May

31

Leading Challenging People

May 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment

I was exited to see that CT’s BuildingSmallGroups.com reprinted my book’s last chapter, The Challenge of Challenging People, on it’s website. This article offers practical advice for those willing to minister at the margins. It’s an important read for those who are experienced enough to take on a group of challenging people. Yep, you heard […]

May

30

Getting Along with Difficult People

May 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Rick Warren has weighed with four skills to deal with difficult people. He lists seven types he calls troublemakers:
* THE SHERMAN TANK - will run over you if you let him.
* THE MEGAPHONE - will talk your ear off.
* THE BUBBLE BUSTER - deflates everyone’s enthusiasm.
* THE VOLCANO - has a temper like Mt. St. […]

May

29

Queen of the Castle

May 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Are you ready for a break? Here’s a change of pace for our female leaders who need a bit of encouragement or who lead women’s groups. I just received a fun book called Queen of the Castle: 52 Weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker by Lynn Bowen Walker. […]

May

28

Memorial Day

May 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

On this Memorial Day, I invite each reader to pause and thank God for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and was first observed on […]

May

24

Five Strategies for Effective Discussions

May 24, 2007 | 3 Comments

Matthew Anderson at Mere Orthodoxy suggests five strategies for setting clear expectations for a discussion. While he’s focused more on students, many of the suggestions apply to adult small groups as well. He recommends:
1. Praise good things liberally.
2. Tell people what the expectations are.
3. Be appropriately […]

May

22

Goddess Spirituality in your Group?

May 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment

As you lead small groups, especially if they’re seeker groups, you will eventually encounter the challenge of  people who have chosen to follow the Goddess or feminine spirituality. With the popularity of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, there has been an increased interest in goddess worship.
If you’re like me, this is an area you […]

May

21

Barna Shows Americans Are Spiritually Active, But Biblical Views Wane

May 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Barna Annual Tracking Survey indicates that while Americans remain spiritually active, but are becoming less orthodox in their beliefs. The Barna study, which began exploring the nation’s religious behavior and beliefs in 1984, shows that commitment to orthodox biblical perspectives is slipping in a number of areas.

For example, the study indicated that “most Americans […]

May

20

Seeker Small Groups in SF Bay Area

May 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment

When I attended the Fuller Seminary (Northern California) breakfast last week, Mary Schaller spoke about her ministry. Mary is head of Seeker Ministries, which I referred to in my last post. She and Garry Poole from Willow Creek are working in the SF Bay area to start Seeker Small Groups. They had set a goal […]

May

13

Becoming Individuals Through Community

May 13, 2007 | 2 Comments

Mary Schaller at SeekerMinistries offers a great quote by Elizabeth O’Connor, author of the classic Journey Inward, Journey Outward
“Modern psychology has made us aware that we become individuals in relationship with others and that where there is no genuine community the self is damaged and grows in crooked ways….when the church wakes again it […]

May

11

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day May 12

May 11, 2007 | 2 Comments

In a follow-up to my post on Chronically Ill are a Challenging Group, I want to alert you that May 12 is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Read more about the symptoms of fibromyalgia (FMS) and please be gentle with those who tell you they have this disease or others with invisible symptoms.
I had FMS for […]

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