November 2009
Purpose Driven Small Groups Network Header
10. There is no membership fee! The Purpose Driven Small Group Network is absolutely free.!

9. You will build relationships with your peers - thousands of other Lead Pastors and Small Group Point People across North America. No one doing small group ministry should ever stand alone.

8. You will have access to a wealth of information and resources through our enewsletter, our upcoming website, and through meeting with your peers in "huddles" at locations near you. A short drive in ...
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November Articles
Rick Warren
by Rick Warren
 
The Popularity and Praise Test
The Popularity and Praise Test reveals your integrity. What is integrity? Integrity is when your behavior matches your beliefs. When you have integrity, who you are in public is who you are in private. Your public and personal identities are integrated. They are consistent. If you are going to be a leader that people can follow and trust, you have to be consistent. You have to have credibility, which comes from integrity. 
There are very few things that reveal integrity more than success. Success puts you in the spotlight and people can see you warts and all. We know a lot more about our leaders than we know about our neighbors because they are in the spotlight. It's often easier to handle failure than it is to handle success. 
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How to Develop Your New Small Group Leaders Steve
 
by Steve Gladen
 
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV).

No matter what age we are-5, 25, or 55-none of us wants to fail. That desire to avoid failing never seems to leave us. We always want to succeed. Our fear of failure is therefore one of the enemy's most effective weapons. He uses it to keep us from following God's lead.
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by Steve Gladen
 
Pass these suggestions along to your Small Group Leaders to promote health and balance in your small group.
FELLOWSHIP - Give each person a list of all of the group members. Ask them to take the list home, spend some time in prayer, and then finish the sentence: "What you bring to the group is..." for each person listed. Remind the group members to bring the list with them to the next meeting. At that meeting, go around the circle and have each of the group members read what they wrote about a particular person. Then go around the circle again for the next person listed. Repeat until everyone has been read to. It will be a great encouragement for each person to hear what a blessing he or she is to the other group members.
DISCIPLESHIP - Hebrews 3:13 (NIV) tells us, "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that...
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 by Cheryl ShiremanMan on Ledge
 
Standing On The Ledge
Of 1,050 pastors surveyed at two pastor's conferences held in Orange County and Pasadena, California ...
  • 100% had a close associate or seminary buddy who had left ministry because of burnout, conflict in their church, or from a moral failure.
  • 90% of the pastors stated they are frequently fatigued, and worn out on a weekly and even daily basis.
  • 89% considered leaving the ministry at one time.
  • 57% stated they would leave if they had a better place to go - including secular work.
  • 81% of the pastors said there was no regular discipleship program or effective effort of mentoring their people.
  • 77% of the pastors surveyed felt they did not have a good marriage
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Small Group Studies Bookshelf
Looking for a small group study? We feature new material every month.
 
 
 
 
Books, websites, videos of interest to those directing small group ministries.
 
Ask the Network - How do you find coaches?
 
THIS MONTH'S QUESTION is from Terri Parker of Largo, Maryland - How do you find coaches?
 
By the way, overwhelmingly, this is one of the most common questions asked of our Network leaders at conferences. If you are having problems recruiting and keeping coaches, you are not alone. Below you will find a few answers from some PDSGN members...
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NEXT MONTH'S QUESTION is from the PDSGN: What do you do to feed your soul?
 
Send your answers and other questions to cheryls@saddleback.com. Who knows, your answer or question could be featured next month!
Issue 6-09
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What is the PDSG Network?
Join PDSGN
Featured Articles 
 
 
Steve's Tips
 
How to Develop
 
Soul Searchin
 
Small Group Studies

Community U

2010
Saddleback
Small Group Conferences 
 
PD Conference

Lake Forest, CA

February 9-12

2010 Regional 2 Day Conferences

 Nashville, TN
April 16-17
 
Milwaukee, WI
May 21-22
 
 Los Angeles, CA
July 16-17
 
St. Louis, MO
August 20-21
 
Seattle, WA
September 24-25
 
Washington D.C.
October 15-16
 
Miami, FL
November 4-5
 

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Questions, comments, or suggestions?
Contact Editor - Cheryl Shireman, PDSG Network Coordinator at cheryls@saddleback.com