Group Talk - Small Group Network

Enhancing Small Group Ministry: Insights from the Lobby GatheringIn this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladden and James Browning discuss the annual Lobby Gathering event in Southern California, which brings together small group pastors from around the world. The conversation highlights the inception of the Lobby Gathering, emphasizing the importance of practical networking over traditional conference sessions. The episode features insights from Brad Shank of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), who outlines four key rhythms for creating vibrant small groups: eating together, doing life together, growing together, and serving together. Shank stresses the significance of these rhythms in fostering genuine relationships and spiritual growth, offering practical advice for making groups the best part of members' weeks by embodying the spirit of the early church. The episode encourages listeners to reevaluate their small group practices to foster environments filled with joy, generosity, connection, and mission.To take advantage of the early bird discount, head to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events00:00 Introduction to the Lobby Gathering00:33 The Origin of the Lobby Gathering00:59 Mistake #1: Wrong Assumptions02:56 Mistake #2: Impatience04:29 Mistake #3: Defensiveness06:35 Insights from the Lobby Gathering08:12 Best Part of Your Week: Building Life-Giving Groups15:56 Four Key Rhythms for Small Groups19:32 Practical Tips for Group Leaders31:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ★ Support this podcast ★

3 mistakes to avoid with your Lead or Supervising PastorMistake #1: Wrong assumptionsIn the middle of a difficult moment with leadership relationships, it is very easy to assume the worst about them. A Christian counselor friend once said, “When we assume the motives of someone else we are wrong most of the time.” I have learned this is very true.We often forget is what it's like to be in their shoes. Remember when others misjudged you? What did you want from them? What did you wish for? It might be a good exercise to make a list of what you remember as a starting point for making changes in your relationships.The danger of assigning motives, of assuming someone's intent, is we never know all the facts. They maybe new to the church? To the role? To you? They come with their own often un-named values, beliefs, and assumptions about what we, their leadership, should or should not do. It's very complicated.The temptation is always to side with your own beliefs, to assume you are correct, because we know them…or think we do. But God is clear when He says, “You shall not be partial in judgment … For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God, who is not partial …” (Deuteronomy 1:17; 10:17). Meaningful relations can't happen if we are assuming the worst or assigning blame without knowing all the data. And we will rarely have all the facts.Conclusion: Choose to believe the best. Ask God to give you His love and grace and to help you give grace, expecting nothing in return. You will never know the full impact of the Lead Pastor world! Help them see you as a “friend” not a “foe”.Mistake #2: ImpatienceWe've had a lifetime to get to know our ministry, but when it comes to being the Lead Pastor…not so much. It's all too easy to impatiently expect these relationships to gel perfectly. Relationships take time … lots of time with many investments of grace, love, and patience. There are so many factors to consider—working styles, age gaps, passion gaps, interest gaps, etc.Often what helps me in impatience is to know, that through PRAYER, God can make things go far faster than I can. Simple, huh? Along with that, you need to be good for your church. You are part of the team to help, not just have your way. You need to show up, but not throw up!Basically, be what a friend taught me, “Be a good General, not a bad General”. A bad General takes their assignment and does whatever higher ups tell them. A good General will assess the situation, give their advise and then execute on whatever leadership decides. If you feel it is wrong, PRAY, God will course correct.Conclusion: We are only responsible to suggest and pray.. God is more than able to work His will in their lives without our help. Our job now is to be patient with the process and trust Him to do the work. SOMETIMES God is working in the background and doesn't tell us! LOLMistake #3: DefensivenessWhen a Lead Pastor points out a flaw he or she sees in us, it hurts. Our natural inclination is to be defensive, to explain our position and how hard we tried to do our best rather than just apologize and say, “I'm so sorry that hurt you so much or wasn't done the way you expected.” We forget so easily that we are all flawed, broken people and no pastor is perfect. So why are we surprised when stuff happens and people give us issues?This next statement isn't natural but … instead of having defensiveness of those of we serve (our Lead Pastor), we should be grateful for the opportunity to mend and apologize for the mistakes we make! Even if it was 100% unintentional. Modeling an apologetic heart and seeking forgiveness will open the door for you to do the same with those that serve under you (staff or volunteer). A friend once said, “Seeing a flaw in ourselves is a joy because we now have the opportunity to be rid of it.” It takes maturity and humility to see our shortcomings this way, but it's liberating.Only when we own our mistakes and admit where we failed leadership will we grow rich relationships with them and church leadership. The truth is always your friend.Only humility produces the beauty of meaningfully deep relationships. And continually acknowledging our own shortcomings and failures before God makes beautiful our lives in the greater body of Christ. It's been quite a journey at Saddleback Church since March of 1998. I've known lots of misunderstandings and mistakes. Thankfully I've known forgiveness too. I love our church so much, including the staff and people LOL. Each difficulty brings uniqueness which challenges us to a greater faith, and that is always good.He's got us, He's got our ministry and He's got our Lead Pastor too!  ★ Support this podcast ★

Sign up for the Lobby Gathering: Small Group Conference May 13-15th in Southern California at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/Food and lodging are included! Spring Cleaning for Small Group Ministry: The 5 Ks with Steve GladenIn this episode of FG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups from Saddleback Church, shares insights from his 25+ years of experience to help listeners enhance their small group ministries. Joined by Derek, Steve discusses 'The 4 Ks of Small Group Ministry Spring Cleaning': Kinship with leaders, Keeping clean data, Knowing your playbook, Kindling leadership, and Kicking spiritual butt. They emphasize the importance of building deeper relationships with leaders, maintaining accurate data, ensuring everyone understands the group's playbook, fostering leadership pathways, and ultimately achieving ministry victories. Tune in for practical advice to rejuvenate your small group ministry.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:25 Personal Updates and Moving Challenges01:46 Spring Cleaning in Small Group Ministry03:02 The Four Ks of Small Group Ministry03:20 Kinship with Leaders07:42 Keep Clean Data10:50 Know Your Playbook12:50 Kindle Leadership16:56 Final Thoughts and The Fifth K18:30 Conclusion and Farewell ★ Support this podcast ★

Equipping Small Group Leaders: Insights from Saddleback ChurchIn this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, shares his extensive experience to encourage and equip small group leaders. The episode includes the 'Saddleback Scoop,' highlighting the church's shift from fruitfulness to faithfulness, an approach to combat COVID-induced depletion by focusing on all four aspects of personal refreshment: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The 'Network Nugget' segment introduces Saddleback's first online training course, Align, and discusses its positive impact on participants. Additionally, the podcast touches on new course releases, upcoming events, and the importance of maintaining various forms of personal well-being. The show wraps up with a focus on five emotional refreshments essential for small group leaders and members: support, stability, self-expression, significance, and satisfaction.00:00 Welcome to F G Squared00:19 The Saddleback Scoop: Refreshment and Recalibration07:03 Network Nugget: Align Learning and Cohort Strategy13:42 Leadership Learning: The Replenishment Cycle21:45 Trending Topic: Five Emotional Refreshments32:08 Closing Remarks and Resources ★ Support this podcast ★

This episode is a very special cross post from the Group Answers podcast. We are sharing in honor of the passing of Chris Surratt, a friend and brother in Christ who has impacted thousands of small group point people around the world. Thanks for taking the time to listen, and don't forget to check out Group Answers podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.Original Description:On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen on Knowing Hard and Soft Data in Your Small Group Ministry appeared first on Adult Ministry.CLICK HERE to read the report from Lifeway Research about the state of groups. ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares the four key steps that you will want to follow for a successful and strategic 2025 in regards to your small group ministry.  You don't want to miss this episode!BOOK: Planning Small Groups with Purpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!SHOWNOTESMail Bag Questions 13-1813 How do we get previously existing groups to become “official” Small Groups so we can include them on our website and app?  They are nomads and we love to start walking beside them.14 What's one thing you would do differently if you could go back to your first day over groups?15 How do we create a church culture of groups?16 Top tips for getting long-time groups to multiply17 What is the outcome or “win” of a group?18 Can Adult Sunday School work with small groups? ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!SHOW NOTESMail Bag Questions 8-128 Who is doing ESL as a small group?9 I wish I had known the importance of having the right coaches in place...any tips?10 What is the biggest mistake you made?11 What's the one thing you would tell yourself as someone new to ministry regarding groups?12 How to get/grow more leaders?Re-imagine Coaching Episode  ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to read and answer the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!Mail Bag Questions 1-71 What advice would you give to someone brand new to vocational ministry?2 What is key to moving from good and high participation to great and highly effective in your groups.3 How do you navigate creating a small group culture if senior leadership isn't on board?4 How to encourage attendance after a busy work day?5 How do you best prioritize time and energy with ministry friends?6 Starting healthy! I am from a church plant and want to establish firm foundations as we look to continue the process of growing more into the likeness of Christ in community! Help.7 What % of regular worshippers being in small groups is typical?Check out the The Lobby Conference ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve & co-host Deek talk about 20 ways that you can honor and celebrate the leaders in your ministry this groups season.This is a rebroadcast episode ★ Support this podcast ★

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can evangelize together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Kiersten Telzerow to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can break out beyond the walls to share the good news with people in their community. 10 Ways Your Group Can Evangelize Kiersten - Groups Pastor @ NCC in DCDMIN: Wholistic Discipleship– passionate about ways that groups can engage in mission on a regular basis– being the hands and feet of ChristDo the leg work up front– don't just sign your group up for something - because then everyone will feel like they have to do it and that's not mission ;) Of first time Health Assessment takers 87% evangelism is self selected as lowSet up Personal, Local and GlobalPersonal—1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Plant, Water, and Harvest)Local/Global—Homa and Away Teams Don't overcomplicate it- first and foremost- don't try to put a 1-week overseas trip on the calendar for all 15 people in your small group- never say never, but the likelihood is that may not happen.Keep it simple and consistent- if we know those who experience the greatest transformation in community in a small group- why wouldn't we believe the same to be true of mission? The more we keep showing up– the easier it gets. It's like flexing a muscle. If we don't have the gift of mercy or evangelism- it can be harder to flex this muscle- so start with something easy.Pray about & strategize it- What's one of the areas that's a great need? Is there a local cause that is close to the church or your small group? Are there places that a group could rotate so maybe it doesn't work on everyone's schedule all at once, but you can take shifts. Serving 2 Saturdays/month.Find what people are passionate about– leverage strengths/ gifts in group. & the most important thing is do it together– model it together, live it out- express the Gospel through our lifestyle/everyday living. Practically speaking:Prayer Walk- Reimagine mission – what that could look like in your group– prayer walk your neighborhood or around your church. Every summer our groups engage in 40 days of prayer walks- in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces, etc. Prayer walking is still living on mission! **Have everyone in your group be praying for 3 people consistently in their sphere of influence.See if your group can “adopt” a cause like taking turns providing respite care to families who are fostering or every year your group puts together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.Food- Make lunches for homeless friends- if that doesn't already exist- make that a small group! Or, every other week I'm a part of a reconciliation lunch at our Dream Center and I'll bring people with me– listening to people's stories is a way of partnering with Jesus- doing what He did wherever we go.Evangelize in your own neighborhood–(together or individually) If you all live in the same community- ask what you can do in your community. Several of our group members all live in the same area and so we realized there was a gap of a chaplain down at our police precinct- one day we had an incident in the neighborhood and I just said hey I'm a pastor, I live over here- if there's anything I can do please let me know… there's several of us from the same church in the area if anyone needs anything.Never underestimate the small- hidden things. Our small group is made up of bakers- we are always baking things, giving them away, etc. So one time we made a batch of cookies with invites to Easter services attached. I thought- small things- maybe it'll cheer a neighbors day up. Everyone in the group can do this wherever they live- but just deliver goods to neighbors on a regular basis- you never know the difference. Recently I had a neighbor I've been praying for, and she came up to me and said I just needed you to know the difference you made by dropping off those sweets- I'd like to go to church with you one day if that's possible. I was floored- over a batch of cookies.Neighborhood block party.  Invite your group host home to had a block party (or someone else in your group if thats better) to invite their street to a block party.  Either the group, the church, whoever can sponsor it and have a gathering.  This is a great way to live for Jesus in front of lost peopleWrite out your 1-, 3- and 10-minutes testimony and share it with your small group.Identify your One Life who doesn't know Christ and share with the group what stage you are at with them (plant, water, or harvest) and your next step.Have a party with your small group and invite your One Life(s). Let them see Christians having fun.Explore people different than you, attend an ethic mom and pop restaurant and learn about their culture. ★ Support this podcast ★

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can worship together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Troy Kennedy to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can worship together.10 Ways to Worship in Your Small Group Brief discussion on definition of worship. Three questions to prompt response: Who is he? Who am I in relationship to Him? What has he done? 10 Ways to Worship in a Small Group - For the leaders - Before and during the worship time, always pray for God's guidance and presence to be felt among the group. Ask for wisdom in leading the group in worship. Every group dynamic is different and needs to be treated sensitively. Sing along with a favorite worship song with the text. Afterwords, discuss which parts of this song were most powerful or meaningful to you. After everyone has shared, sing along with it again. Read a passage of scripture (Start with John 15)  then offer gratitude prayer through what you discovered as a group.Festoon a passage of scripture - start with Psalm 23 (define "festoon")As a group read The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 - Articulate to one another different sections in your own words. "Our father" "in heaven" "holy is your name" "for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, and ever." Use your own perspective on what these phrases are applied in your life right now.Read Revelation 4 & 5's scene from heaven then respond to what you read with one another.Pick a story from one of the gospels involving Jesus. (A good place to start is Luke 10:38-41) Read the passage through together. Then instruct everyone to imagine themselves in the story themselves. Who are they? What does it feel like? What time of day is it? What are the smells? Etc.… Have someone else then read the passage again, slowly, while everyone else is imagining themselves in it. Afterwords have group members share who they were in the passage, describing in detail, what day heard, saw and felt.Everyone write down 10 things, however, great or small, they are grateful for. And when everyone is done, offer prayers of gratitude in the form of popcorn prayer.After a reading from the Psalms enjoy a time of contemplative prayer using silence. Set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes. And during that silence have everyone focus on the goodness of God. Try to visualize yourself sitting quietly with Jesus across from you in the room. How is he looking at you? How does that make you feel? After this time of contemplation, share the experience, however, beneficial or awkward, it might have been.Read Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-17. Then listen to or sing along with a favorite worship song in the group. Afterwords, go back to Ephesians 6, and identify which parts of the armor of God the song best represents.Have someone share a story in their faith journey where God came through for them. They may have been healed of some kind of malady. They may have had a relationship that was healed. They have felt protected in some way, etc.… while the group is listening to their story, have everyone write down three characteristics of God best exemplified in that story. Afterwords, share with one another your observations. And then offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God's character as it is revealed in that person's story.Have everyone go on some sort of hike or outing to a beautiful outdoor location. Enjoy God's majesty in nature and spend some time prayerfully thanking him as a group for what you see. Expand the worship experience by including elements like communion, foot washing, different body postures (kneeling, hands raised, eyes lifted up etc…) ★ Support this podcast ★

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can serve your church and community? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Derek sit down with special guest Jon Laster, small group pastor from Spring Hill, TN to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can mobilize to serve people.10 Ways Your Group Can Serve Groups serving other areas of ministry in the local church is life giving, and fuel for what God wants to do in your local congregation! 1 - Talk to your Pastoral Staff and ask them what areas they feel needs the most attention in your local church.  This can be basic cleaning, outreach, etc.  I believe it's the best place to start on where you can serve as a group.   2 - Serve those in your group.  Whether someone needs their lawn cut during a busy season of life, or just a 45 min coffee meeting to check in on them and their family. 3 - Serve your local police and fire department.  These are groups that are often are carrying a heavy load and it's a great way for the local body to serve and encourage them. Pizza and subs go a long way! :)  4 - Find a street in your community and serve the community by doing clean up together. 5 - Sponsor a block party in someone's neighborhood and serve your neighbors lunch or dinner.  This leads to a great time of connection. 6 - Gather and pray for your local church and leaders.  There is never not a good time to do this.  Church leadership is carrying a heavier load than a lot of people realize and one of the best ways to serve others is to pray for them. 7 - Serve together at local food pantries, or homeless shelters.  Find local opportunities outside the walls of your church to be the church. 8 - Find a way to serve your Kids, Teens, Worship, etc. Departments in your church. Whether it's helping with snacks, prayer, set up, clean up, etc.  Serve the upcoming generation! 9 – Connect with a city official and see what they did help in that your group(s) can help. 10 - Serve your local churches vision. This might look a little different for each church, but find ways to serve and carry out your local church's vision together as a group. ★ Support this podcast ★

Would you like to know the basics of starting a small group ministry? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares his timeless and commonsense keys to launching & building healthier small groups. Download the fill ins:1. The Saddleback Small Group Difference2. How To Start A Small Group Ministry ★ Support this podcast ★

Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares his timeless and commonsense keys to building healthier small groups. In this episode titled "The Saddleback Small Group Difference," Steve shares 7 transferable keys that Saddleback church has used to build one of the largest and healthiest small group ministries. You are not going to want to miss this episode!Download notes HERE ★ Support this podcast ★

This month's episode features a panel conversation between Steve Gladen, Dave Enns from North Coast, Rick Howerton from Lakepointe Church, and moderation by Carolyn Taketa. Join us as we listen in to their discussion on their decades of small group experience while at the Lobby Gathering small group conference and retreat in San Juan Capistrano. ★ Support this podcast ★

To sign up for the Lobby Gathering, head over to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events Your registration includes the event, lodging, and most meals. Plus a cohort like Dr. Bill Donahue's! We can't wait to see you there on February 20-22nd!Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares his timeless and commonsense keys to building healthier small groups. In this episode titled "Think critically: accomplish more with less," Steve shares 8 ways to accomplish more with less in your small group ministry. You are not going to want to miss this episode! ★ Support this podcast ★

To sign up for the Lobby Gathering, head over to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events Your registration includes the event, lodging, and most meals. Plus a cohort like Dr. Bill Donahue's! We can't wait to see you there on February 20-22nd!Today's episode comes from a small group conference at Saddleback Church. The session speaker is Dr. Bill Donahue as he shares about how to create an environment for spiritual growth in small groups. Dr. Donahue is one of the most well respected and accomplished speakers and small group practitioners, having written several books and taught at the collegiate level. He also is a coach and leads cohorts at the small group network. To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com, our facebook group, or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church visits London to interview Nicky Gumbel, Vicar, Holy Trinity Brompton, and Pioneer of the Alpha Course.Nicky and his wife Pippa have impacted millions throughout the world with the Alpha course. Steve talks through what goes into an Alpha course and what makes it effective with Nicky. To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com, our facebook group, or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★

The episode features Steve Gladen who, leveraging his extensive experience of over 25 years, offers insights on leading small group ministry in churches. He addresses the common misconception of people fearing evangelism, emphasizing how the experience fundamentally transforms when done as a group. Gladen shares practical strategies to equip small groups in spreading the gospel, growing the church and leading people to Jesus. He also underscores the importance of sharing starts with caring and the role of curriculum strategy in successful evangelism. ★ Support this podcast ★

Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest Mike Hinkle - author of the new book "Treasure Hunt." Mike shares his timeless and commonsense keys to building a successful sales career - all of which will be relevant to you as a small group ministry leader! You are not going to want to miss this episode!SHOWNOTESwww.michaelhinkle.comTo enter the contest, leave a comment about this episode on this post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact/posts/6772166222879217/  ★ Support this podcast ★

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERE and the full workbook from the conference HERECheck out the videos referenced in the podcast HEREIn this session, Steve shares one of the biggest sources of excitement for Saddleback as a church. And in each group. Evangelism.  Steve is going to begin the session by addressing the concerns of the typical small group member. Which is that they feel like they might not be a good evangelists.  Well, once they find out how different of an experience it is when done as a small group, rather than on their own.  Evangelism and seeing a friend or loved one's life changed by the hope of the gospel.  That is an incredibly powerful moment in the life of that small group.  Steve will get us through the journey of equipping small groups to share the gospel. To grow the church. And to lead people to Jesus.  Join us in today's episode. How to move from making friends to reaching friends ★ Support this podcast ★

Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest pastor William Johnston of Saddleback church  who shares his top tried and true keys to creating a healthy ministry and staff culture. You are not going to want to miss this episode!Will's Notes Introduction Our secular work culture has largely influenced our workplace interactions Secular work culture shapes us in certain values Escapism: Working for the weekend. My real life starts when I leave work. Individualistic Results: My personal results are the upmost sign of success. Passive responsibility: I am just going to take care of what I need to do. We hand over ownership and leadership completely to a senior leader because we do not want deal with something or we are just lazy. The buck never stops with us      C.  Quickly provide alternatives God wants our whole life to reflect him and flow together. While we can turn off our ministry as work minds. We live on mission for Jesus in all facets of life. We often do not know how to measure success well in church because it is challenging to quantify but our goal is for the Church, the Body of Christ to flourish, for people to meet Jesus, grow to spiritual maturity, serve other and live on mission for him. If it becomes my niche ministry or idea taking off, then we've missed it. Lastly, in the body of Christ we all have responsibility to each other and to live as God has created us. We have interactive mechanisms in our body that course correct when we are sick or even when we trip on shoe. It is the same in the body of Christ     II.  One of the symptom of these values is challenging or decaying staff cultures  A large part of our jobs are people and the largest portion of time is spent with our staff. We are all different people with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, and work ideals. There is nothing new about people not getting along. Even Paul and Barnabus reached a point where they were like “Ya, I think I'm good”       B. We all want to enjoy our place of work.  We all want to enjoy the people we work with but it is hard.  III.    Who is to blame? If you are waiting for someone to make your workplace enjoyable, you are 50% of the problem. If you are sitting back, waiting, and complaining about what other people are not doing for you without doing anything about it, you are part of the problem. “We want our lead pastor to set the tone” “We want the denomination to do this” “If the board of directors said this” We think of certain people in authority as the one with the sole responsibility for our staff dynamics instead of thinking about our staff as something we have an equal part in. If your staff culture is poor, you are a piece of that pie. IV.  How do we course correct when we are not in the head chair? We need to reflect on: What do we want in a workplace? and What are steps I can do to help us get there?  What things would you enjoy in your workplace and begin doing them?       B. There are some simple questions that I believe lead to crawl steps in building a staff that turns into a family. If we as ourselves this set of questions weekly, our staff culture will begin improving immediately. How can I make this time more fun, memorable, intentional? How much time am I spending with each staff member? When was the last time I ate a meal with each staff member in a setting of 4 or less people? When was the last time I asked them about their family? How much time am I in communal spaces or around other staff? When was the last time I followed up on something we talked about recently? What does each staff member want from our relationship?  When was the last time I encouraged each staff member?        C. Walk Step Ideas Have an onboarding strategy for new staff. Taking them out to eat or bringing lunch in Every week checking in on questions they have Inviting them and their spouse over for food or a game night Know everyone's favorite drink Know their bdays and their family members Bdays Individualized BDay gifts Show up to something that matters to them       D. Run Steps Relationship study about the correlation of long lasting relationship and unique joint experiences Grand openings Community Events V. Building Trust with a Supervisor The Basics I typically hear people who want trust or an in with their senior leader to share challenges We don't think they are doing something correctly They are not taking our ideas       2.   We do not begin with the right intentions. We connect because we want something This is never a ploy! If someone takes any of the next steps for their own gain instead of enjoying the people God has placed in your life. It will not be successful. These things done without a heart that sincerely wants to know the other person will probably leave you in the same situation.This is the difference between leading up and sucking up Trust with a senior leader begins with a basic friendship I.  Well that is easy. And the answer to that thought is yes it is easyIt is interesting that most people in our churches desire time and closeness to the senior or lead pastor but when we get on a church staff and are a couple chairs down the table we stop taking initiative and believe everything should be initiated by that senior leader.So we sit back and wait for our senior leader to initiate and then become frustrated when our relationship does not look the way we want it. B. Making Changes In the conversation about building good staff relationship I gave clear next steps I believe a healthy and sustainable relationship with your senior leader is more about posture. Questions that lead us to the right posture When was the last time you prayed for your campus pastor? When was the last time you asked about their kids? When was the last time you asked them out for dinner? When was the last time you asked if there is something you could take off their plate? When was the last time you just talked with no agenda? When was the last time you texted them about something happening in their life? C. Hard Conversations1. People are probably thinking “ok, now can I have a hard conversation with my supervisor?”2.        We always need to ask ourselves a set of questions before a conversation with a superior where we want to express concern, frustration, or challenges.       a. When was the last time you encouraged them?       b. Are my emotions pure or am I mad because… i. They shot down my idea. ii. Spend more time with another staff member Iii. something is going on at home and I do not have a healthy outlet for it.      c. Am I ok being wrong?3.  Fear If you care about your church, you have to be willing to be honest I understand that their are unhealthy leaders out there who do not welcome feedback or tough conversations but I have seen bitterness build up in people and lead to burnout because they did not have one tough conversation that ended up building and building with their senior leader never knowing there was an issue to start with. I try to believe the best in people and sincerely hope that if someone is in ministry and in a lead role that they will appreciate your care for the church and when you have a strong relationship built with that leader they will know the intent and trust the words you share.        4. ResponsibilityIn many our circles as small group people we are close to the top of leadership. It is our duty to protect our lead pastor. We always have to have their backs. And sometimes that means having hard conversations       5. ClosingLeading up is not getting your way or making your rise to the top. It is about caring for your church and caring for your leader. If you commit yourself to loving those two things, your church will be a better place. ★ Support this podcast ★

Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest John Shin (One of the Connections Pastors at Saddleback Church) who shares his 8 Steps to Successful Recruiting. You are not going to want to miss this episode!https://smallgroupnetwork.comNotes: 8 Steps to Successful Recruiting1) Write down your pain points (your needs for ministry volunteers)2) Think beyond the norm and get creative3) Pain Levels from Easy, Need, and Pain (and describing each level)4) Special Tip—Think about behind the scenes ministry (no interaction with people and ministry that involves lots of people engagement. You should try to recruit everyone and anyone to your ministry)5) 4 Step practical plan to recruit- Talk to people you know- Find out what they enjoy and don't enjoy- Focus on their passion (No matter what they say here, get them to serve with you. Make up a role for them)- Recruit person for 1 time help or opportunity6 Always say thank you to your volunteers (cards, gifts, meals). Show appreciation7 Don't let them get bored. Create a development pathway. Some volunteers maybe can take on more responsibility and leadership roles.8 Set a deadline to recruit. Nothing happens without deadlines ★ Support this podcast ★

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERE and the full workbook from the conference HERECheck out the videos referenced in the podcast HEREWelcome to SG squared. Glad you joined us for this episode. In this particular one, we're going to be talking about how small groups just aren't a program in the church, but they are a powerful discipleship tool that your church has. As you know, we talk about temple courts and house to house and the house to house movement is your discipleship engine. Now we're going to cover so many things about the transformational power of small groups, but the important thing  to understand is that it needs to happen in your own group. And as we go through this material, I want you to start thinking through, okay, how does this pertain to where my small group is?And what am I doing in my own group? Now, as we talk about a number of things in this episode, make sure you download the resources at the top of the show notes and understand that that material is there for you to take this from just being a podcast that you listen to, but something that can transform your small groups and help you make them a discipleship engine.I want you to enjoy as we take a little flashback on this particular episode, but it's great content that will help you make the discipleship tool powerful in your small group. ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guests Mark Grunden and Ron Kelleher to talk about 5 Steps to Creating a Workplace Ministry:1 Cast a vision2 Create a leadership team3 Convene a launch event4 Compile study resources5 Continue with trainingShownotes:saddleback.com/workplaceworklifebiblestudy.orgMark Grunden / markg@saddleback.comRon Kelleher / RonK@saddlebackvolunteer.com5 Steps to Starting a Workplace Ministry at your Church ★ Support this podcast ★

1. How do you handle unclear or wrong communication?2. How do you handle worry?3. How do you figure out who's after you?4. How do you handle failure?7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants1. Think through your response and LISTEN2. The response is always done with humility3. Everything we do is being watched by the world4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent5. We can be creative without being offensive6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too7. TEACH -  True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond? ★ Support this podcast ★

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERECheck out the videos referenced in the podcast HEREEveryone's got excuses... and here are 5 of the most common. But if you are hearing one (or all) of these excuses in your small group ministry, how should you respond? Listen to Steve's talk from the Purpose Driven Small Groups conference to get prepared for the next time you hear an excuse.For more great resources check out https://smallgroupnetwork.comAnd to connect with Steve Gladen as well as other small group pastors from around the world, check out https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★

1. How do you handle unclear or wrong communication?2. How do you handle worry?3. How do you figure out who's after you?4. How do you handle failure?7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants1. Think through your response and LISTEN2. The response is always done with humility3. Everything we do is being watched by the world4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent5. We can be creative without being offensive6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too7. TEACH -  True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond? ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest Matt Hamilton (who has 35 years of Tech Sales experience at 7 global companies) to talk about 7 ways CRM can Improve Discipleship. In this episode we break down the following:  High Level Perspective Personalized Service Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable Data Insights Time is Our Most Precious Commodity Continual Improvement – adapt or die Soul Food – nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact SHOW NOTES:1. High Level Perspective: - We're all in sales - it's just a question of "what's the product?"  - Clear vision & benefit statement - don't make people guess  - Concise, positive, fun, high energy, memorableEveryone's favorite subject: Themselves!! The more you know about them, the more impactful & engaging you will be. God's tool to move them beyond themselves-Small Groups (our product) - to fill the spiritual void they have from a broken relationship with God. Small Groups bring back (read Acts 2:42-47) community, Biblical knowledge, personal development (Discipleship), serving, evangelism and worship2. Personalized Service   Our world demands real time interaction with deep personalization   Personalization = You Care / You Understand Me = Credibility   Credibility is critical in a noisy, misguided world 3. Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable    A good memory is great but it isn't transferable or scalable (institutional Knowledge)   One source of information for all team members to access   Requires thoughtfulness on the required fields vs. optional fields Start small, think in terms of the bare essentials or Minimum Viable Product Too Much Information or Layout / Architecture = can drown the initiative Shared information shows competence, increases confidence & greatly improves customer experiences 4. Data Insights Ability to spot trends - very powerful in driving outcomes Move from reactive to proactive - address issues earlier  Cohorts & Patterns - ability to compare outcomes & experiences over time Increase personalization and value to customers / people Competitive advantage - data can bring knowledge & knowledge is gold 5. Time is Our Most Precious Commodity  Use it wisely & maximize impact  Don't waste other people's time - they will reward you through avoidance  Learn through data analysis how to improve time management - adjust regularly  Serve people with the method they prefer, it's not about what you want or like  Focus on building the perfect day & week (activities done every day / week) Don't let things slip - if a day is subpar, make it up the following day 6. Continual Improvement - adapt or die   Static approaches die no matter how great they are  The world is changing, people are changing and the approach has to stay current Data analysis will spot trends, help reveal required adjustments and highlight areas of application (who or where I need to apply the adjustments) 7. Soul Food - nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact  People are attracted to ideas & other people that have a positive impact on them  Align the interaction to provide value / positive impact with every touch  Feedback is essential and needs to be regular from a diverse group  Try to score or grade user experience or engagement - If you don't measure it, it's very difficult to monitor performance and spot changes (good or bad) ★ Support this podcast ★

Listen is as we go back to February 2021 and the 3 Areas for Your Groups to Shine in Today's Culture. We still find that this will be relevant in your group's setting today!7 Civilities  Listen with your eyes (don't roll your eyes) acknowledge their view Sleep and hungry—know the right time Social media news vs. Good news Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker. 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. 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. ★ Support this podcast ★

Listen in as Pastor Rick Warren talks about the coming trends in small group ministries. This was from our Lobby 2019 Gathering and is still relevant today! Part 2 next week! ★ Support this podcast ★

Goal: To know how to set and be comfortable having coffee/follow ups with Small Group leaders.Why: We want you to be totally comfortable contacting and meeting with small group leaders.It is important to remember that these folks are just like you. They have goals, fears, hurts, insecurities,families, family problems, health concerns and everything else you can imagine.Be confident - Biblical basics: God owns everything, and I am His manager. (Ps. 24:1, Matt. 25:14-30) You are their pastor. You are responsible for their health (2 Cor 5:10)Know the landscape:These are financial, spiritual and emotional issues. Isolation, spiritual void Materialism, 1/3 of those earning over $250k per year live paycheck to paycheck. Business, environment setting their prioritiesPrepare Yourself:Am I living out biblical health in my own life? Do you buy what you sell? 5 purposes Active in my group balancing the purposes Have YOUR own story ready to share.Where do you start:1. Review your group list:a. You may already know some of your SGL as they are very involved as volunteers, but youmay have had no idea who they are. Many of these folks are not well connected, don'tattend a lot of events and may not even be on your radar.b. Start small and grow into the listc. How many engagements can you do?2. Pick some names to begin and learn as much as you can before you meet: Check HC and know family names, ministries, time at Saddleback Zillow their address for where and how they live Goggle them and their company Check LinkedIn, Facebook, IG etc.3. Make the invitation:a. If you know them, simply call, text, or email that you would love to grab a cup of coffeewhen it is convenient for them. If they ask what you want, simply say I just want to spendtime with you and get to know you better. Another line I use is, I like to invest my time withthe folks who are investing in our church.If you don't know them, we have found that having an assistant set up the meeting worksvery well. They can call and simply say the Pastor Dave would like to see if you would gettogether with him for a cup of coffee. Are you available on the 23 rd ?They almost always ask, what does he want or why does he want to meet with us? Thesimplest answer is usually the best. Pastor Dave loves to meet with our members, and hegives me a list to contact, and you are on that list. This seems to take the edge off and Ihave never had a no ��.b. Pick a place close to them, not you. They may suggest it, or you can, based on theirhome/work geography. Pick a time most convenient for them.c. While I meet mostly with men, very often they ask to bring their wives which is perfect.Obviously if you are just meeting with a woman, you need to bring someone else withyou such as your 101 or worship pastor, someone mature in their faith as well andcomfortable in this environment.d. I often send a text confirming the time and placee. Meet them and be on time!! (Early is even better):4. Relax and enjoy the conversation: Don't be intimidated, pretend you've been in the end zonebefore! They want to be treated like regular people and have a lot of the same problems and issues,plus some that others don't have. There is no need to make it awkward, in fact, start withtheir story. Share the vision for the church, Groups and your excitement and enthusiasm will becontagious. We do not need to ask for anything! We just need to Pastor people.5. Initiating Conversations, Discipling is relational, be their Pastor.Here are some easy open-ended questions: Tell me your story. How did you come to Saddleback? Tell me about your family. Tell me about your work/company? What are your passions, hobbies, dreams? How is God growing and stretching you? Which areas of your life are easiest to put God first, and which are hardest? What do you think God is working on in your life?6. Wrap up questions: Is there anything we can be doing better at Saddleback to support you and yourfamily? How can I be praying for you?7. Offer to pay – but 9 out of 10 times, the member will treat you ��.8. Always send a follow up text or note thanking them for their time and for treating you tocoffee/breakfast and telling them that you will be praying for what ever they asked for prayersfor.9. Thank them for making an earthly and eternal difference.10. A couple Don'ts:1. If they are group leaders with means, never ask for anything for yourself. These folks havemany assets, vacation homes, boats etc.2. Don't forget to follow up on anything they mentioned. Something you said you would sendthem or someone you promised to introduce them to.3. Don't make a commitment that you may not be able to keep such as get Andy to attendtheir kid's 1 st birthday party ��.4. Don't start on your agenda (hard data) but their agenda (soft data) ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, Steve Gladen breaks down 5 areas where ministry leaders can re-imagine how they do coaching for their groups ministry. The following is what will specifically be covered in this show:History of Coaching Staff or volunteers Serve in one Help in another Saddleback's history—building upon, keeping best of… 1.0 version (1998)1:5—I could recruit faster than our growth 2.0 version (2005)—why it changed, it was broken 1:25 paid Introduced not equal care, but strategic care 4 Buckets and Reactive/pro active Name changed from Coaches to CL's because of paradigm shift Care 70% Administration, training, connecting 30%, Get in for right reason, but get out for right reason CL Retreats 3.0 Version (2009)—why it changed, it couldn't scale financially 1:25 volunteered, above same Introduced any span of care a CL could do 4.0 Version (2014) why it changed, they weren't sure what to do Introduced the “Starbuck's” green apron more developmental FRIEND LEADER COACH Hard and Soft data collection Skip Level, Trust but Verify 5.0 Version (2017) why it changed, we discovered other factors not giving maximum alignment Introduced the Village concept Alignment 6.0 Version (2021) why it changed, discovered different types of CL's HOST to Leader to CL to Minister CL Course Training Modules Track training (next gen beyond Starbuck's green apron)  5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching  The Ethos (the environment the CL lives in) the family system (w/o parents it is risky) How's the family (you, coaches and Group leaders) Do you know what you are producing—the end in mind The Reason (for the CL) Directive Disciple MAKING—management and guidance, Space flight PSGWP page 201 Tom Landry quote Baseline, Know the health metrics HA & GHA How will you give course corrections (ideas, curriculum, encouragement, etc.) The Process (finding CL's) The Group Leader pathway HOST to Leader to CL (P3) to Minister Competency and Capacity Retreats Introductory Course The Pathway (growing the CL) The Coach engagement pathway to the HOST; FRIEND—LEADER—COACH The Coach's pathway of growth for them SGP guidance Modules Training Course(s) Retreats The Influences (that help the CL)…what I call the Village Share the Village, who's in helping? Who surrounds the Small Group speaking health? People (primary) Small Group Point Person CL or Coach Senior Pastor Processes (secondary) Training Pathway for the leader Tools (HA and GHA) Training Pathway for the CL Newsletter Small Group Weekend Table connection Small Group Website home page Weekend services Leader Retreats and SGH Streaming content (curriculum and training) Social Media Testimonies FAQ's Shownotes:smallgroupnetwork.com/smallgrouphttps://sb-web.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/saddleback.com/connect/smallgroups/9958-SmallGroupsCL-Booklet_Interior_Interactive_092101.pdf ★ Support this podcast ★

From the Lobby Gathering in 2019, Pastor Rick Warren shares his heart on Small Groups and what is to come. ★ Support this podcast ★

On June 10th, the Faith at Work Summit at Saddleback Church is hosting Fortune 500, Christian executives from Target, Disney, Cisco Systems, Metronic and Capital Group. Each of these speakers are passionate about the integration of faith and work. They are seeing God move in their companies, specifically through Christian fellowships and Small groups in the workplace that they are leading.Are you interested in workplace small groups or fellowship with business-minded Christians? Do you or any of your small group leaders lead a group at their workplace? Then join participants from across the US for this Faith at Work Summit, on Saturday, June 10th.If you're in Southern California you can join this event in-person. It's also simulcasted via zoom and you can watch it live online. You can register for this event at https://Saddleback.com/FaithAtWorkSteve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest Christina Dawson (Life Groups Director at the Woodlands Church in Texas to talk about 7 ways data can help you and your small group ministry. In this episode we discuss: How accurate data is critical How the number one rule with data is use it yourself  How do diligence with data isn't enough Sales commission structure & how it works How setting achievable exceptions is a must How group health & corporate training are essential What to do before you meet your people Christina Dawson Bio:Christina loves to serve people and has been doing so professionally for 19 years. Aftergraduating from high school she took on numerous sales roles in both restaurant andretail settings. It was here that she learned the necessities of user experience andcustomer engagement.In 2012, while working in a furniture store, one of her customers, who happened to bethe CEO of a Canadian manufacturing company, was so impressed with her service, hehired her as as his Executive Assistant. While taking on numerous roles within thecompany, Christina discovered a strong passion for workforce development.In the spring of 2014, she was selected to manage and develop a two-year pilotworkforce program by the Bowling Green Kentucky Area Chamber of Commerce.After completing her contract, she continued her mission for economic development bystarting her own workforce communications and marketing firm, Southern Kentucky Jobs.Worldly success in entrepreneurship left her exhausted and disappointed.In early 2020, the Lord miraculously gave Christina the opportunity to serve overseas.She sold everything she had and traveled across the globe where she would contributeto the growth and development of a children's hospital. After living, working, and sharingJesus with orphans in rural Africa, Christina has new eyes and a grateful heart.A Kentucky native, Christina currently resides in Houston, Texas, where she is serving theLife Groups Team at Woodlands Church. She continues to work as a company cultureconsultant in the manufacturing industry.CRM & UX Outline ★ Support this podcast ★

On June 10th, the Faith at Work Summit at Saddleback Church is hosting Fortune 500, Christian executives from Target, Disney, Cisco Systems, Metronic and Capital Group. Each of these speakers are passionate about the integration of faith and work. They are seeing God move in their companies, specifically through Christian fellowships and Small groups in the workplace that they are leading.Are you interested in workplace small groups or fellowship with business-minded Christians? Do you or any of your small group leaders lead a group at their workplace? Then join participants from across the US for this Faith at Work Summit, on Saturday, June 10th.If you're in Southern California you can join this event in-person. It's also simulcasted via zoom and you can watch it live online. You can register for this event at https://Saddleback.com/FaithAtWorkSteve Gladen and James Browning look at the history of the small group network and what things that are currently happening that could make a big difference for you or your ministry. ★ Support this podcast ★

On June 10th, the Faith at Work Summit at Saddleback Church is hosting Fortune 500, Christian executives from Target, Disney, Cisco Systems, Metronic and Capital Group. Each of these speakers are passionate about the integration of faith and work. They are seeing God move in their companies, specifically through Christian fellowships and Small groups in the workplace that they are leading.Are you interested in workplace small groups or fellowship with business-minded Christians? Do you or any of your small group leaders lead a group at their workplace? Then join participants from across the US for this Faith at Work Summit, on Saturday, June 10th.If you're in Southern California you can join this event in-person. It's also simulcasted via zoom and you can watch it live online. You can register for this event at https://Saddleback.com/FaithAtWorkSteve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead more effective small group ministry. In this episode, you will hear an audio recording of Rick Warren talking to the Saddleback church staff about his 10 Principles of Exponential Thinking. Steve Gladen will then breakdown how you can apply these 10 principles to your small group ministry. The following is what will specifically be covered in this show:First – exponential growth is possible.Second – exponential growth is the New Testament model.Third – exponential growth brings honor to God.Fourth – exponential growth captures the attention of the unbelieving world.Fifth – exponential growth is caused by God.Sixth – exponential growth is the result of God's blessing on your life.Seventh – exponential growth makes God smile…in fact, He rewards it.Eighth – the only barrier to exponential growth is our own unbelief.Ninth – the secret of exponential growth is believing God for big things.Finally, Tenth – exponential growth begins with exponential thinking.Choosing Growth over ControlThe Book of Acts is one of the best resources we have to understand the growth of the church during its formative years. A brief read through of this section of Scripture can quickly show us that the church preferred growth over control as they would preach to thousands and then baptize them shortly afterward. As witnessed throughout Acts, explosive growth was a good problem to have, for it established a foundation upon which its teachings could stand upon. Similarly, we too must be okay with the mess that new small groups may create. Instead of focusing primarily on if a new small group leader is maintaining sound theological discourse within their very first meeting, we are challenged to celebrate the fact that Jesus is being discussed at all and that members are coming together to form community. But doesn't bad theology and misinformed teaching create more complication for the kingdom of God? Yes, however just as we see in the Bible, doctrine and teaching was provided shortly after Acts through the writings of the Epistles. Just as how Paul conducted “on-the-job” training via letters to the churches he was mentoring, we too can choose growth first and then later practice the approach of surgically addressing any theological concerns through a consistent roll-out of bite-size trainings.A Culture of GroupsWhile we all wish our congregants would be fully devoted followers of Christ who are consistently serving, attending a small group, and in-the-know of the church calendar at all times, the reality is that many of our churchgoers only step foot onto church grounds for Sunday service (or online for virtual Sunday service). In other words, Sunday morning may in fact be the only shot we have to help promote small groups and/or explain the benefits of small groups. If our churches only mention small groups twice a year at the times when there are coordinated group launches, then this means that the typical church attendee only will hear about small groups 4% of the year (even less if they miss one or both of those two services!). If the church's leadership agrees that small groups are one of the most important ministries within the community, then we become challenged to display the fact that small groups are indeed a part of our church's DNA. To help execute this, some strategies can include: (1) head pastor buy-in (where the senior pastor becomes one of the most vocal proponents of small group ministry and even attends a group themselves); (2) Church calendar events that strategically funnel individuals into newly created groups (and/or church events that don't interfere with the weekdays on which small groups typically meet); or (3) Consistent small group promotion from the pulpit (Not every message needs to be a small group sermon, but every message can contain a shout-out or a 30 second tie-in to small groups).Lowering the BarriersIn a post-Covid world, small group ministries have found themselves challenged to embrace new methods in facilitating and nurturing community. While meeting in-person will always be the ideal method of meeting in groups, what we do know is that the concept of virtual groups is here to stay. During this time that we find ourselves in, what type of group is easy to duplicate, is able to meet both online and in-person, is easily sustainable, and also is easy to lead? As we arrive on the other side of the widespread disruption that Covid-19 had brought with it, sermon discussion groups may very well be the perfect type of “growth over control” group to launch within our church's small group ministry. A sermon discussion guide is not only able to empower anyone to host a group and facilitate engaging conversation, but it also allows what Steve and Dave encouraged us all to practice during last year's Lobby: rather than simply telling our groups what to do, we instead provide for our groups the destination we want them to reach while utilizing the values we want them to use in order to arrive there. Even though a model of sermon discussion groups chooses growth over control, it does so within a framework that provides its groups a set of guardrails within which to operate. In other words, groups are not grown without oversight, but instead are grown within a model that becomes quite appealing to a post-Covid world where both in-person and online groups are meeting on a regular basis. ★ Support this podcast ★

On June 10th, the Faith at Work Summit at Saddleback Church is hosting Fortune 500, Christian executives from Target, Disney, Cisco Systems, Metronic and Capital Group. Each of these speakers are passionate about the integration of faith and work. They are seeing God move in their companies, specifically through Christian fellowships and Small groups in the workplace that they are leading.Are you interested in workplace small groups or fellowship with business-minded Christians? Do you or any of your small group leaders lead a group at their workplace? Then join participants from across the US for this Faith at Work Summit, on Saturday, June 10th.If you're in Southern California you can join this event in-person. It's also simulcasted via zoom and you can watch it live online. You can register for this event at https://Saddleback.com/FaithAtWork Spiritual Health Assessment ★ Support this podcast ★

Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes  courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country. workshops quarterly coaching premium articles live digital events.  All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually. You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek to answer the question "should small groups gather during the summer?" ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes  courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country. workshops quarterly coaching premium articles live digital events.  All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually. You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek to answer the question "How BIG can a SMALL GROUP get?" ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/ ★ Support this podcast ★