On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk with Heather Zempel and Amanda Seidler about untraditional groups in Washington, D.C.

Heather Zempel leads the discipleship efforts at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Heather oversees small groups, directs leadership development training, and serves on the weekend teaching team. Heather can be found on Capitol Hill enjoying the adventures of parenting with her husband Ryan as they raise Sawyer, their fun-loving and energetic daughter. Heather is the author of Sacred Roads, Community is Messy, and Amazed and Confused.

Amanda Seidler loves to help people build meaningful relationships with one another, grow in Christlikeness, and discover how to impact the world around them. As Groups Pastor, she gets to do that through leading the vision, strategy, and implementation of community environments for growth and discipleship at National Community Church.

Questions:

* D.C. is such a transient, busy city. How difficult is it to convince people to be a part of a small group?

* Other than the traditional group in someone’s home, what other types of groups do you offer?

* What does it take to have a successful workplace environment group?

* What counsel would you give a leader wanting to launch untraditional groups?

* What are the most significant challenges you’re seeing in group ministry today?

* What single decision from your time in leadership, if given the chance, would you change?

Quotes:

* People are most likely to give groups a shot when they’re in a season of life change.

* If I can pray for someone on the other side of the aisle at 7 AM in a coffee house, that doesn’t have to change when I go into my office two hours later.

* You never want to take a system that was designed specifically for another demographic, another church, and try to make it work in your unique location.

* You have to be constantly reevaluating your system because culture is changing.

* Jesus taught at synagogues, but he also taught at wells.

* As a leader of leaders, how do I leverage who my people already are?

* We want people to get a vision from God and run with it.

This Episode’s Sponsor: You’ve probably heard about the movie OVERCOMER. But you may not know there are a few books and Bible studies inspired by the film. One is called Defined by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick, which is a book and Bible study based on insights from the Book of Ephesians. You can find these books and Bible studies at Lifeway.com/Overcomer.

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in Lifeway’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at Lifeway and author of Leading Small Groups.