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by Cheryl Shireman Surfing is the art of riding the waves that God builds. God makes
the waves; surfers just ride them. No surfer tries to create waves. If
the  waves aren't there, you just don't surf that day! On the other hand,
when surfers see a good wave, they make the most of it, even if it
means surfing in the middle of a storm...Our job as church leaders, like
experienced surfers, is to recognize a wave of God's Spirit and ride it.
It is not our responsibility to make waves, but to recognize how God is
working in the world and join him in the endeavor.
I can relate to these words Rick Warren wrote in the Purpose Driven
Church. My youngest daughter, Scarlett, is a surfer - despite the fact that
she grew up in Indiana. On a trip to California, I watched her as
she paddled her board out into the vast ocean and then changed direction
and turned to position herself on the board as she saw a large wave... [ Read full article] You Do Not Want to Miss This!Community U promises to be the "must attend" small group conference of
the year! Hurry and save $99. Register by Monday for St. Louis!Small Group Point Leaders, instead of "bringing the conference back"
to your small group leaders, bring them to the conference! There
is simply no better way to cast vision for small groups than to involve
your leaders in a high-energy environment surrounded by others who are
in the trenches leading small groups. In addition, shared experiences
like these will not only deepen the relationships between the members of
the small group team, but everyone will all walk away from Community U
energized, aligned, and ready for action! Community U Conferences are coming to many locations near you - including
the St. Louis area on August 20/21! This is your chance to not only
hear some of the leading small group experts in North America, but to
also connect with other Small Group Point People to share and compare
strategies! [ Read full article] Network Name Change!!!This month we are excited to announce that we are changing our name - from
the Purpose Driven Small Group Network to the Small Group Network. As we met with
leaders and exchanged emails with them, one of the things we heard was,
"We would like to be a part of the Network, but we are not a
'Purpose-Driven' church." Our response was always - You don't have to
be! Our desire is to help Small Group Point People connect with other
leaders so that they can develop healthy and balanced small groups. THAT
is our purpose. We are not seeking to create Saddleback clones, but
help Small Group Point People to create healthy small group ministries.
How each church accomplishes that goal will be specific to that church
and and culture. So, we believe the name change to the Small Group
Network will clear up any misunderstanding and open the doors for even
more churches to join us. [ Read full article] |
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by Rick Warren
 God wants you to live a life of freedom. Not a legalistic life, not a
burdened and depressed life, but a life of freedom. Free from repressed
guilt. Free from suppressed memories, hurtful memories and resentments,
free from oppressive fear. God says I want to set you free. Your past
is forgiven, you have a purpose for living, you have a home in heaven. What is the purpose of that freedom? It's not just do whatever you
want to do. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. As a leader, you
have even greater responsibility to use that freedom wisely. [ Read full article]
How to add Small Groups to your Sunday School Church
by Steve Gladen
 Whether you are transitioning away from Sunday School, or merely
adding small groups to supplement your Sunday School system, be prepared
for resistance. Most people are resistant to change, and in the case of
Sunday School and small groups, that resistance can be very strong.
Unfortunately, in recent years the two systems have been pitted against
each other and church members often feel compelled to "defend" the
current system while fighting against the introduction of the new
system. As in the case of any change, communication is the key. Use every
avenue of communication, and use them often. If you are adding small
groups with the intention of keeping Sunday School, be sure to let your
people know small groups are just another option for spiritual health.
If you are transitioning away from Sunday School, do so slowly. [ Read full article]
by Steve Gladen  Are your small groups facing a summer slump? Some groups stop meeting
in the summer. Some continue meeting, but have sporadic attendance due
to summer vacations and planned family events. Why not encourage your
groups to continue balancing the biblical purposes during the summer in
some non-traditional ways that can be done outside of meeting time?
Fellowship - Summer is a great time to start a "Guys'
night/Girls' night". Suggest that your groups do a Guys' night/ Girls'
night. Once each month or two, the guys go out to dinner and the girls
go out to dinner - at different restaurants. If children are in the
picture, guys and gals could go out on different nights, and whoever
doesn't dine out will hang with the kids.
By Lance Witt
I was forty seven years old and, for the first time in twenty five
years, I was not a pastor in a local church. I was in uncharted
territory. The local church was not just a place where my wife and I
did ministry, it was a place where we did life. More than I realized,
my identity had become wrapped around the position of "pastor". I had
just resigned my role as an Executive Pastor and Teaching Pastor at
Saddleback Church. Stepping down from my position at Saddleback was by
far the hardest ministry decision I had ever made. There are a lot of
opportunities and perks that come with being in a place like
Saddleback. It had been an amazing ride, but it became clear that it
was time for me to step aside.
Looking for a small group study? We feature new material every month.
Books, websites, and videos of interest to those directing small group ministries. |
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