One of the most strategic things a leader can do is to invest in future leaders. Whether your church’s primary discipleship model is Sunday Schools or small groups, raising up apprentices can be a determining factor in a church’s ability to multiply additional classes or groups. I’m joined today by two men who have served “in the trenches” of discipleship and leadership development.

Dr. Todd Tanner is a graduate of Texas A&M University. He has a Masters in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor in Education degree from Southern Baptist Seminary. Additionally, Dr. Tanner has more than 20 years of vocational ministry experience, including as the Senior Pastor of two churches.

Jason McNare serves as the State Missionary for Strengthening Churches in the Utah-Idaho Convention. Recently he served on the VBS Preview Team as Guest Trainer.

If you desire a thriving pipeline of growing and multiplying leaders, apprenticeship is the key. Jesus modeled this by choosing twelve men who didn’t appear “qualified,” but whom he trained and then released for great kingdom work. It is always “less about us and more about what he does through us.”

 

 Links:

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Disciple-making In Community Season 1 – Enlisting and Onboarding Group Leaders Bible Studies for Life  

 

As critical as starting new groups is to a church’s discipleship mission, pastors across the country still find groups and leaders resisting multiplying and starting new groups. On today’s show Dr. PJ Dunn and Ray Sullivan join me in a conversation about the complexities of this issue. 

With over 15 years of local church service, PJ now Dr. PJ Dunn serves as a Discipleship Consultant in North Georgia with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, helping churches make disciples and reach their community. He is passionate about reaching and equipping single adults through discipleship. As an advocate for singles, he travels nationally, speaking, coaching, and creating content for singles and the local church. 

My second guest is Ray Sullivan. He is the counterpart to PJ serving in the Southeast Region of Georgia Southern Baptist Mission Board. He is a graduate from Southern Seminary and an avid dog lover. 

As followers of Christ it’s essential we are leading others to Christ and making disciples. While the reasons for resistance are valid, we believe by keeping our members focused on the greater mission we can see group multiplication.

 

Links:

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Disciple-making In Community Season 1 – Enlisting and Onboarding Group Leaders

Table for One Ministries

Sunday School Essentials Conference

 

While starting new groups can be an exciting time in a church, it can also prove to be a huge task! Arthur Flake’s five step process, KEEP, is critical in starting the right groups for the right people. In today’s episode Phil Todd and Dr. Doug Matlock join me to discuss the 5 step process in effectively starting new groups: 

1. Know your people 

2. Enlarge the organization 

3. Enlist and train the workers 

4. Provide space and resources

5. Go after the people

 

Phil Todd joined the Southern Baptist Texas Convention team in January, 2022. Prior to joining the team he served churches in Texas and Louisiana for 30 years. He has served the local church as student pastor, small group pastor, and executive pastor during that time. He is passionate about discipleship and is eager to support the local church in accomplishing the mission of making disciples. 

 

Dr. Doug Matlock serves as the Discipleship and Small Groups Ministry Partner for Oklahoma Baptist, serving Baptist churches across the state and helping strengthen discipleship ministries. Prior to working for Oklahoma Baptists, Doug served in the local church in Oklahoma for over eighteen years. He also loves music, coffee, food, traveling with his family, hiking, sports, and great stories. His greatest passion is serving others to help them grow in their relationships with Christ. 

 

While there is no full proof method for starting new groups, we believe Arthur’s Formula is a great process to start effective groups that will expand your reach in the community and help more people grow closer to God!

 

Links:

Arthur Flake

My Hyfi

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Disciple-making In Community Season 1 – Enlisting and Onboarding Group Leaders

 

There are at least five times in a given year when churches are best positioned to launch new small groups.  While some of these are related to calendar rhythms, others include capitalizing on opportunities that exist within a church’s unique framework.  In today’s podcast I sit down with two individuals with experience “in the trenches” of launching and leading healthy small groups.

Bobby Howard is the Director of South Carolina Baptist Convention’s Generations Group and Adult Discipleship. He has a background in student ministry and has also served as an Associate Professor at Charleston Southern University.  He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Seminary and an EdD degree from Southern Seminary.

Adam Davis is the Associate Pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, TN.  He has served at Belle Aire for sixteen years and currently oversees the church’s group ministry, among other things. He has a B.A. in Christian Ministry from Union University, a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Seminary, and a PhD in Foundations in Christian Education also from Southwestern. 

When it comes to launching healthy small groups, no time is without its challenges.  But by combining strategic planning with Spirit-led responsiveness, leaders can maximize the opportunities that come their way.  

 

Links:

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Disciple-making In Community Season 1 – Enlisting and Onboarding Group Leaders

Go Explore the Bible

 

Studies show that new groups are the lifeblood of any church’s group ministry, yet too often churches aren’t starting new groups on a regular basis. On today’s episode I sit down with two brilliant discipleship strategists, Sean Keith and Dr. Scott Sullivan.

Sean Keith is the Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for Louisiana Baptist. He has been in ministry for almost 40 years and served in denominational roles in the local church in Youth Ministry, Education and Outreach Ministry, and as Interim Pastor. Sean has also published 2 books personally and co-wrote dozens of additional books, articles, and blogs.

Dr. Scott Sullivan is the Discipleship Catalyst at Georgia Baptist Mission Board where he interacts with pastors, lay leaders, and small group leaders all over the state of Georgia. He currently leads the Spark Conference that attracts thousands of church leaders every year. Dr. Sullivan has served as equipping pastor and was also a discipleship consultant for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He has authored two books – “Impact: Student Leadership Devotional,” and “Together We Equip.”

Today we take the opportunity to break down the reasons that hold churches back from starting new groups and the benefits to overcoming those excuses in any church setting.

 

Links:

Connect with Ken Braddy

Disciple-making In Community Season 1 – Enlisting and Onboarding Group Leaders

Spark Conference

Man In The Mirror

 

 

Welcome to the Disciple-making in Community with Ken Braddy podcast, an ongoing
conversation with church leaders that focuses on important issues in disciple-making through
ongoing Bible study groups.

Your host, Ken Braddy is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, a group leader, author,
blogger, and has been a discipleship pastor and 30-year champion of disciple-making through
ongoing groups in the local church.

Today Ken welcomes Alan Raughton and Jon Huff to discuss best practices for retaining group leaders.

Mentioned:

First Baptist Church, Nashville, TN

 

Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, FL

 

KenBraddy.com

 

Lifeway Research article, “5 Tips for Getting a Yes in a Culture of No”

Welcome to the Disciple-making in Community with Ken Braddy podcast, an ongoing
conversation with church leaders that focuses on important issues in disciple-making through
ongoing Bible study groups.

Your host, Ken Braddy is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, a group leader, author,
blogger, and has been a discipleship pastor and 30-year champion of disciple-making through
ongoing groups in the local church.

Today Ken welcomes Bruce Raley and Peter Burmeister to offer 13 places we can look to find new group leaders.

Mentioned:

First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, TN

 

First Baptist Church, Pensacola, FL

 

Bruce’s book, Extreme Sunday School Challenge: Engaging Our World Through New Groups

 

BruceRaley.com

Welcome to the Disciple-making in Community with Ken Braddy podcast, an ongoing
conversation with church leaders that focuses on important issues in disciple-making through
ongoing Bible study groups.

Your host, Ken Braddy is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, a group leader, author,
blogger, and has been a discipleship pastor and 30-year champion of disciple-making through
ongoing groups in the local church.

Today Ken welcomes Allan Taylor and Chris Surratt to brainstorm ways to help people overcome hurdles when considering serving as a new group leader.

Mentioned:

First Baptist Concord, Knoxville, TN

 

Allan’s book, The Six Core Values of Sunday School and Sunday School in HD: Sharpening the Focus on What Makes Your Church Healthy

 

Harvest Church, California

 

Chris’ books, Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group and Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes

 

The Group Answers podcast

Welcome to the Disciple-making in Community with Ken Braddy podcast, an ongoing
conversation with church leaders that focuses on important issues in disciple-making through
ongoing Bible study groups.

Your host, Ken Braddy is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, a group leader, author,
blogger, and has been a discipleship pastor and 30-year champion of disciple-making through
ongoing groups in the local church.

Today Ken welcomes Brian Gass, Ron Brown, Chris Johnson, and Tod Tanner to discuss enlisting and onboarding new group leaders in the normative church environment (100 people +/- 50).

Mentioned:

Article featuring Brian Gass, “A Normal Tennessee Baptist Church”

 

Crestmont Baptist Church, Burleson, TX

 

Grace Church, Hendersonville, TN

 

Tennessee Baptist Foundation

Welcome to the Disciple-making in Community with Ken Braddy podcast, an ongoing
conversation with church leaders that focuses on important issues in disciple-making through
ongoing Bible study groups.

Your host, Ken Braddy is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, a group leader, author,
blogger, and has been a discipleship pastor and 30-year champion of disciple-making through
ongoing groups in the local church.

Today Ken welcomes Carrie Burrows, Jay Gordon, and Joseph Brasher to discuss the challenges in enlisting and onboarding new group leaders in the megachurch environment.

Mentioned:

First Baptist Church, Woodway, TX

 

Carrie’s book, The Fields We Called Home

 

The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, AL

 

The Great Groups podcast

 

New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, TN

 

Joseph’s book, The Little Book on Small Groups