SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

We all need time away to recharge and be filled by God. Retreats with your staff and/ or key volunteers are a great way to value and invest in the souls of  your team members. Part 1 discusses why retreats are helpful, how to develop a goal for your retreat, logistics on planning a retreat, and the essential "must do's."  Part 2 will focus on recommended tools, resources, and tips on activities that are effective in helping your team be restored, refreshed and energized.     Amy Jackson is founder and director of The Perch, located in Aurora, Illinois. The Perch provides space and skills for soul care so you can live the healthy, thriving life of purpose you were created for. Amy is a former publisher with Christianity Today, overseeing several church resources including SmallGroups.com, and she holds a Master's in Christian Formation and Ministry from Wheaton College.   Sign Up For Accelerate Today!

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Do you want to have conversations that matter? Conversations are critical to our ministry and our lives. But how effective are you at engaging, listening, empathizing, focusing, learning, and caring for people during conversations? What are bad conversational habits we easily fall into? What are practical strategies to help us improve our conversational skills at home, at work, and in our small groups?    Listen to Carolyn, Andrew, and Nick discuss a bestselling book, "We Need to Talk" by Celeste Headlee, based on the wildly popular TED talk with more than 16 million views.    https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation?language=en   Andrew Camp is currently the Spiritual Growth Pastor at Mountain Life Church in Park City, UT, and contributes monthly to the Small Group Network blog.

 Nick Lenzi is the the Dinner Group Director at Hoboken Grace Community Church in Hoboken, NJ. Nick serves the Small Group Network as our finance director.

 

SGN Events

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Pastor Rick Warren was this year’s keynote speaker at the “Lobby Gathering,” one of the nation’s premier small group training events. To listen to part 2 of this 2 part exclusive podcast, just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

 

SMALL GROUP NETWORK EVENTS

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Pastor Rick Warren was this year’s keynote speaker at the “Lobby Gathering,” one of the nation’s premier small group training events. Enjoy part 1 of this 2 part exclusive podcast.

 

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A panel discussion on how to overcome the typical barriers of getting new leaders, and how to identify, invite, and recruit new people to lead groups. Group Talk Podcast Panelists: Bill Search - Author of "Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders" and "Simple Small Groups" and serves as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City, OK Mark Kendall - Small Groups Pastor at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN and also serves as the North Central Regional Leader for the Small Group Network. Tommy Carreras - Tommy oversees care and community at Mission Church in Ventura, CA and helps to lead the Ventura County Small Group Network "Huddle." Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

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Between people marrying at older ages or never marrying, co-habitation, and divorce rates, there is a large increasing population of singles in our churches spanning several decades. Yet, singles often report feeling lonely, isolated, or stigmatized in the church which typically focus on marriages and families. So how can we serve singles better and help them connect and grow through small groups?

Amanda Reyes has been on staff at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California since 2016 and currently serves as a Small Groups Minister, caring for Singles Small Groups.

Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

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This podcast focuses on some key decisions that will have a critical impact on shaping the values, strategies, and culture of your groups ministry for years to come. 

Steve is the Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees the strategic launch and development of over 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. He has authored Small Groups With Purpose, which has been translated into eight languages to date, and Leading Small Groups With Purpose. He frequently speaks at conferences and consults with church leaders both in the United States and around the world. He has a driving passion to see each church attendee connected to a qualified shepherd and become an integral part of their church body, living purposefully for Christ. Steve is also the Founder of the Small Group Network (SGN) giving influence and oversight to all the SGN initiatives. He earned a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1985, and a B.A. in Biblical Studies, with minors in Greek and Philosophy in 1982, from Evangel University. Steve and Lisa have been married since 1989 and have two children, Erika and Ethan.

Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

Enjoy the warm beaches of SoCal, learn the cutting edge trends in small group ministry & network with the brightest small group point people from around the nation at the Lobby Gathering Small Group Conference in San Juan Capistrano! Register HERE

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Guest: Reid Smith

Topic: How did you do? Year-end review of your church, ministry, and self.

• Why reflect on the past year what to evaluate?
• Measuring progress - hard versus soft data
• How do you know if group life and community is in the culture of the church?
• What are some measures to evaluate the fruit of your groups ministry in the past year?
• How did you grow (or not) in your own discipleship and leadership?

Bio: Reid Smith has been equipping leaders for effective discipleship making in churches of all sizes and stages of growth since 1996. He currently serves as the Groups Pastor at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach, Florida and has been working in various discipleship ministries at that church since 2008. He is a contributing author for Christianity Today’s smallgroups.com and Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. Reid is also a consultant, speaker and SGN's Director of Communities of Purpose. www.reidsmith.org.

 

Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

 

A message from Santa Steve: “Give yourself a Christmas gift that will not only strengthen your leadership, but your small group ministry as well! Lock in early bird price by Dec 31st, HERE!“

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Guest: Reid Smith

Topic: How did you do? Year-end review of your church, ministry, and self.

• Why reflect on the past year what to evaluate?
• Measuring progress - hard versus soft data
• How do you know if group life and community is in the culture of the church?
• What are some measures to evaluate the fruit of your groups ministry in the past year?
• How did you grow (or not) in your own discipleship and leadership?

Bio: Reid Smith has been equipping leaders for effective discipleship making in churches of all sizes and stages of growth since 1996. He currently serves as the Groups Pastor at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach, Florida and has been working in various discipleship ministries at that church since 2008. He is a contributing author for Christianity Today’s smallgroups.com and Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. Reid is also a consultant, speaker and SGN's Director of Communities of Purpose. www.reidsmith.org.

 

Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

 

A message from Santa Steve: “Give yourself a Christmas gift that will not only strengthen your leadership, but your small group ministry as well! Lock in early bird price by Dec 31st, HERE!“

Everyone enters a new small group with spoken and unspoken expectations. Small group agreements or covenants are a helpful tool to discuss and establish the primary goals of the group as well as important guidelines for group members. We will discuss the process of establishing an agreement and the essential elements which need to be included.  

Tracey Ware is a pastor in Melbourne, Australia with many years’ ministry experience in both NSW and Victoria. Tracey has a passion for small group ministry which goes back to her teenage years because it was in a small group that she was mentored, challenged and encouraged in her Christian faith. She serves as the volunteer Australian Leader of the Small Group Network, contributes monthly to SGN blog, started the first SGN huddle in Australia, and organized two Small Groups with Purpose Conferences with Steve Gladen in 2018. 

Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion! To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE

Grow as a leader, strengthen your team & accelerate the health & growth of your small group ministry by attending one of our “Accelerate!” Small Group Workshops! For more info & to lock in EARLY BIRD RATES click HERE!

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