Personality Matters in Small Group
Who you are affects how you lead a group. The better you understand yourself- your personality, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, the better you’ll be able to help your group thrive. I remember being on a leadership team in college with 3 others students. Two of them talked things out loud- like me. So, we would spend a lot of time in meetings throwing out ideas and brainstorming together. And then there was Bob. He didn’t talk very much and I found I had a hard time trusting him. I felt like he wasn’t contributing and I even accused him of ...
You’re not a robot: 7 ways to experience God
You are not a robot! Sometimes we believe the lie that there's only one way to connect with Jesus. We're supposed to love being around people and music and quiet Bible study. But, the truth is, God didn't create an army of robots- he created individuals; and not one person is like another. That means because of everyone's backgrounds, personality, giftings, and passions, we're all going to relate to and connect with Jesus differently. Understanding these differences are very important as a follower of Jesus and as a group leader. A few years ago, Bill Hybels adapted Gary Thomas’ book ...
“Christianese”: Not Suitable for Small Group
Every group tends to have their own terms and language that only "insiders" understand. For proof, here's a link to 31 military phrases only people in the military will understand. Or 22 phrases that only wall streeters will understand. Christians are no different. I grew up around church and church people and it wasn't until I was in college that I realized half the things Christians talk about make no sense to people who aren't Christian. (In reality, half the things Christians say don't even make sense to themselves.) "Christianese": N. 1. Any word or phrase you use to sound ...
Over 70 Game Ideas for Small Group (FREE DOWNLOAD)
Download over 70 ideas for small group games for free here--> Small Group Games If you want to develop a small group that likes each other and feels comfortable sharing during discussion- you have to take time to play games. It’s nerve-wracking to walk into a strange person’s house for the first time. You’re hoping they're not a bunch of weirdos. The best way to “break the ice” is with a game of some sort. It doesn’t have to be complicated. For the first few weeks, in addition to a game I’ll have everyone go around and say their name and ...
Beware Chocolate Bunny Syndrome
It’s always great around Easter to get a chocolate bunny. But, over the years, I’ve learned to temper my excitement until I better examine the bunny. Some are made of pure chocolate and I’m joyfully forced to figure out how to consume so much chocolate. But, other chocolate bunnies hold a dark secret. They may look as amazing as other bunnies, but inside- they’re hollow! Picking up these bunnies I feel like I’ve been tricked or hoodwinked into hoping for a high quality chocolate bunny. Instead, I’m holding a hollow Easter imposter. As a leader, I think there’s a lot ...
How the Grinch Stole Small Group
In the story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch believes the true meaning of Christmas is presents. Believing this, he steals all the Christmas presents from the unsuspecting Whos in Whoville to stop Christmas from coming. But, Christmas morning he finds all the whos singining their hearts out and realizes that Christmas had nothing to do with presents- it meant so much more. Like the Grinch, I’m coming to realize that small groups mean so much more than what I thought they meant. You see, this spring semester we’ve had a few groups who haven’t had as many people ...
Train Your Replacement
There’s this great scene in the movie, “We Were Soldiers” when a group was training to land and jump out of a helicopter. As the officer is about to hop out first and lead the way, Mel Gibson’s character points to him and says, “He’s dead, what do you do?” After a few seconds of hesitation someone guesses, “Get out of the chopper,” and they all awkwardly fall out in confusion. Mel’s character uses this moment to teach that everyone has to learn the job of the man ahead of them and teach their job to the man behind them. ...
Going Places
I’m sitting in the Cleveland Airport and everywhere around me are signs that say, “Going Places,” and “We’re Going Places.” There’s sign of improvement everywhere and I have to admit, it feels like they’re ‘going places.’ When it comes to leading groups, I wonder how many of us could say the same thing? Do we have a clear idea of why our group exists and what it’s trying to accomplish? The plane I’m about to board is also going places- Virginia to be exact. It’ll be successful if it makes it to Virginia on time and I make it in ...
3 “Ups” to Pastoring Your People
The larger a church grows, the easier it is for people to “fall through the cracks.” If only the church staff cares for people, they'll eventually burn out or at least never be able to meet the needs/expectations of everyone in the congregation. That’s why the role of “Fuel Group Coach” is so important. As for the role a Fuel Group Coach plays, I like to say, “You’re not a discussion leader, you’re a pastor.” And you might end up being the only connection to a pastor at Velocity a person might know- especially as we grow larger. With that ...
Things I Learned from Group Evaluations: Part 2
I feel like so often group leaders wonder, “Am I making a difference?”, “Does the investment I’m making in this group matter?” As I read through all the feedback from our fall Fuel Groups I can tell you the answer is overwhelmingly, “YES”! I wanted to share a few things people said about groups, to help remind our present group leaders, and future group leaders that helping people grow- matters. In fact, if anyone serves in an area and wonders if what they do matters- I think they should read this feedback and remember- people notice and are thankful for ...