SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

In each "Inside Saddleback" Group Talk Podcast episode we feature four unique segments: Saddleback Scoop, Network Nugget, Leadership Learning and the Trending Topic. In this exciting new episode, we cover the following insightful topics:

Saddleback Scoop: 3 Keys to Unity

1. Success is never a solo entity. You need Mentors, Models, Partners and friends
2. The older I get, it’s not so much the place, but the people I am doing life & ministry with.
3. Love always wins out. 

Key Scriptures on unity from Rick Warren's message you can take deeper:
YOUR LOVE
“My dear friends, we always have good reason to thank God for you, because your faith in God and your love for each other
keep growing all the time!” 2 Thes. 1:3

“ Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.” Col. 3:14

YOUR FAITH
“We always thank God for you all ... for how you put your faith into practice...” 1 Thess. 1:2-3

YOUR GENEROUS SPIRIT
“They were extremely generous in their giving ...giving even more than they could afford.”

Network Nugget—Diversity. 

Diversity depends on your area, but also depends on proximity in these areas. 
1. You
2. Your small group & small group ministry
3. Your leadership
4. Your church

Leadership Learning—Civility

How to be civil? Try these 7 guidelines: 

1. Listen with your eyes (don’t roll your eyes) acknowledge their view
2. Sleep and hungry—know the right time
3. Social media news vs. Good news
4. Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other.
5. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker.
6. Both sides should aim to help each other understand their own experience and perspective using a type of speech (words and tone) that can be heard by the other.
7. Both sides should accept the fundamental ground rule of life in a free society: the essence of

Liberty is the right to be different and to act wrongly in the eyes of others—you will need to agree to disagree. Look at the fundamental role of fear in situations of public conflict that we end up facing in our culture, politics, and law and can I add our small groups:
- The fear of being excluded from full participation in public discourse or public life;
- The fear that the other side is trying to coerce change of my side’s core identity
- The fear that the other side will use the power of law to force my side’s conformity with beliefs and practices that we find vile; and
- The fear of losing or betraying deeply valued relationships of love, either with the Divine or with people, or both. Fear is your greatest enemy in being civil. Presidential deranged syndrome. Focus on doing Jesus stuff
and BELIEVING Jesus has everything in control
Now these three things, are essential to understanding the Trending Topic

Trending Topic—Where the Groups needs to shine 
Why do we think laws are going to change people’s hearts?
Too often we get sucked into a battle that is a lose/lose because we forget, the church is the answer.
Look at the big topics at a super high level: abortion, sexual identity, racism and socialism. Laws don’t change hearts. 

Abortion 

- Health care
- Community around...will have baby
- Religious and married—can’t afford, don’t think they will have the support—they made one mistake, the church needs to help them not make another.

Racism:

- The most segregated hour in America is Sunday mornings. We like unity, struggle with diversity

Socialism
- Broken society
- Broken family systems
- Never had a parent, happy to look to the government (why not the church)

Sexual Identity
- Most church’s not an open conversation
- Don’t know how to love and not condone or approving (divorce)
- Preston Sprinkle

How to not get sucked into the wrong argument? Temptation—Lead us not into temptation - Sermon of the Mount.
1. Yes to God, get in the right place
2. Watch and pray, you will do dumb things
3. Put down roots, authentic community, God’s Word
4. Remember your purpose, why are you on this planet.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/09f048a7 - Your Small Group's Role Against Racism
https://share.transistor.fm/s/7e0d9d0f - Developing an Anti-Racist Culture in Your Small Group

Why are habits the best way to build consistency inside your groups? Join us for this month's episode of Reading Lenz as host Nick Lenzi is joined by Amber Walker to breakdown the New Times #1 Best Seller Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book has sold over 5 million copies, tune into to hear what you should know about this book and the takeaways we are bringing into our groups. 

Episode Highlights:

Atomic Habits Intro (8:35)

Difference between a habit and a goal (12:40)

Make it obvious (17:30)

Make it attractive (21:50)

Make it easy (28:40)

Make it satisfying (37:05)

Lightning Round (42:00)

More About Our Guest Amber Walker:

Amber is the Director of Engagement at The Bible Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA where she has been for 2 ½ years. Prior to moving home to Pittsburgh, she was working in New York City doing marketing for American Express. When she's not creating community, you can find her cheering on the Steelers and seeking out good eats around town. 

About the Host Nick Lenzi:

Nick has been helping people belong as the Community Director at Hoboken Grace Church in Hoboken, NJ since 2009. Prior to joining Hoboken Grace full time, he was an analyst on Wall Street at an investment bank. He is also the host of the show Reading Lenz which airs on the Group Talk Podcast on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

Do you "want to want to read the Bible?" Do you or your groups struggle to incorporate Bible reading as a regular habit? We talk with Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of the Bible Recap, a short digest of a daily bible reading. With millions of downloads, Tara Leigh has been enormously influential in helping people love to read and understand the Bible. She also believes that the Bible is best understood in the context of community, alongside one another in groups. So Tara-Leigh founded and leads D-Groups to deepen Biblical understanding, community, and accountability, and she shares how these discipleship groups can work in any church or community environment. 

Links:  

https://www.taraleighcobble.com/

https://www.thebiblerecap.com/

https://www.taraleighcobble.com/d-group

https://www.mydgroup.org/church

In each "Inside Saddleback" Group Talk Podcast episode we feature four unique segments: Saddleback Scoop, Network Nugget, Leadership Learning and the Trending Topic. In this exciting new episode, we cover the following insightful topics:

Saddleback Scoop: Your Vision Casting
Getting you ready

- The moment we are in doesn’t pause the mission we are on! - Ed Stetzer
- Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a KNOWN God. - Corey Ten Boom
SGPP Vision—focus TRUST—Truth, resilience, Unity, Stewardship, Teachability
CL Launch--Retreat
You need to set the tone and set it fast!

Network Nugget: Your Ability to TAKE, GIVE and WIN
What are you most excited about for the SGN in 2022?

TAKE:
Physical Lobby February 22 to 24, 2022 - this event will serve YOU
- 15 Year Anniversary—everyone attending gets our commemorative coin
- New Format: Tracks—New, Veterans, church size
- 2 challenge talks for groups you aren’t thinking about
ATTAIN (for small group leaders)  launching 2022 in DC/Baltimore area, Nashville, Dallas, Hawaii and Orlando
GIVE/ TAKE / WIN:

- SGN Ideas Book
- Win an iPad, Get a course
- How to enter
- Each idea and if on mailing list

Leadership Learning: Your Thoughts on who can lead
Could I challenge you? Three easy steps to get Leaders:
- Crawl: Subgrouping to figure out who’s next… 3 S’s…no one does apprenticing well
- Walk: Raise a leader at a Connection Event—Chapter 16 SGWP
- Run: 2 Friends Strategy. Follow me to die for me. What is the highest qualification for leadership—followers (friends). Now we have a structure in place to make sure groups don’t drive off the road! Example of a person going to church talking after lunch

Trending Topic: Your Perspective on YOU
How do you maximize 2022?
The High-Performance Pyramid

You (Corporate Athlete)
Physical, Your Body, desires, how you feed it
Emotional, Positive Emotions—spiritual disciplines, what goes in…SM?
Mental, cognitive—Align, Accelerate!, podcasts
Spiritual, deepest values and defining a strong sense of purpose, health assessment, improvement, growth area
Ministry, Long term vision, short term vision—short term crisis helps shape long term outcomes
SMALL GROUP MININSTRY—Accelerate! course      
Greatest Task of Leadership—Clarify Your SGM Purpose
Greatest Task for Your Leadership—Clarify Your Purpose

Shownotes:

www.smallgroups.net/themes

https://www.smallgroupnetwork.com/lobby-gathering-small-groups/
http://www.smallgroupnetwork.com/IdeasBook
https://hbr.org/2001/01/the-making-of-a-corporate-athlete

Has your life been changed by a small group? Do you know someone else who has been transformed? Love God Greatly is a ministry that creates and translates Bible studies in 40 different languages. James Browning interviews Viola Bolbas and Angela Perritt about how God has been using their Bible studies and groups to impact women across the globe. Throughout the interview you'll also hear stories from the women in the groups from several different countries. 

If you are interested in groups ministry or if you are a seasoned small group point person, hearing the testimonies of those who are impacted will never stop renewing your heart.

To find out more about Love God Greatly, just visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/

And to learn more about the Small Group Network, head over to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/ or join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact

#bible-study #smallgroup #womensministry

Lobby Gathering 2022 - Don't forget promo code grouptalk for your $100 off!