Pastor Steve Gladen and Derek Olson discuss how small group ministry can drift from being people-focused to program-focused, and argue the most important question is how to keep relationships central. Steve emphasizes the power of one-to-one connection and offers practical ways to reach people beyond email, including texting, calling (with a heads-up text), being present to connect in person at church, sending notes, and even doing brief “pop-bys” with a small gift to create face-to-face contact. Once connected, he shares the SPEAK acrostic for knowing someone personally:Story, Passions, Encouragement (including love languages and key dates), Abilities (including the Benjamin Franklin effect), and Knowledge. He also introduces the “four helpful lists” for improving ministry: what’s working, what’s wrong, what’s confusing, and what’s missing. They close by promoting the May Lobby Gathering event for small group leaders.

https://smallgroupnetwork.com

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
01:11 Episode Preview
02:05 People Over Programs
03:01 Power of One to One
05:17 How to Reach People
06:29 Lobby Lurker and Pop By
10:43 SPEAK Acrostic
12:47 Encouragement and Dates
14:57 Abilities and Franklin Effect
19:23 Four Helpful List
23:14 Final Challenge and Wrap
25:18 Lobby Gathering Invite
26:59 Subscribe and Resources

Join all access at the Small Group Network 

In this episode of SG Squared, Pastor Steve Gladen and Derek discuss how small group point people can get distracted by urgent tasks and connection metrics while missing the most important question: what kind of disciple the church is trying to produce. Steve explains that every small group model includes a connection process, but the strategy must also include a clear discipleship and spiritual formation pathway that goes beyond slogans and cognitive learning to lived obedience. He argues that the small group point person must seek clarity on the church’s discipleship strategy—whether they own it or partner with others—so training, coaching, curriculum, and tools align with the intended outcomes. Listeners are invited to join Small Group Network All Access for resources and updates, including a coaching platform planned for October 2026.

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:28 Weather and Relativity
02:47 The Real Question
04:29 Why Connection Matters
06:13 Seven Group Models
09:32 Discipleship Second Half
11:18 Who Owns Discipleship
14:06 Point Person Responsibility
19:25 Avoid Model Hopping
20:51 Wrap Up and Resources

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. For more resources and to join the small group community, visit smallgroupnetwork.com. 

THE MENDOZA STORY
130 schools said no.
He led the losingest program in college football history to a national championship anyway.
Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit from Miami.

He tried to walk on at his hometown school. They passed.
So did FIU.
So did FAU.
So did everyone else.

At 17, he was sitting in his bedroom, crying over a silent recruiting inbox—after driving to 18 camps with his dad and sending highlights to more than 100 programs.
Not one FBS offer.
His only option? Yale. No scholarship. No NFL path.

Everyone told him to be “realistic.”
“Know your place.”
“Be grateful.”
He didn’t listen.
Because Mendoza understood something most people miss:
The worst outcome isn’t failing.
It’s never getting the chance to try.

Two weeks before signing day in 2022, his phone rang.
Cal needed a body. One offer. Out of 134 schools.
He took it.
He arrived as the third-string quarterback.
Spent a year on the scout team.
Lost his first four starts.
Got sacked 41 times behind a broken offensive line.

Still got up. Every time.
Then Cal brought in a transfer instead of building around him.
So Mendoza left the only school that had ever said yes.
He transferred to Indiana—the losingest program in college football history.

People laughed.
“Career suicide.”
“Graveyard program.”
“Nobody wins there.”
One coach told him something different:
“I’m going to make you the best Fernando Mendoza possible.”
That was enough.
Mendoza wasn’t just playing for football.
His mother has battled multiple sclerosis for 18 years.

Before every snap, he thought of her.
“My mother is my why.”
Indiana went 16–0.
Beat six Top-10 teams.
Won their first Big Ten title since 1945.
Mendoza threw 41 touchdowns.
Won the Heisman—first in school history.
First Cuban-American to ever do it.

Then came the title game.
Miami. Near his hometown.
Fourth-and-4. Season on the line.
Quarterback draw.
The kid 134 schools rejected spun through defenders and dove into the end zone.

Game over.
Indiana—national champions.
The losingest program became the best team in America.
All because a 17-year-old refused to believe “no” was the end.

Rankings don’t decide your ceiling.
Gatekeepers don’t write your ending.
Being overlooked isn’t a verdict—it’s a starting point.

Sometimes all you need is one shot…
and the courage to bet on yourself when nobody else will.
Don’t quit.

00:00 Thank You for Listening!
18:31 Subscribe for More Content
18:35 Join the Small Group Network
18:43 See You Next Time!

Welcome to SG Squared with Pastor Steve Gladen, who brings over 25 years of small group ministry experience to provide practical advice and encouragement for leading small groups. In this episode, despite battling the flu, Steve and Derek discuss the importance of leading with purpose, building trust, developing people, celebrating wins, and clarifying roles and next steps. These five key strategies are designed to help you lead small groups more effectively and foster stronger engagement. Whether you're leading in ministry, at work, or at home, these transferable principles will equip you to be a better leader. Don't miss out on this insightful masterclass!

Check out
Small Groups With Purpose by Steve Gladen
and
Planning Small Groups With Purpose by Steve Gladen

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:23 Catching Up and Health Updates
02:21 Five Ways to Lead Effectively
05:00 1. Lead with Purpose
06:35 2. Build Trust
09:10 3. Develop Your People
12:41 4. Celebrate the Wins
15:13 5. Clarify Roles and Next Steps
17:12 Recap and Closing Thoughts
18:02 Subscribe and Stay Connected

The 6 Fs

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:23 Casual Chat and Health Updates
02:21 Five Ways to Lead Effectively
05:00 1. Lead with Purpose
06:35 2. Build Trust
09:10 3. Develop Your People
12:41 4. Celebrate the Wins
15:13 5. Clarify Roles and Next Steps
17:12 Conclusion and Recap
17:51 Closing Remarks and Subscription Reminder

In this episode of SG Squared, Pastor Steve Gladen, with over 25 years of small group ministry experience, and his co-host Derek discuss valuable advice on managing upset individuals within small group ministry. The conversation includes light-hearted pre-show banter about their college football teams, but focuses deeply on equipping listeners with 10 practical tips for dealing with conflict. Key points discussed include listening actively, validating feelings, offering practical support, and much more. The episode concludes with the importance of patience and understanding that not all conflict situations will be resolved immediately. Listen in to gain essential tools to foster peaceful and empathetic conversations within your ministry.

10 Tips For Tough Conversations (and to download the full notes click HERE)

• Start the time in prayer.
• Make the meeting in a quiet public place
• Listen actively and empathetically: Allow the member to express their feelings without interruption or judgment. Show that you are truly hearing them by nodding, making eye contact, and offering verbal affirmations like "I understand" or "That sounds really tough."
• Validate their feelings: Let them know that their feelings are understandable given the situation. You can say something like, "It makes sense that you feel [upset emotion] about this" or "I can see why you'd be frustrated." Get to a place where you can express that "feelings" aren't "facts".
• Offer practical support (if appropriate): Ask if there's anything they are looking for to be done. This could help you know how extreme they are coming from or they just may want to be heard. You can help them brainstorm solutions, or simply pray with them.
• Suggest a distraction or activity: Sometimes a change of scenery or a fun activity can help shift their mood. This could be going for a walk, watching a movie, or doing something they enjoy. However, be sensitive to their readiness for this and don't push it if they prefer to talk. A prayer meditation time may bring another perspective.  BBasically focus on Jesus versus the situation.
• Remind them of your support: Reassure them that you care about them and are there for them. A simple "I'm here for you" or "You're not alone in this" can be very powerful.
• Encourage self-care: Suggest activities that might help them relax and de-stress, like taking a quiet time, listening to music, or getting some rest.
• Avoid minimizing their feelings: Don't say things like "It's not that big of a deal" or "You're overreacting." Even if the issue seems small to you, it's significant to them.
• Don't offer unsolicited advice: Unless they specifically ask for your opinion or solutions, focus on listening and validating. Sometimes people just need to vent.
• Share a relevant experience (briefly and cautiously): If you've gone through something similar, you might briefly share your experience to show solidarity, but avoid making the conversation about you.
• Be patient: It can take time for someone to process their emotions. Continue to check in with them and offer support as they navigate their feelings.

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:21 Pre-Show Banter and Game Week Excitement
03:24 Addressing National Tensions and Church Relevance
04:17 Setting Up for Practical Tips
11:04 10 Practical Tips for Handling Upset People
28:07 Bonus Tips and Final Thoughts
33:09 Closing Remarks and Subscription Reminder

Join hosts Steve Gladen and Derek Olson for a lively and insightful episode packed with updates from the Small Group Network and a practical deep dive into crafting effective small group guidelines. Steve shares the latest on SGN’s mission, new initiatives, and the ongoing effort to end loneliness among pastors and church members. Then, the duo unpacks 10 essential elements you can include in your group’s guidelines, drawing from decades of small group ministry experience. Whether you’re launching a new group or looking to strengthen an existing one, this episode is full of wisdom, humor, and actionable tips.

Chapters & Timestamps:

• [00:00] Introduction & Banter
  • Derek and Steve kick off with some friendly sports rivalry, coffee cup confessions, and updates on Steve’s “office on wheels.”
• [04:18] SGN Update: New Initiatives & State Reps
  • Steve shares exciting news about SGN’s 501(c)(3) status, upcoming Bible engagement resources, and the push to recruit state representatives to combat loneliness and resource churches nationwide.
• [09:35] How to Get Involved
  • Learn how you can become a state rep, make an impact, and connect with Steve directly.
• [10:55] Why Group Guidelines Matter
  • The hosts explain the importance of group covenants/guidelines and how they set expectations for healthy, thriving small groups.
• [12:17] 10 Things That Could Be Part of Your Group Guidelines
  1. Clear Purpose – Define your group’s mission and goals.
  2. Group Attendance – Commit to regular, intentional meetings.
  3. Safe Environment – Foster a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing.
  4. Confidentiality – Build trust by keeping group discussions private (with legal exceptions).
  5. Conflict Resolution – Handle disagreements biblically and directly.
  6. Spiritual Health – Encourage accountability and growth in faith.
  7. Limit Our Freedom – Be sensitive to others’ backgrounds and struggles.
  8. Welcome Newcomers – Keep your group open and inviting.
  9. Building Relationships – Go deeper through authentic community and subgrouping.
  10. Teamwork – Involve everyone in the group’s life and mission.
• [32:56] Final Thoughts & Encouragement
  • Steve and Derek wrap up with practical advice for customizing your group guidelines and a reminder to revisit them regularly.
• [37:01] How to Become a State Leader
  • Steve outlines the proactive and reactive roles of a state leader and invites passionate listeners to join the mission.
• [37:01] Closing & Call to Action
  • Don’t forget to subscribe and visit smallgroupnetwork.com for more resources, support, and opportunities to connect.

Ready to take your small group to the next level?
Explore more resources and join the community at https://smallgroupnetwork.com!

In this engaging episode of SG Squared, Derek hosts Steve Gladen, a seasoned small group ministry leader with over 25 years of experience, to share five essential tips for setting up strong small groups this fall. Steve makes two major announcements, discussing his departure from Saddleback Church and future plans to focus on the global church and develop the Small Group Network. The five tips covered include clarifying the 'why,' checking in with processes and people, listening well, saying thank you, and modeling openness. By implementing these strategies, leaders can bolster their small group ministries and impact discipleship effectively. Don't miss out on these practical insights to help you prepare for the upcoming fall season and beyond.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
01:14 Big Announcements from Steve Gladen
02:51 Transitioning to Global Church Work
08:11 Five Tips for Strong Small Groups This Fall
09:23 Tip 1: Clarify the Why
12:08 Tip 2: Check In
15:53 Tip 3: Listen Well
19:37 Tip 4: Say Thank You
23:02 Tip 5: Model Openness
27:07 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Learn more at https://smallgroupnetwork.com

In this special edition of SG Squared, Steve Gladen passionately shares his personal journey and the transformative power of small groups, beginning with his family's conversion story. Following his departure from Saddleback Church, Steve announces his full-time commitment to the Small Group Network. He outlines three main focuses for the future: eradicating loneliness through better community connection, enhancing Bible engagement within small groups, and making significant impacts on various community units including families, local churches, and the global church. Steve calls for support through donations, becoming a 'Friend of the Small Group Network,' and helping churches access 'All Access' resources, underlining the initiative's potential to create profound change.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Update
00:32 The Power of Small Groups: A Personal Story
01:34 The Birth and Growth of the Small Group Network
02:11 A New Chapter: Full-Time Commitment to the Network
02:39 Future Vision: Core Fundamentals and New Initiatives
03:07 Eradicating Loneliness: A Key Focus
04:07 Strategic Resourcing: Enhancing Bible Engagement
05:29 Impacting Communities: Four Key Areas
05:51 How You Can Support the Small Group Network
08:22 Conclusion and Call to Action

In this exciting episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, along with co-host Derek, discuss seven practical and creative ways to encourage and build into small group leaders during the summer. From handwritten cards and spontaneous drop-bys to fun ideas like hosting a pool party or tour of a local stadium, Steve offers actionable tips to help small group leaders feel appreciated and motivated. This episode aims to help small group point people make lasting memories and strengthen relationships with their leaders, ensuring vibrant and healthy small groups throughout the year.
CP Olympics Print
CP Olympics

04:29 Tip 1: Send a Card for Coffee or Dinner
07:02 Tip 2: Drop By with a Summer Kit
11:20 Tip 3: Send a Heartfelt Text
14:22 Tip 4: Host a Pool Party or Olympic Games
17:22 Tip 5: Organize a Car Wash
19:23 Tip 6: Mail a Summer T-Shirt
22:42 Tip 7: Plan a Stadium or Museum Tour

In this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladden and James Browning discuss the annual Lobby Gathering event in Southern California, which brings together small group pastors from around the world. The conversation highlights the inception of the Lobby Gathering, emphasizing the importance of practical networking over traditional conference sessions. The episode features insights from Brad Shank of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), who outlines four key rhythms for creating vibrant small groups: eating together, doing life together, growing together, and serving together. Shank stresses the significance of these rhythms in fostering genuine relationships and spiritual growth, offering practical advice for making groups the best part of members' weeks by embodying the spirit of the early church. The episode encourages listeners to reevaluate their small group practices to foster environments filled with joy, generosity, connection, and mission.

To take advantage of the early bird discount, head to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events

00:00 Introduction to the Lobby Gathering
00:33 The Origin of the Lobby Gathering
00:59 Mistake #1: Wrong Assumptions
02:56 Mistake #2: Impatience
04:29 Mistake #3: Defensiveness
06:35 Insights from the Lobby Gathering
08:12 Best Part of Your Week: Building Life-Giving Groups
15:56 Four Key Rhythms for Small Groups
19:32 Practical Tips for Group Leaders
31:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mistake #1: Wrong assumptions

In the middle of a difficult moment with leadership relationships, it is very easy to assume the worst about them. A Christian counselor friend once said, “When we assume the motives of someone else we are wrong most of the time.” I have learned this is very true.

We often forget is what it’s like to be in their shoes. Remember when others misjudged you? What did you want from them? What did you wish for? It might be a good exercise to make a list of what you remember as a starting point for making changes in your relationships.

The danger of assigning motives, of assuming someone’s intent, is we never know all the facts. They maybe new to the church? To the role? To you? They come with their own often un-named values, beliefs, and assumptions about what we, their leadership, should or should not do. It’s very complicated.

The temptation is always to side with your own beliefs, to assume you are correct, because we know them…or think we do. But God is clear when He says, “You shall not be partial in judgment … For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God, who is not partial …” (Deuteronomy 1:17; 10:17). Meaningful relations can’t happen if we are assuming the worst or assigning blame without knowing all the data. And we will rarely have all the facts.

Conclusion: Choose to believe the best. Ask God to give you His love and grace and to help you give grace, expecting nothing in return. You will never know the full impact of the Lead Pastor world! Help them see you as a “friend” not a “foe”.

Mistake #2: Impatience

We’ve had a lifetime to get to know our ministry, but when it comes to being the Lead Pastor…not so much. It’s all too easy to impatiently expect these relationships to gel perfectly. Relationships take time … lots of time with many investments of grace, love, and patience. There are so many factors to consider—working styles, age gaps, passion gaps, interest gaps, etc.

Often what helps me in impatience is to know, that through PRAYER, God can make things go far faster than I can. Simple, huh? Along with that, you need to be good for your church. You are part of the team to help, not just have your way. You need to show up, but not throw up!

Basically, be what a friend taught me, “Be a good General, not a bad General”. A bad General takes their assignment and does whatever higher ups tell them. A good General will assess the situation, give their advise and then execute on whatever leadership decides. If you feel it is wrong, PRAY, God will course correct.

Conclusion: We are only responsible to suggest and pray.. God is more than able to work His will in their lives without our help. Our job now is to be patient with the process and trust Him to do the work. SOMETIMES God is working in the background and doesn’t tell us! LOL

Mistake #3: Defensiveness

When a Lead Pastor points out a flaw he or she sees in us, it hurts. Our natural inclination is to be defensive, to explain our position and how hard we tried to do our best rather than just apologize and say, “I’m so sorry that hurt you so much or wasn’t done the way you expected.” We forget so easily that we are all flawed, broken people and no pastor is perfect. So why are we surprised when stuff happens and people give us issues?

This next statement isn’t natural but … instead of having defensiveness of those of we serve (our Lead Pastor), we should be grateful for the opportunity to mend and apologize for the mistakes we make! Even if it was 100% unintentional. Modeling an apologetic heart and seeking forgiveness will open the door for you to do the same with those that serve under you (staff or volunteer). A friend once said, “Seeing a flaw in ourselves is a joy because we now have the opportunity to be rid of it.” It takes maturity and humility to see our shortcomings this way, but it’s liberating.

Only when we own our mistakes and admit where we failed leadership will we grow rich relationships with them and church leadership. The truth is always your friend.

Only humility produces the beauty of meaningfully deep relationships. And continually acknowledging our own shortcomings and failures before God makes beautiful our lives in the greater body of Christ. 

It’s been quite a journey at Saddleback Church since March of 1998. I’ve known lots of misunderstandings and mistakes. Thankfully I’ve known forgiveness too. I love our church so much, including the staff and people LOL. Each difficulty brings uniqueness which challenges us to a greater faith, and that is always good.

He’s got us, He’s got our ministry and He’s got our Lead Pastor too! 

In this episode of FG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups from Saddleback Church, shares insights from his 25+ years of experience to help listeners enhance their small group ministries. Joined by Derek, Steve discusses 'The 4 Ks of Small Group Ministry Spring Cleaning': Kinship with leaders, Keeping clean data, Knowing your playbook, Kindling leadership, and Kicking spiritual butt. They emphasize the importance of building deeper relationships with leaders, maintaining accurate data, ensuring everyone understands the group's playbook, fostering leadership pathways, and ultimately achieving ministry victories. Tune in for practical advice to rejuvenate your small group ministry.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:25 Personal Updates and Moving Challenges
01:46 Spring Cleaning in Small Group Ministry
03:02 The Four Ks of Small Group Ministry
03:20 Kinship with Leaders
07:42 Keep Clean Data
10:50 Know Your Playbook
12:50 Kindle Leadership
16:56 Final Thoughts and The Fifth K
18:30 Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, shares his extensive experience to encourage and equip small group leaders. The episode includes the 'Saddleback Scoop,' highlighting the church's shift from fruitfulness to faithfulness, an approach to combat COVID-induced depletion by focusing on all four aspects of personal refreshment: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The 'Network Nugget' segment introduces Saddleback’s first online training course, Align, and discusses its positive impact on participants. Additionally, the podcast touches on new course releases, upcoming events, and the importance of maintaining various forms of personal well-being. The show wraps up with a focus on five emotional refreshments essential for small group leaders and members: support, stability, self-expression, significance, and satisfaction.

00:00 Welcome to F G Squared
00:19 The Saddleback Scoop: Refreshment and Recalibration
07:03 Network Nugget: Align Learning and Cohort Strategy
13:42 Leadership Learning: The Replenishment Cycle
21:45 Trending Topic: Five Emotional Refreshments
32:08 Closing Remarks and Resources

Thanks for taking the time to listen, and don't forget to check out Group Answers podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Original Description:
On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church.
The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen on Knowing Hard and Soft Data in Your Small Group Ministry appeared first on Adult Ministry.
CLICK HERE to read the report from Lifeway Research about the state of groups.

BOOK: Planning Small Groups with Purpose

SHOWNOTES

Mail Bag Questions 13-18

13 How do we get previously existing groups to become “official” Small Groups so we can include them on our website and app?  They are nomads and we love to start walking beside them.
14 What’s one thing you would do differently if you could go back to your first day over groups?
15 How do we create a church culture of groups?
16 Top tips for getting long-time groups to multiply
17 What is the outcome or “win” of a group?
18 Can Adult Sunday School work with small groups?

SHOW NOTES

Mail Bag Questions 8-12

8 Who is doing ESL as a small group?
9 I wish I had known the importance of having the right coaches in place...any tips?
10 What is the biggest mistake you made?
11 What’s the one thing you would tell yourself as someone new to ministry regarding groups?
12 How to get/grow more leaders?

Re-imagine Coaching Episode 

Mail Bag Questions 1-7

1 What advice would you give to someone brand new to vocational ministry?
2 What is key to moving from good and high participation to great and highly effective in your groups.
3 How do you navigate creating a small group culture if senior leadership isn’t on board?
4 How to encourage attendance after a busy work day?
5 How do you best prioritize time and energy with ministry friends?
6 Starting healthy! I am from a church plant and want to establish firm foundations as we look to continue the process of growing more into the likeness of Christ in community! Help.
7 What % of regular worshippers being in small groups is typical?

Check out the The Lobby Conference

This is a rebroadcast episode

Note: Kiersten is still finalizing her program and is not yet a doctor. 

10 Ways Your Group Can Evangelize

• Kiersten - Groups Pastor @ NCC in DC
• DMIN: Wholistic Discipleship– passionate about ways that groups can engage in mission on a regular basis– being the hands and feet of Christ
• Do the leg work up front– don’t just sign your group up for something - because then everyone will feel like they have to do it and that’s not mission ;)

Of first time Health Assessment takers 87% evangelism is self selected as low

• Set up Personal, Local and Global
• Personal—1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Plant, Water, and Harvest)
• Local/Global—Homa and Away Teams

• Don’t overcomplicate it- first and foremost- don’t try to put a 1-week overseas trip on the calendar for all 15 people in your small group- never say never, but the likelihood is that may not happen.
• Keep it simple and consistent- if we know those who experience the greatest transformation in community in a small group- why wouldn’t we believe the same to be true of mission? The more we keep showing up– the easier it gets. It’s like flexing a muscle. If we don’t have the gift of mercy or evangelism- it can be harder to flex this muscle- so start with something easy.
• Pray about & strategize it- What’s one of the areas that’s a great need? Is there a local cause that is close to the church or your small group? Are there places that a group could rotate so maybe it doesn’t work on everyone's schedule all at once, but you can take shifts. Serving 2 Saturdays/month.
• Find what people are passionate about– leverage strengths/ gifts in group. & the most important thing is do it together– model it together, live it out- express the Gospel through our lifestyle/everyday living.

Practically speaking:

1. Prayer Walk- Reimagine mission – what that could look like in your group– prayer walk your neighborhood or around your church. Every summer our groups engage in 40 days of prayer walks- in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces, etc. Prayer walking is still living on mission! **Have everyone in your group be praying for 3 people consistently in their sphere of influence.
2. See if your group can “adopt” a cause like taking turns providing respite care to families who are fostering or every year your group puts together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
3. Food- Make lunches for homeless friends- if that doesn’t already exist- make that a small group! Or, every other week I’m a part of a reconciliation lunch at our Dream Center and I’ll bring people with me– listening to people’s stories is a way of partnering with Jesus- doing what He did wherever we go.
4. Evangelize in your own neighborhood–(together or individually) If you all live in the same community- ask what you can do in your community. Several of our group members all live in the same area and so we realized there was a gap of a chaplain down at our police precinct- one day we had an incident in the neighborhood and I just said hey I’m a pastor, I live over here- if there’s anything I can do please let me know… there’s several of us from the same church in the area if anyone needs anything.
5. Never underestimate the small- hidden things. Our small group is made up of bakers- we are always baking things, giving them away, etc. So one time we made a batch of cookies with invites to Easter services attached. I thought- small things- maybe it’ll cheer a neighbors day up. Everyone in the group can do this wherever they live- but just deliver goods to neighbors on a regular basis- you never know the difference. Recently I had a neighbor I’ve been praying for, and she came up to me and said I just needed you to know the difference you made by dropping off those sweets- I’d like to go to church with you one day if that’s possible. I was floored- over a batch of cookies.
6. Neighborhood block party.  Invite your group host home to had a block party (or someone else in your group if thats better) to invite their street to a block party.  Either the group, the church, whoever can sponsor it and have a gathering.  This is a great way to live for Jesus in front of lost people
7. Write out your 1-, 3- and 10-minutes testimony and share it with your small group.
8. Identify your One Life who doesn’t know Christ and share with the group what stage you are at with them (plant, water, or harvest) and your next step.
9. Have a party with your small group and invite your One Life(s). Let them see Christians having fun.
10. Explore people different than you, attend an ethic mom and pop restaurant and learn about their culture.

10 Ways to Worship in Your Small Group

Brief discussion on definition of worship.

Three questions to prompt response: Who is he? Who am I in relationship to Him? What has he done?

10 Ways to Worship in a Small Group -

For the leaders - Before and during the worship time, always pray for God's guidance and presence to be felt among the group. Ask for wisdom in leading the group in worship. Every group dynamic is different and needs to be treated sensitively.

1. Sing along with a favorite worship song with the text. Afterwords, discuss which parts of this song were most powerful or meaningful to you. After everyone has shared, sing along with it again. 
2. Read a passage of scripture (Start with John 15)  then offer gratitude prayer through what you discovered as a group.
3. Festoon a passage of scripture - start with Psalm 23 (define "festoon")
4. As a group read The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 - Articulate to one another different sections in your own words. "Our father" "in heaven" "holy is your name" "for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, and ever." Use your own perspective on what these phrases are applied in your life right now.
5. Read Revelation 4 & 5's scene from heaven then respond to what you read with one another.
6. Pick a story from one of the gospels involving Jesus. (A good place to start is Luke 10:38-41) Read the passage through together. Then instruct everyone to imagine themselves in the story themselves. Who are they? What does it feel like? What time of day is it? What are the smells? Etc.… Have someone else then read the passage again, slowly, while everyone else is imagining themselves in it. Afterwords have group members share who they were in the passage, describing in detail, what day heard, saw and felt.
7. Everyone write down 10 things, however, great or small, they are grateful for. And when everyone is done, offer prayers of gratitude in the form of popcorn prayer.
8. After a reading from the Psalms enjoy a time of contemplative prayer using silence. Set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes. And during that silence have everyone focus on the goodness of God. Try to visualize yourself sitting quietly with Jesus across from you in the room. How is he looking at you? How does that make you feel? After this time of contemplation, share the experience, however, beneficial or awkward, it might have been.
9. Read Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-17. Then listen to or sing along with a favorite worship song in the group. Afterwords, go back to Ephesians 6, and identify which parts of the armor of God the song best represents.
10. Have someone share a story in their faith journey where God came through for them. They may have been healed of some kind of malady. They may have had a relationship that was healed. They have felt protected in some way, etc.… while the group is listening to their story, have everyone write down three characteristics of God best exemplified in that story. Afterwords, share with one another your observations. And then offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s character as it is revealed in that person's story.
11. Have everyone go on some sort of hike or outing to a beautiful outdoor location. Enjoy God's majesty in nature and spend some time prayerfully thanking him as a group for what you see. 
12. Expand the worship experience by including elements like communion, foot washing, different body postures (kneeling, hands raised, eyes lifted up etc…)

10 Ways Your Group Can Serve

Groups serving other areas of ministry in the local church is life giving, and fuel for what God wants to do in your local congregation!

1 - Talk to your Pastoral Staff and ask them what areas they feel needs the most attention in your local church.  This can be basic cleaning, outreach, etc.  I believe it’s the best place to start on where you can serve as a group.  

2 - Serve those in your group.  Whether someone needs their lawn cut during a busy season of life, or just a 45 min coffee meeting to check in on them and their family.

3 - Serve your local police and fire department.  These are groups that are often are carrying a heavy load and it’s a great way for the local body to serve and encourage them. Pizza and subs go a long way! :) 

4 - Find a street in your community and serve the community by doing clean up together.

5 - Sponsor a block party in someone’s neighborhood and serve your neighbors lunch or dinner.  This leads to a great time of connection.

6 - Gather and pray for your local church and leaders.  There is never not a good time to do this.  Church leadership is carrying a heavier load than a lot of people realize and one of the best ways to serve others is to pray for them.

7 - Serve together at local food pantries, or homeless shelters.  Find local opportunities outside the walls of your church to be the church.

8 - Find a way to serve your Kids, Teens, Worship, etc. Departments in your church. Whether it’s helping with snacks, prayer, set up, clean up, etc.  Serve the upcoming generation!

9 – Connect with a city official and see what they did help in that your group(s) can help.

10 - Serve your local churches vision. This might look a little different for each church, but find ways to serve and carry out your local church’s vision together as a group.

Download notes HERE

Dr. Donahue is one of the most well respected and accomplished speakers and small group practitioners, having written several books and taught at the collegiate level. He also is a coach and leads cohorts at the small group network.

To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com, our facebook group, or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com

Nicky and his wife Pippa have impacted millions throughout the world with the Alpha course. Steve talks through what goes into an Alpha course and what makes it effective with Nicky.

To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com, our facebook group, or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com

SHOWNOTES

www.michaelhinkle.com

To enter the contest, leave a comment about this episode on this post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact/posts/6772166222879217/ 

In this session, Steve shares one of the biggest sources of excitement for Saddleback as a church. And in each group. Evangelism.  Steve is going to begin the session by addressing the concerns of the typical small group member. Which is that they feel like they might not be a good evangelists.  

Well, once they find out how different of an experience it is when done as a small group, rather than on their own.  Evangelism and seeing a friend or loved one's life changed by the hope of the gospel.  That is an incredibly powerful moment in the life of that small group.  Steve will get us through the journey of equipping small groups to share the gospel. To grow the church. And to lead people to Jesus.  Join us in today's episode. How to move from making friends to reaching friends

Learn more about getting pastor buy in at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/pastorbuyin/

Will's Notes

1. Introduction
2. Our secular work culture has largely influenced our workplace interactions
3. Secular work culture shapes us in certain values
4. Escapism: Working for the weekend. My real life starts when I leave work.
5. Individualistic Results: My personal results are the upmost sign of success.
6. Passive responsibility: I am just going to take care of what I need to do. We hand over ownership and leadership completely to a senior leader because we do not want deal with something or we are just lazy. The buck never stops with us

      C.  Quickly provide alternatives

1. God wants our whole life to reflect him and flow together. While we can turn off our ministry as work minds. We live on mission for Jesus in all facets of life.
2. We often do not know how to measure success well in church because it is challenging to quantify but our goal is for the Church, the Body of Christ to flourish, for people to meet Jesus, grow to spiritual maturity, serve other and live on mission for him. If it becomes my niche ministry or idea taking off, then we’ve missed it.
3. Lastly, in the body of Christ we all have responsibility to each other and to live as God has created us. We have interactive mechanisms in our body that course correct when we are sick or even when we trip on shoe. It is the same in the body of Christ

    II.  One of the symptom of these values is challenging or decaying staff cultures 

1. A large part of our jobs are people and the largest portion of time is spent with our staff.
2. We are all different people with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, and work ideals.
3. There is nothing new about people not getting along.
4. Even Paul and Barnabus reached a point where they were like “Ya, I think I’m good”

       B. We all want to enjoy our place of work.  We all want to enjoy the people we work 

with but it is hard.

  III.    Who is to blame?

1. If you are waiting for someone to make your workplace enjoyable, you are 50% of the problem. If you are sitting back, waiting, and complaining about what other people are not doing for you without doing anything about it, you are part of the problem.
2. “We want our lead pastor to set the tone” “We want the denomination to do this” “If the board of directors said this”
3. We think of certain people in authority as the one with the sole responsibility for our staff dynamics instead of thinking about our staff as something we have an equal part in. If your staff culture is poor, you are a piece of that pie.

IV.  How do we course correct when we are not in the head chair?

1. We need to reflect on: What do we want in a workplace? and What are steps I can do to help us get there? 
2. What things would you enjoy in your workplace and begin doing them?

       B. There are some simple questions that I believe lead to crawl steps in building a 

staff that turns into a family. If we as ourselves this set of questions weekly, our 

staff culture will begin improving immediately.

1. How can I make this time more fun, memorable, intentional?
2. How much time am I spending with each staff member?
3. When was the last time I ate a meal with each staff member in a setting of 4 or less people?
4. When was the last time I asked them about their family?
5. How much time am I in communal spaces or around other staff?
6. When was the last time I followed up on something we talked about recently?
7. What does each staff member want from our relationship? 
8. When was the last time I encouraged each staff member?

       C. Walk Step Ideas

1. Have an onboarding strategy for new staff.
2. Taking them out to eat or bringing lunch in
3. Every week checking in on questions they have
4. Inviting them and their spouse over for food or a game night
5. Know everyone’s favorite drink
6. Know their bdays and their family members Bdays
7. Individualized BDay gifts
8. Show up to something that matters to them

      D. Run Steps

1. Relationship study about the correlation of long lasting relationship and unique joint experiences
2. Grand openings
3. Community Events

V. Building Trust with a Supervisor

1. The Basics
2. I typically hear people who want trust or an in with their senior leader to share challenges
3. We don’t think they are doing something correctly
4. They are not taking our ideas

      2.   We do not begin with the right intentions.

1. We connect because we want something
2. This is never a ploy! If someone takes any of the next steps for their own gain instead of enjoying the people God has placed in your life. It will not be successful. These things done without a heart that sincerely wants to know the other person will probably leave you in the same situation.
   1. This is the difference between leading up and sucking up
3. Trust with a senior leader begins with a basic friendship

I.  Well that is easy. And the answer to that thought is yes it is easy

1. It is interesting that most people in our churches desire time and closeness to the senior or lead pastor but when we get on a church staff and are a couple chairs down the table we stop taking initiative and believe everything should be initiated by that senior leader.
   1. So we sit back and wait for our senior leader to initiate and then become frustrated when our relationship does not look the way we want it.

B. Making Changes

1. In the conversation about building good staff relationship I gave clear next steps
2. I believe a healthy and sustainable relationship with your senior leader is more about posture.
3. Questions that lead us to the right posture
4. When was the last time you prayed for your campus pastor?
5. When was the last time you asked about their kids?
6. When was the last time you asked them out for dinner?
7. When was the last time you asked if there is something you could take off their plate?
8. When was the last time you just talked with no agenda?
9. When was the last time you texted them about something happening in their life?

 C. Hard Conversations

1. People are probably thinking “ok, now can I have a hard conversation with 

my supervisor?”

2.        We always need to ask ourselves a set of questions before a conversation 

with a superior where we want to express concern, frustration, or 

https://smallgroupnetwork.com

Notes: 
8 Steps to Successful Recruiting

1) Write down your pain points (your needs for ministry volunteers)
2) Think beyond the norm and get creative
3) Pain Levels from Easy, Need, and Pain (and describing each level)
4) Special Tip—Think about behind the scenes ministry (no interaction with people and ministry that involves lots of people engagement. You should try to recruit everyone and anyone to your ministry)
5) 4 Step practical plan to recruit
- Talk to people you know
- Find out what they enjoy and don’t enjoy
- Focus on their passion (No matter what they say here, get them to serve with you. Make up a role for them)
- Recruit person for 1 time help or opportunity
6 Always say thank you to your volunteers (cards, gifts, meals). Show appreciation
7 Don’t let them get bored. Create a development pathway. Some volunteers maybe can take on more responsibility and leadership roles.
8 Set a deadline to recruit. Nothing happens without deadlines

Welcome to SG squared. Glad you joined us for this episode. In this particular one, we're going to be talking about how small groups just aren't a program in the church, but they are a powerful discipleship tool that your church has. As you know, we talk about temple courts and house to house and the house to house movement is your discipleship engine. Now we're going to cover so many things about the transformational power of small groups, but the important thing  to understand is that it needs to happen in your own group. And as we go through this material, I want you to start thinking through, okay, how does this pertain to where my small group is?

And what am I doing in my own group? Now, as we talk about a number of things in this episode, make sure you download the resources at the top of the show notes and understand that that material is there for you to take this from just being a podcast that you listen to, but something that can transform your small groups and help you make them a discipleship engine.

I want you to enjoy as we take a little flashback on this particular episode, but it's great content that will help you make the discipleship tool powerful in your small group.

1 Cast a vision
2 Create a leadership team
3 Convene a launch event
4 Compile study resources
5 Continue with training

Shownotes:

saddleback.com/workplace

worklifebiblestudy.org

Mark Grunden / markg@saddleback.com

Ron Kelleher / RonK@saddlebackvolunteer.com
5 Steps to Starting a Workplace Ministry at your Church

7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants
1. Think through your response and LISTEN
2. The response is always done with humility
3. Everything we do is being watched by the world
4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent
5. We can be creative without being offensive
6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too
7. TEACH -  True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond?

Everyone's got excuses... and here are 5 of the most common. But if you are hearing one (or all) of these excuses in your small group ministry, how should you respond? Listen to Steve's talk from the Purpose Driven Small Groups conference to get prepared for the next time you hear an excuse.

For more great resources check out https://smallgroupnetwork.com
And to connect with Steve Gladen as well as other small group pastors from around the world, check out https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com

7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants
1. Think through your response and LISTEN
2. The response is always done with humility
3. Everything we do is being watched by the world
4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent
5. We can be creative without being offensive
6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too
7. TEACH -  True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond?

• High Level Perspective
• Personalized Service
• Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable
• Data Insights
• Time is Our Most Precious Commodity
• Continual Improvement – adapt or die
• Soul Food – nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact

SHOW NOTES:

1. High Level Perspective:

 - We're all in sales - it's just a question of "what's the product?"

  - Clear vision & benefit statement - don't make people guess

  - Concise, positive, fun, high energy, memorable

Everyone's favorite subject: Themselves!! The more you know about them, the more impactful & engaging you will be.

•  God's tool to move them beyond themselves-Small Groups (our product) - to fill the spiritual void they have from a broken relationship with God. Small Groups bring back (read Acts 2:42-47) community, Biblical knowledge, personal development (Discipleship), serving, evangelism and worship

2. Personalized Service

•   Our world demands real time interaction with deep personalization
•   Personalization = You Care / You Understand Me = Credibility
•   Credibility is critical in a noisy, misguided world

3. Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable

•   A good memory is great but it isn't transferable or scalable (institutional Knowledge)
•   One source of information for all team members to access
•   Requires thoughtfulness on the required fields vs. optional fields
• Start small, think in terms of the bare essentials or Minimum Viable Product
• Too Much Information or Layout / Architecture = can drown the initiative
• Shared information shows competence, increases confidence & greatly improves customer experiences

4. Data Insights

• Ability to spot trends - very powerful in driving outcomes
• Move from reactive to proactive - address issues earlier 
• Cohorts & Patterns - ability to compare outcomes & experiences over time
• Increase personalization and value to customers / people
• Competitive advantage - data can bring knowledge & knowledge is gold

5. Time is Our Most Precious Commodity

•  Use it wisely & maximize impact
•  Don't waste other people's time - they will reward you through avoidance
•  Learn through data analysis how to improve time management - adjust regularly
•  Serve people with the method they prefer, it's not about what you want or like
•  Focus on building the perfect day & week (activities done every day / week)
   Don't let things slip - if a day is subpar, make it up the following day

6. Continual Improvement - adapt or die

•  Static approaches die no matter how great they are
•  The world is changing, people are changing and the approach has to stay current Data analysis will spot trends, help reveal required adjustments and highlight areas of application (who or where I need to apply the adjustments)

7. Soul Food - nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact

•  People are attracted to ideas & other people that have a positive impact on them
•  Align the interaction to provide value / positive impact with every touch
•  Feedback is essential and needs to be regular from a diverse group
•  Try to score or grade user experience or engagement - If you don't measure it, it's very difficult to monitor performance and spot changes (good or bad)

7 Civilities 

1. Listen with your eyes (don’t roll your eyes) acknowledge their view
2. Sleep and hungry—know the right time
3. Social media news vs. Good news
4. Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other.
5. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker.
6. Both sides should aim to help each other understand their own experience and perspective using a type of speech (words and tone) that can be heard by the other.
7. Both sides should accept the fundamental ground rule of life in a free society: the essence of liberty is the right to be different and to act wrongly in the eyes of others—you will need to agree to disagree.

Be confident - Biblical basics:

• God owns everything, and I am His manager. (Ps. 24:1, Matt. 25:14-30)
• You are their pastor.
• You are responsible for their health (2 Cor 5:10)

Know the landscape:

These are financial, spiritual and emotional issues.

• Isolation, spiritual void
• Materialism, 1/3 of those earning over $250k per year live paycheck to paycheck.
• Business, environment setting their priorities

Prepare Yourself:

Am I living out biblical health in my own life? Do you buy what you sell?

• 5 purposes
• Active in my group balancing the purposes
• Have YOUR own story ready to share.

Where do you start:

1. Review your group list:
   1. You may already know some of your SGL as they are very involved as volunteers, but you may have had no idea who they are. Many of these folks are not well connected, don’t attend a lot of events and may not even be on your radar.
   2. Start small and grow into the list
   3. How many engagements can you do?
2. Pick some names to begin and learn as much as you can before you meet:
   1. Check HC and know family names, ministries, time at Saddleback
   2. Zillow their address for where and how they live
   3. Google them and their company
   4. Check LinkedIn, Facebook, IG etc.
3. Make the invitation:
   1. If you know them, simply call, text, or email that you would love to grab a cup of coffee when it is convenient for them. If they ask what you want, simply say I just want to spend time with you and get to know you better. Another line I use is, I like to invest my time with the folks who are investing in our church.

      If you don’t know them, we have found that having an assistant set up the meeting works very well. They can call and simply say the Pastor Dave would like to see if you would get together with him for a cup of coffee. Are you available on the 23rd? They almost always ask, what does he want or why does he want to meet with us? The simplest answer is usually the best. Pastor Dave loves to meet with our members, and he gives me a list to contact, and you are on that list. This seems to take the edge off and I have never had a no.

   2. Pick a place close to them, not you. They may suggest it, or you can, based on their home/work geography. Pick a time most convenient for them.
   3. While I meet mostly with men, very often they ask to bring their wives which is perfect. Obviously if you are just meeting with a woman, you need to bring someone else with you such as your 101 or worship pastor, someone mature in their faith as well and comfortable in this environment.
   4. I often send a text confirming the time and place
   5. Meet them and be on time!! (Early is even better)
   6. Relax and enjoy the conversation: Don’t be intimidated, pretend you’ve been in the end zone
      before!
   7. They want to be treated like regular people and have a lot of the same problems and issues,
      plus some that others don’t have. There is no need to make it awkward, in fact, start with
      their story.
   8. Share the vision for the church, Groups and your excitement and enthusiasm will be
      contagious.
   9. We do not need to ask for anything! We just need to Pastor people.
4. Initiating Conversations, Discipling is relational, be their Pastor.
   1. Here are some easy open-ended questions:
      1. Tell me your story.
      2. How did you come to Saddleback?
      3. Tell me about your family?
      4. Tell me about your work/company?
      5. What are your passions, hobbies, dreams?
      6. How is God growing and stretching you?
      7. Which areas of your life are easiest to put God first, and which are hardest?
      8. What do you think God is working on in your life?
   2. Wrap up questions:
      1. Is there anything we can be doing better at Saddleback to support you and your
         family?
      2. How can I be praying for you?
5. Offer to pay – but 9 out of 10 times, the member will treat you.
6. Always send a follow up text or note thanking them for their time and for treating you to coffee/breakfast and telling them that you will be praying for what ever they asked for prayers for.
7. Thank them for making an earthly and eternal difference.
8. A couple Don’ts:
   1. If they are group leaders with means, never ask for anything for yourself. 
   2. Don’t forget to follow up on anything they mentioned. Something you said you would send them or someone you promised to introduce them to.
   3. Don’t make a commitment that you may not be able to keep such as get Andy to attend
      their kid’s 1st birthday party.
   4. Don’t start on your agenda (hard data) but their agenda (soft data)

History of Coaching

• Staff or volunteers
• Serve in one Help in another
• Saddleback’s history—building upon, keeping best of…
  • 1.0 version (1998)
    • 1:5—I could recruit faster than our growth
  • 2.0 version (2005)—why it changed, it was broken
    • 1:25 paid
    • Introduced not equal care, but strategic care
    • 4 Buckets and Reactive/pro active
    • Name changed from Coaches to CL’s because of paradigm shift
    • Care 70% Administration, training, connecting 30%,
    • Get in for right reason, but get out for right reason
    • CL Retreats
  • 3.0 Version (2009)—why it changed, it couldn’t scale financially
    • 1:25 volunteered, above same
    • Introduced any span of care a CL could do
  • 4.0 Version (2014) why it changed, they weren’t sure what to do
    • Introduced the “Starbuck’s” green apron more developmental
    • FRIEND
    • LEADER
    • COACH
    • Hard and Soft data collection
    • Skip Level, Trust but Verify
  • 5.0 Version (2017) why it changed, we discovered other factors not giving maximum alignment
    • Introduced the Village concept
    • Alignment
  • 6.0 Version (2021) why it changed, discovered different types of CL’s
    • HOST to Leader to CL to Minister
    • CL Course
    • Training Modules
    • Track training (next gen beyond Starbuck’s green apron)

 5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching

•  The Ethos (the environment the CL lives in)
  • the family system (w/o parents it is risky)
  • How’s the family (you, coaches and Group leaders)
  • Do you know what you are producing—the end in mind
• The Reason (for the CL)
  • Directive Disciple MAKING—management and guidance, Space flight PSGWP page 201
  • Tom Landry quote
  • Baseline, Know the health metrics HA & GHA
  • How will you give course corrections (ideas, curriculum, encouragement, etc.)
• The Process (finding CL’s)
  • The Group Leader pathway HOST to Leader to CL (P3) to Minister
  • Competency and Capacity
  • Retreats
  • Introductory Course
• The Pathway (growing the CL)
  • The Coach engagement pathway to the HOST; FRIEND—LEADER—COACH
  • The Coach’s pathway of growth for them
    • SGP guidance
    • Modules Training
    • Course(s)
    • Retreats
• The Influences (that help the CL)…what I call the Village
  • Share the Village, who’s in helping? Who surrounds the Small Group speaking health?
  • People (primary)
    • Small Group Point Person
    • CL or Coach
    • Senior Pastor
• Processes (secondary)
  • Training Pathway for the leader
  • Tools (HA and GHA)
  • Training Pathway for the CL
  • Newsletter
  • Small Group Weekend Table connection
  • Small Group Website home page
  • Weekend services
  • Leader Retreats and SGH
  • Streaming content (curriculum and training)
  • Social Media
  • Testimonies
  • FAQ’s

Shownotes:

smallgroupnetwork.com/smallgroup

https://sb-web.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/saddleback.com/connect/smallgroups/9958-SmallGroupsCL-Booklet_Interior_Interactive_092101.pdf

• How accurate data is critical
• How the number one rule with data is use it yourself 
• How do diligence with data isn’t enough
• Sales commission structure & how it works
• How setting achievable exceptions is a must
• How group health & corporate training are essential
• What to do before you meet your people

Christina Dawson Bio:

Christina loves to serve people and has been doing so professionally for 19 years. After
graduating from high school she took on numerous sales roles in both restaurant and
retail settings. It was here that she learned the necessities of user experience and
customer engagement.
In 2012, while working in a furniture store, one of her customers, who happened to be
the CEO of a Canadian manufacturing company, was so impressed with her service, he
hired her as as his Executive Assistant. While taking on numerous roles within the
company, Christina discovered a strong passion for workforce development.
In the spring of 2014, she was selected to manage and develop a two-year pilot
workforce program by the Bowling Green Kentucky Area Chamber of Commerce.
After completing her contract, she continued her mission for economic development by
starting her own workforce communications and marketing firm, Southern Kentucky Jobs.
Worldly success in entrepreneurship left her exhausted and disappointed.
In early 2020, the Lord miraculously gave Christina the opportunity to serve overseas.
She sold everything she had and traveled across the globe where she would contribute
to the growth and development of a children's hospital. After living, working, and sharing
Jesus with orphans in rural Africa, Christina has new eyes and a grateful heart.
A Kentucky native, Christina currently resides in Houston, Texas, where she is serving the
Life Groups Team at Woodlands Church. She continues to work as a company culture
consultant in the manufacturing industry.

CRM & UX Outline

In this episode, you will hear an audio recording of Rick Warren talking to the Saddleback church staff about his 10 Principles of Exponential Thinking. Steve Gladen will then breakdown how you can apply these 10 principles to your small group ministry. The following is what will specifically be covered in this show:

First – exponential growth is possible.

Second – exponential growth is the New Testament model.

Third – exponential growth brings honor to God.
Fourth – exponential growth captures the attention of the unbelieving world.
Fifth – exponential growth is caused by God.
Sixth – exponential growth is the result of God’s blessing on your life.
Seventh – exponential growth makes God smile…in fact, He rewards it.
Eighth – the only barrier to exponential growth is our own unbelief.
Ninth – the secret of exponential growth is believing God for big things.
Finally, Tenth – exponential growth begins with exponential thinking.

Choosing Growth over Control
The Book of Acts is one of the best resources we have to understand the growth of the church during its formative years. A brief read through of this section of Scripture can quickly show us that the church preferred growth over control as they would preach to thousands and then baptize them shortly afterward. As witnessed throughout Acts, explosive growth was a good problem to have, for it established a foundation upon which its teachings could stand upon. Similarly, we too must be okay with the mess that new small groups may create. Instead of focusing primarily on if a new small group leader is maintaining sound theological discourse within their very first meeting, we are challenged to celebrate the fact that Jesus is being discussed at all and that members are coming together to form community. But doesn’t bad theology and misinformed teaching create more complication for the kingdom of God? Yes, however just as we see in the Bible, doctrine and teaching was provided shortly after Acts through the writings of the Epistles. Just as how Paul conducted “on-the-job” training via letters to the churches he was mentoring, we too can choose growth first and then later practice the approach of surgically addressing any theological concerns through a consistent roll-out of bite-size trainings.

A Culture of Groups
While we all wish our congregants would be fully devoted followers of Christ who are consistently serving, attending a small group, and in-the-know of the church calendar at all times, the reality is that many of our churchgoers only step foot onto church grounds for Sunday service (or online for virtual Sunday service). In other words, Sunday morning may in fact be the only shot we have to help promote small groups and/or explain the benefits of small groups. If our churches only mention small groups twice a year at the times when there are coordinated group launches, then this means that the typical church attendee only will hear about small groups 4% of the year (even less if they miss one or both of those two services!). If the church’s leadership agrees that small groups are one of the most important ministries within the community, then we become challenged to display the fact that small groups are indeed a part of our church’s DNA. To help execute this, some strategies can include: (1) head pastor buy-in (where the senior pastor becomes one of the most vocal proponents of small group ministry and even attends a group themselves); (2) Church calendar events that strategically funnel individuals into newly created groups (and/or church events that don’t interfere with the weekdays on which small groups typically meet); or (3) Consistent small group promotion from the pulpit (Not every message needs to be a small group sermon, but every message can contain a shout-out or a 30 second tie-in to small groups).

Lowering the Barriers
In a post-Covid world, small group ministries have found themselves challenged to embrace new methods in facilitating and nurturing community. While meeting in-person will always be the ideal method of meeting in groups, what we do know is that the concept of virtual groups is here to stay. During this time that we find ourselves in, what type of group is easy to duplicate, is able to meet both online and in-person, is easily sustainable, and also is easy to lead? As we arrive on the other side of the widespread disruption that Covid-19 had brought with it, sermon discussion groups may very well be the perfect type of “growth over control” group to launch within our church’s small group ministry. A sermon discussion guide is not only able to empower anyone to host a group and facilitate engaging conversation, but it also allows what Steve and Dave encouraged us all to practice during last year’s Lobby: rather than simply telling our groups what to do, we instead provide for our groups the destination we want them to reach while utilizing the values we want them to use in order to arrive there. Even though a model of sermon discussion groups chooses growth over control, it does so within a framework that provides its groups a set of guardrails within which to operate. In other words, groups are not grown without oversight, but instead are grown within a model that becomes quite appealing to a post-Covid world where both in-person and online groups are meeting on a regular basis.

Shownotes:

smallgroupnetwork.com/coaching
smallgroupnetwork.com/pricing

Carolyn Taketa
Corolyn Taketa Coaching and Consulting
carolyntaketa.com

Bill Donahue
The LeaderSync Group
drbilldonahue.com

Philip Byers
North Coast Churches

byersp622@me.com

7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants
1. Think through your response and LISTEN
2. The response is always done with humility
3. Everything we do is being watched by the world
4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent
5. We can be creative without being offensive
6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too
7. TEACH -  True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond?

SGN Care Team

• How to have a successful rally 
• The ingredients of time 
• The  right time & place 
• The Ingredients needed for the program
• Recruitment 

Shownotes:

• Steve's talk from the Saddleback CL retreat
• CL Retreat Photos and Notes

Connections Team –
 
A week from today we begin our annual CL Retreat. It’s a great opportunity to build your team and inspire them for 2023. Here is some important information so that you will help you get the most out of the event.
 
Friday Evening
This will be time for you to gather your team together for dinner, fellowship, sharing your vision for 2023, and prepping them for Saturday.
The campus support team will cover the cost of the evening ($25 per person). Charge to Campus 20, Ministry Code 200010.
Get together in a place where you can enjoy the evening and have good conversation.
Use the evening any way you want, but be sure to include these elements:
Meaningful fellowship and getting to know each other at a heart level
Share your vision for your ministry for 2023. An overall Connections team goal this year is to increase small group members’ engagement with the Spiritual Health Assessment to 80% so that our groups are focused more on spiritual growth and health. You might take time to talk about how you can accomplish this as a group.
Take the Spiritual Health Assessment together
Talk about the upcoming One Life Campaign and your hopes for it. Remember the goals: 1,000 new groups, 10,000 people committed to changing one life, 1,000 baptisms at Easter
Tell them what you’d like for them to get out of the Saturday portion of the retreat.
We are hoping to have the new small group app available in the Google Play Store and the App Store (Apple) this week. I’ll let you know when it’s available. Assuming it is, we’d like you to take some time Friday evening to have your team download the app and play with it a bit. It’s going to be a great tool that’s will up our game when it comes to group care.
 
Saturday
This will be a time to bring all of our CLs together.
The theme will be “Healthier and Deeper”
The agenda for the day is attached. Breakfast will begin at 8 and we will plan to conclude about 2. During one of the sessions, we’d like you and one of your most seasoned CLs to host a table with CLs from other campuses (#3 on the agenda). During that session, help everyone at the table get to know each other (tell their stories). Then, there are questions for your CL to answer. Use them to facilitate a conversation around the table. Each table will have a combination of existing and potential CLs. This was one of our most popular sessions last year because it allowed CLs from different campuses to connect. It also proved to be a great recruitment tool for the potential CLs. Please let me know by Wednesday who your seasoned CL will be.
 
This event is to help build your team. If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know. We’re looking forward to a great time together.

7 Civilities 

1. Listen with your eyes (don’t roll your eyes) acknowledge their view
2. Sleep and hungry—know the right time
3. Social media news vs. Good news
4. Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other.
5. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker.
6. Both sides should aim to help each other understand their own experience and perspective using a type of speech (words and tone) that can be heard by the other.
7. Both sides should accept the fundamental ground rule of life in a free society: the essence of liberty is the right to be different and to act wrongly in the eyes of others—you will need to agree to disagree.

History of Coaching

• Staff or volunteers
• Serve in one Help in another
• Saddleback’s history—building upon, keeping best of…
  • 1.0 version (1998)
    • 1:5—I could recruit faster than our growth
  • 2.0 version (2005)—why it changed, it was broken
    • 1:25 paid
    • Introduced not equal care, but strategic care
    • 4 Buckets and Reactive/pro active
    • Name changed from Coaches to CL’s because of paradigm shift
    • Care 70% Administration, training, connecting 30%,
    • Get in for right reason, but get out for right reason
    • CL Retreats
  • 3.0 Version (2009)—why it changed, it couldn’t scale financially
    • 1:25 volunteered, above same
    • Introduced any span of care a CL could do
  • 4.0 Version (2014) why it changed, they weren’t sure what to do
    • Introduced the “Starbuck’s” green apron more developmental
    • FRIEND
    • LEADER
    • COACH
    • Hard and Soft data collection
    • Skip Level, Trust but Verify
  • 5.0 Version (2017) why it changed, we discovered other factors not giving maximum alignment
    • Introduced the Village concept
    • Alignment
  • 6.0 Version (2021) why it changed, discovered different types of CL’s
    • HOST to Leader to CL to Minister
    • CL Course
    • Training Modules
    • Track training (next gen beyond Starbuck’s green apron)

 5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching

•  The Ethos (the environment the CL lives in)
  • the family system (w/o parents it is risky)
  • How’s the family (you, coaches and Group leaders)
  • Do you know what you are producing—the end in mind
• The Reason (for the CL)
  • Directive Disciple MAKING—management and guidance, Space flight PSGWP page 201
  • Tom Landry quote
  • Baseline, Know the health metrics HA & GHA
  • How will you give course corrections (ideas, curriculum, encouragement, etc.)
• The Process (finding CL’s)
  • The Group Leader pathway HOST to Leader to CL (P3) to Minister
  • Competency and Capacity
  • Retreats
  • Introductory Course
• The Pathway (growing the CL)
  • The Coach engagement pathway to the HOST; FRIEND—LEADER—COACH
  • The Coach’s pathway of growth for them
    • SGP guidance
    • Modules Training
    • Course(s)
    • Retreats
• The Influences (that help the CL)…what I call the Village
  • Share the Village, who’s in helping? Who surrounds the Small Group speaking health?
  • People (primary)
    • Small Group Point Person
    • CL or Coach
    • Senior Pastor
• Processes (secondary)
  • Training Pathway for the leader
  • Tools (HA and GHA)
  • Training Pathway for the CL
  • Newsletter
  • Small Group Weekend Table connection
  • Small Group Website home page
  • Weekend services
  • Leader Retreats and SGH
  • Streaming content (curriculum and training)
  • Social Media
  • Testimonies
  • FAQ’s

Shownotes:

smallgroupnetwork.com/smallgroup

https://sb-web.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/saddleback.com/connect/smallgroups/9958-SmallGroupsCL-Booklet_Interior_Interactive_092101.pdf

1 What am I trying to produce?2 Do I have a team around me?

3 How to identify the holes in your small group ministry
4 How not to eat the whole elephant at once
5 How and why to set goals

This is one show that you will not want to miss!

Shownotes:

smallgroupnetwork.com/coaching
smallgroupnetwork.com/courses

Steve's Shower Photo
Guardrails

The 6 Fs

Show Notes: 

smallgroupnetwork.com/lookbook

Shownotes:
Part 1 

Part 2

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6v5K4Qx54JVRwJYvNvKLUR?si=IzSx5CoyRPeQUrxPtTIqjA

5 Ways to Reimagine Coaching
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4yMNGT61KXKMAqiNtRehA7?si=XJeq4nbfTASKreJNwpLnRg

CL Development Pathway

CL Village

Description:
Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries.

In this episode, Steve talks about the 3 Leadership Pipelines You Must Have In Your small group ministry: the group leader pathway, the community leader pathway and the group member pathway.

Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again

Early Release from IV Press: https://www.ivpress.com/embracing-rhythms-of-work-and-rest
Amazon (Oct 11): https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Rhythms-Work-Rest-Sabbatical/dp/1514002639

This episode really just took a surface level look at Sabbath and barely even introduced the topic of sabbatical. If you want to go deeper, check out Ruth Haley Barton's book, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest by winning a copy from us or by purchasing an early release copy directly from Intervarsity Press. Or you can wait for the regular release in October and buy it from Amazon.

We will be giving out a pair of the books and their are two different ways to enter. We will choose the winners via a random drawing on September 7th. The first method of entering is to leave a review for this podcast on your podcast player of choice. It doesn't even have to be a good review, it can be any review. Just take a screenshot of your review and send it to me at info@lumivoz.com

The second method is to find lumivoz on Facebook and leave a comment on the contest post with your favorite or best sabbath tip. 

You can enter both ways and as many times as you link in order to win. Good luck! I can't wait to talk with you on the next 5th Wednesday!

In this episode, Steve talks about the 3 Leadership Pipelines You Must Have In Your small group ministry: the group leader pathway, the community leader pathway and the group member pathway.

Host Development Pathway
Nick and Dave Photo

In this episode, Steve talks about how you can grow your small group ministry by 300%! You can do this by using Saddleback Church's secret sauce of ministry - the church-wide-campaign. Steve and Derek will break down the following:

1 Know the compelling question.
2 Align Children’s, Student and Adult ministries. 
3 Stick to the principles and apply your own methodologies. 
4 Language matters - host strategy
5 Employ various avenues of learning.

6 Once a year is enough
7 Provide a clear start and end date.
8 Expect high intensity for staff, volunteers, and members 
9 Remember and celebrate.
10 Plan for after the Campaign 
11 Give people an “out” after the Campaign.
12 Budget to remove financial obstacles 

In this episode, Steve answers the question "should small groups meet over the summer?" He then proceeds to share some of the pros and cons of summer small groups as well as share some of the things he typically heres about why small groups do not meet over the summer. 

In this episode, you will hear an audio recording of Rick Warren talking to the Saddleback church staff about his 10 Principles of Exponential Thinking. Steve Gladen will then breakdown how you can apply these 10 principles to your small group ministry. The following is what will specifically be covered in this show:

First – exponential growth is possible.

Second – exponential growth is the New Testament model.

Third – exponential growth brings honor to God.
Fourth – exponential growth captures the attention of the unbelieving world.
Fifth – exponential growth is caused by God.
Sixth – exponential growth is the result of God’s blessing on your life.
Seventh – exponential growth makes God smile…in fact, He rewards it.
Eighth – the only barrier to exponential growth is our own unbelief.
Ninth – the secret of exponential growth is believing God for big things.
Finally, Tenth – exponential growth begins with exponential thinking.

Choosing Growth over Control
The Book of Acts is one of the best resources we have to understand the growth of the church during its formative years. A brief read through of this section of Scripture can quickly show us that the church preferred growth over control as they would preach to thousands and then baptize them shortly afterward. As witnessed throughout Acts, explosive growth was a good problem to have, for it established a foundation upon which its teachings could stand upon. Similarly, we too must be okay with the mess that new small groups may create. Instead of focusing primarily on if a new small group leader is maintaining sound theological discourse within their very first meeting, we are challenged to celebrate the fact that Jesus is being discussed at all and that members are coming together to form community. But doesn’t bad theology and misinformed teaching create more complication for the kingdom of God? Yes, however just as we see in the Bible, doctrine and teaching was provided shortly after Acts through the writings of the Epistles. Just as how Paul conducted “on-the-job” training via letters to the churches he was mentoring, we too can choose growth first and then later practice the approach of surgically addressing any theological concerns through a consistent roll-out of bite-size trainings.

A Culture of Groups
While we all wish our congregants would be fully devoted followers of Christ who are consistently serving, attending a small group, and in-the-know of the church calendar at all times, the reality is that many of our churchgoers only step foot onto church grounds for Sunday service (or online for virtual Sunday service). In other words, Sunday morning may in fact be the only shot we have to help promote small groups and/or explain the benefits of small groups. If our churches only mention small groups twice a year at the times when there are coordinated group launches, then this means that the typical church attendee only will hear about small groups 4% of the year (even less if they miss one or both of those two services!). If the church’s leadership agrees that small groups are one of the most important ministries within the community, then we become challenged to display the fact that small groups are indeed a part of our church’s DNA. To help execute this, some strategies can include: (1) head pastor buy-in (where the senior pastor becomes one of the most vocal proponents of small group ministry and even attends a group themselves); (2) Church calendar events that strategically funnel individuals into newly created groups (and/or church events that don’t interfere with the weekdays on which small groups typically meet); or (3) Consistent small group promotion from the pulpit (Not every message needs to be a small group sermon, but every message can contain a shout-out or a 30 second tie-in to small groups).

Lowering the Barriers
In a post-Covid world, small group ministries have found themselves challenged to embrace new methods in facilitating and nurturing community. While meeting in-person will always be the ideal method of meeting in groups, what we do know is that the concept of virtual groups is here to stay. During this time that we find ourselves in, what type of group is easy to duplicate, is able to meet both online and in-person, is easily sustainable, and also is easy to lead? As we arrive on the other side of the widespread disruption that Covid-19 had brought with it, sermon discussion groups may very well be the perfect type of “growth over control” group to launch within our church’s small group ministry. A sermon discussion guide is not only able to empower anyone to host a group and facilitate engaging conversation, but it also allows what Steve and Dave encouraged us all to practice during last year’s Lobby: rather than simply telling our groups what to do, we instead provide for our groups the destination we want them to reach while utilizing the values we want them to use in order to arrive there. Even though a model of sermon discussion groups chooses growth over control, it does so within a framework that provides its groups a set of guardrails within which to operate. In other words, groups are not grown without oversight, but instead are grown within a model that becomes quite appealing to a post-Covid world where both in-person and online groups are meeting on a regular basis.

History of Coaching

• Staff or volunteers
• Serve in one Help in another
• Saddleback’s history—building upon, keeping best of…
  • 1.0 version (1998)
    • 1:5—I could recruit faster than our growth
  • 2.0 version (2005)—why it changed, it was broken
    • 1:25 paid
    • Introduced not equal care, but strategic care
    • 4 Buckets and Reactive/pro active
    • Name changed from Coaches to CL’s because of paradigm shift
    • Care 70% Administration, training, connecting 30%,
    • Get in for right reason, but get out for right reason
    • CL Retreats
  • 3.0 Version (2009)—why it changed, it couldn’t scale financially
    • 1:25 volunteered, above same
    • Introduced any span of care a CL could do
  • 4.0 Version (2014) why it changed, they weren’t sure what to do
    • Introduced the “Starbuck’s” green apron more developmental
    • FRIEND
    • LEADER
    • COACH
    • Hard and Soft data collection
    • Skip Level, Trust but Verify
  • 5.0 Version (2017) why it changed, we discovered other factors not giving maximum alignment
    • Introduced the Village concept
    • Alignment
  • 6.0 Version (2021) why it changed, discovered different types of CL’s
    • HOST to Leader to CL to Minister
    • CL Course
    • Training Modules
    • Track training (next gen beyond Starbuck’s green apron)

 5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching

•  The Ethos (the environment the CL lives in)
  • the family system (w/o parents it is risky)
  • How’s the family (you, coaches and Group leaders)
  • Do you know what you are producing—the end in mind
• The Reason (for the CL)
  • Directive Disciple MAKING—management and guidance, Space flight PSGWP page 201
  • Tom Landry quote
  • Baseline, Know the health metrics HA & GHA
  • How will you give course corrections (ideas, curriculum, encouragement, etc.)
• The Process (finding CL’s)
  • The Group Leader pathway HOST to Leader to CL (P3) to Minister
  • Competency and Capacity
  • Retreats
  • Introductory Course
• The Pathway (growing the CL)
  • The Coach engagement pathway to the HOST; FRIEND—LEADER—COACH
  • The Coach’s pathway of growth for them
    • SGP guidance
    • Modules Training
    • Course(s)
    • Retreats
• The Influences (that help the CL)…what I call the Village
  • Share the Village, who’s in helping? Who surrounds the Small Group speaking health?
  • People (primary)
    • Small Group Point Person
    • CL or Coach
    • Senior Pastor
• Processes (secondary)
  • Training Pathway for the leader
  • Tools (HA and GHA)
  • Training Pathway for the CL
  • Newsletter
  • Small Group Weekend Table connection
  • Small Group Website home page
  • Weekend services
  • Leader Retreats and SGH
  • Streaming content (curriculum and training)
  • Social Media
  • Testimonies
  • FAQ’s

Shownotes:

smallgroupnetwork.com/smallgroup

https://sb-web.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/saddleback.com/connect/smallgroups/9958-SmallGroupsCL-Booklet_Interior_Interactive_092101.pdf

Check out our Year In Review to find out just how big of an impact members of the network made last year: https://smallgroupnetwork.com/articles/2021-small-group-network-year-in-review/

1. Crawl: Have an small group ministry idea? Share it with us and we will crowd source a ministry ideas book! Not only will you get a copy of the fun and helpful ideas book but you'll also be entered to win an iPad. Now that's a great idea! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/ideasbook/

2. Walk: We are excited to be launching the Group Talk podcast network. What does that mean? First of all, it means the Group Talk podcast is breaking up and everyone is getting their own show. So make sure to subscribe to each show individually:
- Here To There With Carolyn Taketa: https://share.transistor.fm/s/5ec5fb80
- Leadership Journey With Bill Search: https://share.transistor.fm/s/205fa92d
- and our newest member of the network Why God Why? from Peter Englert at Browncroft Church: https://share.transistor.fm/s/4f738575

3. Run: Help us create GROUP Method curriculum! Stay tuned to the small group network website for details on that or join the livestream at 10am Pacific time on April 13th https://fb.me/e/4bLc3Iczt

Our future prediction is that big things are coming from even smaller places. Plus, now is the time to join a huddle. Share your small group predictions for the next 15 years in the reviews section on your favorite podcast app or in our facebook group!

Tune in as host Nick Lenzi and guest Peter Englert, host of the Why God Why podcast cover the book Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court by legendary basketball coach John Wooden. 

Show Notes:

The Pyramid of Success - https://www.thewoodeneffect.com/pyramid-of-success/

About our guest Peter Englert:

Peter Englert serves as the Adult Ministries Director at Browncroft Community Church. He married Robyn and along with their daughter Hayley, they reside in Rochester, NY. Peter graduated from the University of Valley Forge with a B.A. in Pastoral Ministries and an M.A. of Theology. He is the co-host of the hit podcast Why God Why?

The Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders by Bill Search
Why does a group get tired? 

•Leader begins to coast
•Meeting becomes routine
•Relationships hit a plateau
•Purpose is lost
#1 Leader Coasting 

Am I practicing “Generous Authority”? 

– [Priya Parker] 

“’Chill’ is selfishness disguised as kindness.” 

- Priya Parker 

Generous Authority Serves others by: 

1.Protecting group members 
2.Equalizing group members 
3.Inter-Connecting group members 

We practice Generous Authority by:
1.Practicing good MANNERS in the group
 2.Reminding all of the “RULES” 
3.Encourage “Sprout” Speeches not “Stump” Speeches 

Now What?
1. Re-affirm Covenant 

2. Have tough conversations
3. Re-up as the leader or get out 
4. Share Leadership 

#2 Meeting Routine 

“The room is doing 80% of the job” – Jerry Seinfeld 

Venue Matters 

1.The space should be a symbol of reason for meeting 

2.The space should bring out desired behaviors and discourage those you don’t 

3.Consider density 

Format Matters 

1.Mix it up
2.Curtail the dull parts 
3.Try different curriculum 

Now What? 
1. Rotate Hosting 

2. Share testimony
3. Serve together
4. Choose an unlikely meeting place 

#3 Relationships Plateaued 

Why does this happen? 

1.We stop being curious about others 
2.We decide how far we will go relationally
3.Potential conflict zones are avoided 
4.We don’t feel safe 

What can you do about it? 

1.Don’t avoid the awkward – embrace it 

2.Utilize GOOD ice-breakers 
3.Encourage people to share what no one in the group would guess/ know about them
4.Talk about the forbidden subjects of politics, sex, and religion 
5.Don’t stop conflict but guide it 
6.Navigate underlying conflicts 

Now What? 
1. Split by gender 

2. Subgroup for prayer
3. Retreat
4. Day trip, local restaurants, or local tourism 

#4 Lost Purpose 

“A good gathering purpose should be ‘disputable’”
 – The Art of Gathering by Parker 

Start by asking “WHY are we meeting?” 

1.First, ask the church leadership 
2.Reverse engineer current meeting 

and compare to stated goal 
3.Who is this for? 

Second ask “Why are WE meeting?” 

1.Is our goal the same as the leadership’s goal? 

2.Do we have a different goal? 

Third, re-state and re-affirm your purpose 

1.Discuss the purpose as a group 
2.Arrive at consensus
3.Everyone has to re-up 

That didn’t work. Now what? 

How to End Your Group 

(Page 87, Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders) 
1.Understand all groups come to a natural end 
2.Get input from group members
3.Ask everyone to make a personal plan 
4.Plan a final meeting and put it on the calendar
5.End the group in a prayer circle
6.Don’t forget to tell your pastor or small group coach that your group has ended 

Recommended Resources: 

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
The Art of Gathering By Parker
Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders by Search Questions? 

Bio: 

Dave Alford Is Pastor of Leadership Development at Saddleback Church where his team oversees small groups, next steps, interns, and ministries to men, women, and singles. Dave’s background includes experience in business, pastoral ministry, and higher education.  Dave also writes, coaches, and speaks about leadership. Dave has a Bachelors degree from UC Davis, an MBA from USC, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. 

Show Notes: 

Contact Dave at  dalford@saddleback.com

For this topic, Dave recommends: The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt (2018)

Join us on this rewind episode we are going back to an impactful book Tribe:On Homecoming and Belonging  by award winning wartime journalist Sebastian Junger. In this episode  modernity is affecting community and how groups are in a prime position to fight for what are heart actually desires.  

More About Tommy Carreras:

Tommy never had any intention of being in ministry. Jesus found him at 17 and after 6 years figuring out what in the world that meant, he packed everything moved to Ventura CA with his wife, Lauren to work at Mission Church where they served for eight years. Earlier this year they moved to Tennessee to be close to family and work alongside Michael and Cathy Dye implementing and updating The Genesis Process (https://www.genesisprocess.org/). 

Tommy is also a contributor to the Small Group Network blog and podcast.

Tommy's Website → https://tommycarreras.com

Former Shows Referenced:

Extreme Ownership ►►https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/reading-lenz-extreme-ownership

Canoeing the Mountain ►►https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/reading-lenz-canoeing-the-mountain-w-kiersten-telzerow

Lighting Round References:

Mission's Change Workshop (Michael Dye's recovery content) 

► missionventura.com/changeworkshop

Unhindered: Aligning the Story of Your Heart

► https://www.amazon.com/Unhindered-Aligning-Story-Your-Heart/dp/1950718743

The Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders by Bill Search
Why does a group get tired? 

•Leader begins to coast
•Meeting becomes routine
•Relationships hit a plateau
•Purpose is lost
#1 Leader Coasting 

Am I practicing “Generous Authority”? 

– [Priya Parker] 

“’Chill’ is selfishness disguised as kindness.” 

- Priya Parker 

Generous Authority Serves others by: 

1.Protecting group members 
2.Equalizing group members 
3.Inter-Connecting group members 

We practice Generous Authority by:
1.Practicing good MANNERS in the group
 2.Reminding all of the “RULES” 
3.Encourage “Sprout” Speeches not “Stump” Speeches 

Now What?
1. Re-affirm Covenant 

2. Have tough conversations
3. Re-up as the leader or get out 
4. Share Leadership 

#2 Meeting Routine 

“The room is doing 80% of the job” – Jerry Seinfeld 

Venue Matters 

1.The space should be a symbol of reason for meeting 

2.The space should bring out desired behaviors and discourage those you don’t 

3.Consider density 

Format Matters 

1.Mix it up
2.Curtail the dull parts 
3.Try different curriculum 

Now What? 
1. Rotate Hosting 

2. Share testimony
3. Serve together
4. Choose an unlikely meeting place 

#3 Relationships Plateaued 

Why does this happen? 

1.We stop being curious about others 
2.We decide how far we will go relationally
3.Potential conflict zones are avoided 
4.We don’t feel safe 

What can you do about it? 

1.Don’t avoid the awkward – embrace it 

2.Utilize GOOD ice-breakers 
3.Encourage people to share what no one in the group would guess/ know about them
4.Talk about the forbidden subjects of politics, sex, and religion 
5.Don’t stop conflict but guide it 
6.Navigate underlying conflicts 

Now What? 
1. Split by gender 

2. Subgroup for prayer
3. Retreat
4. Day trip, local restaurants, or local tourism 

#4 Lost Purpose 

“A good gathering purpose should be ‘disputable’”
 – The Art of Gathering by Parker 

Start by asking “WHY are we meeting?” 

1.First, ask the church leadership 
2.Reverse engineer current meeting 

and compare to stated goal 
3.Who is this for? 

Second ask “Why are WE meeting?” 

1.Is our goal the same as the leadership’s goal? 

2.Do we have a different goal? 

Third, re-state and re-affirm your purpose 

1.Discuss the purpose as a group 
2.Arrive at consensus
3.Everyone has to re-up 

That didn’t work. Now what? 

How to End Your Group 

(Page 87, Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders) 
1.Understand all groups come to a natural end 
2.Get input from group members
3.Ask everyone to make a personal plan 
4.Plan a final meeting and put it on the calendar
5.End the group in a prayer circle
6.Don’t forget to tell your pastor or small group coach that your group has ended 

Recommended Resources: 

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
The Art of Gathering By Parker
Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders by Search Questions? 

Intro:  

How has your marriage been impacted by working at a church? How are you navigating the unique stressors of vocational ministry and its influence on your marriage? What are some ways we can build and sustain a healthy marriage that helps us thrive in ministry? In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, this episode focuses on how you can maintain and grow a healthy marriage when you work in ministry. 

Bios: 

Rex Minor:  Over the last 30 years, Rex has been involved in various pastoral positions in the areas of discipleship, spiritual formation, small groups, support/recovery groups and as an executive pastor. He has served in senior leadership roles in large churches in several states. Rex is currently on staff at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA in the area of care and support ministries, 

Andrea Minor:  Andrea has been in vocational ministry for over 25 years in large churches in Illinois, Colorado and California. She has led in the areas of children’s ministries, women’s ministries, creative arts, weekend experiences, and also served as a small groups pastor. Currently she is a minister on the 301 team at Saddleback Church, helping others find and use their spiritual gifts in the life of the church.   

Rex and Andrea have been married for 40 lovely years and have three married grown children and four adorable grandchildren.

Saddleback Scoop: 3 Keys to Unity

1. Success is never a solo entity. You need Mentors, Models, Partners and friends
2. The older I get, it’s not so much the place, but the people I am doing life & ministry with.
3. Love always wins out. 

Key Scriptures on unity from Rick Warren's message you can take deeper:
YOUR LOVE
“My dear friends, we always have good reason to thank God for you, because your faith in God and your love for each other
keep growing all the time!” 2 Thes. 1:3

“ Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.” Col. 3:14

YOUR FAITH
“We always thank God for you all ... for how you put your faith into practice...” 1 Thess. 1:2-3

YOUR GENEROUS SPIRIT
“They were extremely generous in their giving ...giving even more than they could afford.”

Network Nugget—Diversity. 

Diversity depends on your area, but also depends on proximity in these areas. 
1. You
2. Your small group & small group ministry
3. Your leadership
4. Your church

Leadership Learning—Civility

How to be civil? Try these 7 guidelines: 

1. Listen with your eyes (don’t roll your eyes) acknowledge their view
2. Sleep and hungry—know the right time
3. Social media news vs. Good news
4. Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other.
5. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker.
6. Both sides should aim to help each other understand their own experience and perspective using a type of speech (words and tone) that can be heard by the other.
7. Both sides should accept the fundamental ground rule of life in a free society: the essence of

Liberty is the right to be different and to act wrongly in the eyes of others—you will need to agree to disagree. Look at the fundamental role of fear in situations of public conflict that we end up facing in our culture, politics, and law and can I add our small groups:
- The fear of being excluded from full participation in public discourse or public life;
- The fear that the other side is trying to coerce change of my side’s core identity
- The fear that the other side will use the power of law to force my side’s conformity with beliefs and practices that we find vile; and
- The fear of losing or betraying deeply valued relationships of love, either with the Divine or with people, or both. Fear is your greatest enemy in being civil. Presidential deranged syndrome. Focus on doing Jesus stuff
and BELIEVING Jesus has everything in control
Now these three things, are essential to understanding the Trending Topic

Trending Topic—Where the Groups needs to shine 
Why do we think laws are going to change people’s hearts?
Too often we get sucked into a battle that is a lose/lose because we forget, the church is the answer.
Look at the big topics at a super high level: abortion, sexual identity, racism and socialism. Laws don’t change hearts. 

Abortion 

- Health care
- Community around...will have baby
- Religious and married—can’t afford, don’t think they will have the support—they made one mistake, the church needs to help them not make another.

Racism:

- The most segregated hour in America is Sunday mornings. We like unity, struggle with diversity

Socialism
- Broken society
- Broken family systems
- Never had a parent, happy to look to the government (why not the church)

Sexual Identity
- Most church’s not an open conversation
- Don’t know how to love and not condone or approving (divorce)
- Preston Sprinkle

How to not get sucked into the wrong argument? Temptation—Lead us not into temptation - Sermon of the Mount.
1. Yes to God, get in the right place
2. Watch and pray, you will do dumb things
3. Put down roots, authentic community, God’s Word
4. Remember your purpose, why are you on this planet.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/09f048a7 - Your Small Group's Role Against Racism
https://share.transistor.fm/s/7e0d9d0f - Developing an Anti-Racist Culture in Your Small Group

Episode Highlights:

Atomic Habits Intro (8:35)

Difference between a habit and a goal (12:40)

Make it obvious (17:30)

Make it attractive (21:50)

Make it easy (28:40)

Make it satisfying (37:05)

Lightning Round (42:00)

More About Our Guest Amber Walker:

Amber is the Director of Engagement at The Bible Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA where she has been for 2 ½ years. Prior to moving home to Pittsburgh, she was working in New York City doing marketing for American Express. When she's not creating community, you can find her cheering on the Steelers and seeking out good eats around town. 

About the Host Nick Lenzi:

Nick has been helping people belong as the Community Director at Hoboken Grace Church in Hoboken, NJ since 2009. Prior to joining Hoboken Grace full time, he was an analyst on Wall Street at an investment bank. He is also the host of the show Reading Lenz which airs on the Group Talk Podcast on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

Links:  

https://www.taraleighcobble.com/

https://www.thebiblerecap.com/

https://www.taraleighcobble.com/d-group

https://www.mydgroup.org/church

Saddleback Scoop: Your Vision Casting
Getting you ready

- The moment we are in doesn’t pause the mission we are on! - Ed Stetzer
- Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a KNOWN God. - Corey Ten Boom
SGPP Vision—focus TRUST—Truth, resilience, Unity, Stewardship, Teachability
CL Launch--Retreat
You need to set the tone and set it fast!

Network Nugget: Your Ability to TAKE, GIVE and WIN
What are you most excited about for the SGN in 2022?

TAKE:
Physical Lobby February 22 to 24, 2022 - this event will serve YOU
- 15 Year Anniversary—everyone attending gets our commemorative coin
- New Format: Tracks—New, Veterans, church size
- 2 challenge talks for groups you aren’t thinking about
ATTAIN (for small group leaders)  launching 2022 in DC/Baltimore area, Nashville, Dallas, Hawaii and Orlando
GIVE/ TAKE / WIN:

- SGN Ideas Book
- Win an iPad, Get a course
- How to enter
- Each idea and if on mailing list

Leadership Learning: Your Thoughts on who can lead
Could I challenge you? Three easy steps to get Leaders:
- Crawl: Subgrouping to figure out who’s next… 3 S’s…no one does apprenticing well
- Walk: Raise a leader at a Connection Event—Chapter 16 SGWP
- Run: 2 Friends Strategy. Follow me to die for me. What is the highest qualification for leadership—followers (friends). Now we have a structure in place to make sure groups don’t drive off the road! Example of a person going to church talking after lunch

Trending Topic: Your Perspective on YOU
How do you maximize 2022?
The High-Performance Pyramid

You (Corporate Athlete)
Physical, Your Body, desires, how you feed it
Emotional, Positive Emotions—spiritual disciplines, what goes in…SM?
Mental, cognitive—Align, Accelerate!, podcasts
Spiritual, deepest values and defining a strong sense of purpose, health assessment, improvement, growth area
Ministry, Long term vision, short term vision—short term crisis helps shape long term outcomes
SMALL GROUP MININSTRY—Accelerate! course      
Greatest Task of Leadership—Clarify Your SGM Purpose
Greatest Task for Your Leadership—Clarify Your Purpose

Shownotes:

www.smallgroups.net/themes

https://www.smallgroupnetwork.com/lobby-gathering-small-groups/
http://www.smallgroupnetwork.com/IdeasBook
https://hbr.org/2001/01/the-making-of-a-corporate-athlete

If you are interested in groups ministry or if you are a seasoned small group point person, hearing the testimonies of those who are impacted will never stop renewing your heart.

To find out more about Love God Greatly, just visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/

And to learn more about the Small Group Network, head over to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/ or join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact