Sign up for the Lobby Gathering: Small Group Conference May 13-15th in Southern California at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Food and lodging are included! 

Goal: To know how to set and be comfortable having coffee/follow ups with Small Group leaders.
Why: We want you to be totally comfortable contacting and meeting with small group leaders.
It is important to remember that these folks are just like you. They have goals, fears, hurts, insecurities, families, family problems, health concerns and everything else you can imagine.

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)