Jun

2

Studies for New Christians

June 2, 2007 | Leave a Comment

OK, I need your help. The maturity article in the last newsletter prompted a couple of requests for materials to grow up baby Christians. And in fact, I’m in need of discipleship materials for the new Christian we’re working with. Everything I’ve found so far is BORING. If you know of something interesting that will […]

Jun

1

Make Your Small Group a Harm-Free Zone

June 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Rebecca Livermore offers five tips for making sure that your small group is a safe place for everyone. Read the entire article here. Livermore’s main points include:
1. Ban badmouthing.
2. Avoid the superstar syndrome.
3. Keep your teaching understandable.
4. Pay compliments.
5. Encourage people to spend time together outside the weekly meeting.
Her point is well taken. We need […]

Mar

13

Tell Us About Your Challenging Person

March 13, 2007 | 1 Comment

Everywhere I go and talk about my new book people tell me about the challenging person in their small group. Why Didn’t You Warn Me? How to Deal with Challenging Group Members identifies 18 types of challenging people and offers insights into how to lead your group while helping them learn to be more functional.
It […]

Mar

11

No More Mr. Nice Group

March 11, 2007 | 1 Comment

John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, CA lists five practices that take small groups beyond polite “sharing” to the disciplines that change lives. These include
•    Confession: remove the masks
•    Application: look in the mirror
•    Accountability: stand on the scale
•    Guidance: follow the map
•    Encouragement: embrace each other
These are such […]

Mar

6

The Five “Ms” Every Leader Should Know

March 6, 2007 | Leave a Comment

BuildingSmallGroups.com offers a great article on five strategies to bring members to maturity. It’s interesting reading these because I just finished teaching “From Here to Maturity” at BASS and offered many of the same thoughts in my own language. I’m delighted that there seems to be an increased emphasis on maturity. In my book, that’s […]

Feb

23

More On the Value of Maturity

February 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Yesterday we began looking at the Principle of Maturity. Today we get a little more personal. I guess that’s why this value is so important to me, especially in small groups.
In a small group, we not only have the opportunity to hear, but also to study and interact with God’s Word. We have the opportunity […]

Feb

22

The Value of Maturity

February 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment

People lead groups for many reasons, but I have one overriding purpose no matter what type of group I’m leading. Or just about any other form of ministry for that matter.
The first principle I address in Why Didn’t You Warn Me? How to Deal With Challenging Group Members is this: The Purpose Of Any Small […]

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