Grace Church, Community Group Training

Over the next few months, we will be discussing several topics leaders have identified as wanting more support in handling within their groups. In this episode, Chris Rivers, Scott Freeman, and Evan Nelson discuss the difficult and complex topic of suicide. The goal of this episode is to provide resources and start the discussion on how to best care for and love those whom God has brought into your circle of influence who may struggle with suicidal thoughts or have been impacted by suicide.

RESOURCES

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss strategies to tackle one of the biggest concerns from community group leaders: attendance issues. Why is attendance so important? How do you address a group member's lack of attendance? Listen in to hear ideas around handling this topic!

Bonus content! What’s around the corner with this podcast? Chris and Scott discuss upcoming podcast topics requested by many of you!

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss some best practices in initiating and navigating difficult conversations in community groups.  We have found that many leaders are hesitant to step into difficult conversations for a number of reasons.

What if I say the wrong thing? What if I offend someone? Will it even help if I say something? I’m not qualified to speak into this! Chris and Scott provide encouragement as well as challenge the hesitations leaders experience when confronted with difficult conversations within their community groups. Ultimately, these challenges should push us to pray diligently and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.

RESOURCES

Men at Grace Podcast, Episode 8: Managing Tension with James Farnham Google Podcast

iTunes (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/08-managing-tension-with-james-farnham/id1550193630?i=1000528235607)

Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bwcutuO4HwvQb9nUjVW0d)

Google Podcast (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NDY4NGMwYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw/episode/NTIwNWQ4YmQtOTE0ZS00ZWYyLWE1MTgtODJhN2Y2ZGEzYmU4?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwiInrPymuH0AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ) 

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss ideas related to asking good questions. Why is it important to ask good questions? What are some common mistakes we make when asking questions? What points should we keep in mind to help us become better question askers?

Asking good questions is a skill Jesus modeled for us, and it ties into our Shepherding Value of Knowing Thoroughly. Learning this skill is a process, and we’ve linked several resources below that we hope are helpful for you!

RESOURCES

Good Leaders Ask Great Questions, John Maxwell book link

In this episode, Scott Freeman and Chris Rivers interview Ryan and Molly Burns, community group leaders at Grace Church since 2007. They discuss practical tips for leading as a couple and share some strategies for approaching difficult situations,  planning for group meetings, and  encouraging one another in their leadership roles.

At Grace Church, all of our community groups are led by couples. Our hope is for couples to champion one another’s strengths and learn how to partner together as a team through leading. We would love to hear some tips and strategies that have worked well for you as you have led community groups. Just email [email protected] with your suggestions.

In this episode, Chris Rivers, Scott Freeman and Will Fallaw discuss the release of the first leadership track - Understanding the Bible. What is a leadership track? Why are we using Community Group to implement this? How and when am I supposed to do this with my group? Listen in to answer your questions!

We believe it is essential to have a solid groundwork of understanding the scriptures in order to effectively disciple others. The goal for Understanding the Bible is to do just that - equip members across the church with a solid understanding of scripture to be able to disciple others, no matter their leadership role.

Resources -

- After listening to this episode, email your responsible pastor and let him know when you plan to take your group through Understanding the Bible this school year. 

- A few weeks before you are ready to start, ask your responsible pastor to provide you with enough participant guides and facilitator guides for your group members and facilitators, and make a plan to get the guides to your members at least 1 week before the first time you watch a session.

- During the week before your group starts the study, send the template email in the facilitator guide and include this trailer video (vimeo.com/575080584/da30791dfc) to help your group have an idea of what to expect.

To access the videos:

- Go to my.gracechurchsc.org/UTB and login.

- If watching as a group, select the first option and follow the instructions. The instructions contain detail on how to get the video from your computer to your TV screen. You will want to select one of the options and test it out BEFORE you need it during a group session to make sure it works well.

- If someone misses a session and needs to make it up virtually, ask them to go to my.gracechurchsc.org/UTB, login, and follow the instructions for making up a session.

- Remember to indicate that you completed a session of Understanding the Bible on your attendance record.

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss Grace Church’s Shepherding Values—Love Patiently, Know Thoroughly, Speak Wisely, Direct Biblically, and Pray Diligently.

The Shepherding Values were created as a guide for effectively equipping community group leaders, as well as other leaders who carry shepherding responsibilities. Scott and Chris give an overview of each of the shepherding values and the possible implementation of each. As leaders, we are often using many of these values at the same time or in correspondence with one another. Scott talks through why we have recently added the fifth Shepherding Value—Pray Diligently. We believe that in order to be effective leaders, we must be prayerfully dependent on God while we Love Patiently, Know Thoroughly, Speak Wisely, and Direct Biblically.

It is important to be self aware as a leader in knowing which values are your strongest and which are your weakest. Some of these values may come more easily than others, and it’s not possible to encompass all of them perfectly. However, there is room to grow and challenge yourself in the areas that you are weak. You can use the resources listed in the episode notes to work through the applying document. As you continue to implement these values into your leadership, you will see that they become more natural.

RESOURCES

Applying Shepherding Values Document - Download

Shepherding Values Overview Document - Download

Completing a Shepherding Values Video Overview (vimeo.com/605099128/d5e73a7d83) 

Email [email protected] with questions

Many thanks to Sarah Worsham, Sarah Bailey, and Scott Beardsley for helping to produce this episode.

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss the key components to launching the start of the community group year.

The first few community group meetings of the year have the potential to set the tone for how the rest of the year will go. It’s important for leaders and group members to have the same expectations when it comes to participation, desire to grow spiritually, vulnerability, and humility. Scott and Chris discuss what these expectations should be and also give practical tips for ensuring a smooth launch into the new year!

RESOURCES:

GroupLife Participants — Caring for Others: LINK

Community Group Participants Guide: LINK

Community Group Leader Responsibilities: LINK

Many thanks to Sarah Worsham, Sarah Bailey, Chris Rivers, Scott Freeman, and Scott Beardsley for helping to produce this episode.

In this episode, Chris Rivers and Scott Freeman discuss the new Sermon Question Process for community group leaders. Scott shares why we are transitioning to a new way of doing sermon questions, the advantages to this new process for both leaders and members, and how leaders will get this new resource.

The community group experience serves as an opportunity to dig deeper into God’s Word, share life with other believers, and apply biblical teaching to our everyday lives. This process can look different yet still have the same outcome—authentic, biblical community. Our hope is that this new process will serve to create expectancy for what is coming as we look ahead to future sermons. Our desire is for community groups to engage with the Scriptures and share honest thoughts with one another in anticipation of the upcoming message. 

RESOURCES

My.gracechurchsc.org account

Sample Sermon Questions

Many thanks to Sarah Worsham, Sarah Bailey, Chris Rivers, Scott Freeman, and Scott Beardsley for helping to produce this episode.