you thought that maybe God is calling you to something new?  Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit that is begging to be unleashed to impact God's Kingdom?  Is it possible that God is calling you to be part of a reproducing church movement?  If so, check out Discover the Dream, April 20, 2009 in Orlando, Florida as a pre-conference workshop to the Exponential Conference.

At Discover the Dream you will:

• Encounter the dream that God put within you.

• Understand how your dream is a part of His dream.

• Hear from leaders who are living out their dream and fulfilling it by planting reproducing churches.

• Realize that you can be a part of a movement that is pursuing the dream of God.

Join us in Orlando to Discover the Dream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small Group Exchange websource

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Ministry Champion

I recently said yes to be on a team who will oversee content for an awesome small group website www.smallgroupexchange.com developed by bluefishtv.  While perusing their website I ran accross a video of me talking about COMMUNITY's small groups - answering a question - how do we define them?  Let me know what you think!

S.W.O.T. of Group Life in U.S.

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Champion

Another conversation that was thoroughly discussed and will likely spark more conversation was a S.W.O.T. analysis of Group Life in the U.S. (strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats).  Check out just one of the wall post-its - there were actually 4 total:

       

Technology - Connection vs. Community

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Ministry

Just had a great dialogue through what was called a "fishbowl" conversation.  5 of us sat up in front of everyone while everyone watched us discuss a hot topic: Technology - is it connection or is it community?  And then we discuss.  Alongside of that, there was an empty chair where anyone could come sit in the empty chair and ask a question or make a comment that would spur the conversation further.

Here's the pictoral of what was brought up:

Get a New Attitude

 Genea Browne | CCC Shorewood Small Groups Director

As leaders, we have many demands on our lives. We often feel tired, drained and have nothing left to give at the end of the day. Society puts it in our face every day that we should be able to balance all of our roles perfectly while still managing to have a clean house, well behaved-kids, a successful career and time for ourselves. We look at other leaders and think they have it all together, which causes us to look at ourselves with shame and guilt and wonder, "what's wrong with me?" We try to be a superhero to others around us and this often leaves us to become over extended, resentful, maybe even angry at times.

 

So how do we overcome that? How do we strive for a prayerful attitude? We have to be willing to rest in God and let Him fill us up. Isaiah 40:31 tells us, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

 

It is a tremendous blessing to be able to be used by God in powerful ways through leadership. It is when there is no time for ourselves to fill up again, refuel, recharge is when it’s dangerous. I spend many of my days pouring into the lives of others by listening, praying and encouraging them. If I don’t spend time with God and let Him fill me up I run the risk of burning out and then I am of no use to anyone. Maybe you can relate.

 

Having a prayerful attitude can bring you an inner peace and calm that you won’t experience with anything else. Having a prayerful attitude means giving up everything to God even when we are  tired and weary. It’s at those times that we look to God and say, I can do ALL things through you, God, who gives me strength. Having a prayerful attitude means exactly what it says in Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” Having a prayerful attitude means living a life for God like you mean it. Saying, “God this life isn’t about me but it’s all about you and in order to do your work I have to care for myself.” God wants to use us leaders as a vessel to reach others, to show His love to hurting people. And let me ask you this--how are you caring for that vessel?

WCA Gathering

Eric Metcalf **NewThing Adult Ministry Director

Hanging with some the greatest minds in the small group world in San Antonio, TX.  The Willow Creek Association (WCA) once a year gathers a group of hand-selected people to talk through Kingdom issues among grouplife.  Last year we covered some stellar topics that dramatically impacted how we do church at COMMUNITY.  The 2 Big Ideas that were influenced this year by last year's WCA Gatherhing were: The Story of Everything and You 2.0.  To read more about last year's gathering visit this LINK.

So I'll try and keep you posted about what comes up and where things go.  It looks like, based upon the wall post-its, we will be covering topics like:

- Missional Small Groups? (my number one question)

- Measurements of Success?

- What role does Technology play in small groups?

- Spiritual Formation?

- What's aging or dying in grouplife?

And then we are going to look at the S.W.O.T. of the group life movement (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

Lots of stuff here.  So how about you, what would you like to see addressed?  What stands out to you in this dialogue?