Rick Warren's Online Community for Pastors and Church Leaders
Brett Eastman has championed small groups and leadership development at both Saddleback and Willow Creek Community Church over the last decade before founding Lifetogether - a ministry for churches seeking bring the purposes to life by transforming congregation through community. He has co-authored the two time Silver Medallion winning Doing Life Together curriculum and Experiencing Christ Together Curriculum and DVD Teaching Series.
There are few other tasks in the family of God that surpass shepherding Jesus’ flock—which is what you as a leader are doing. As you prepare to lead—whether it is one session or an entire series—keep in mind that you are not alone. God knows everything about you, and he knew that you would be asked to lead your group.
It is …
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If you lead a small group study, you have a servant's heart. As a group leader, your desire is to develop this same heart in the members of your group.
How do you build a muscle? You build it by using it. Similarly, you need to build the servant's heart by working it.
One way to do this is by rotating leadership. Think about the …
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How to show your group that being a light in the world isn't so scary
Does the very thought of sharing your faith with an unbeliever make you sweat? If so, as a leader you understand exactly what the rest of your group feels regarding evangelism. There's nothing more important for a leader than empathy.
Because you know how they …
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Everyone seems to look forward to the summer, except for small group leaders. Leaders dread watching everything they’ve built over the course of the year quickly evaporate with the heat of Summer. Most launch into those long, lazy days with the distant thought of how to rebuild or restart the whole group again in the Fall. But, summer …
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As Christ's disciples, we grow by doing something that stretches our faith: taking time alone with God, giving, and serving. As leaders, you need to nudge each person in you group to take on a small service role to help them grow as Christ's disciples.
Some group members will be scared, so you need to cast vision for them. Let them …
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Dividing Responsibilities Not Only Eases Your Leadership Burden, It Helps Your Group Members Grow
First Corinthians 12:7 says that God gives every believer spiritual gifts for the common good of the body. But if your small group is like most, it's led by just one person—you! Not that you're probably complaining, but that's a huge …
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From Reluctant Member To Confident Shepherd
I’ve coached just about every baseball, soccer, football, and hockey team my kids have been part of. When I was tapped on the shoulder to coach my 12-year-old daughter's soccer team, I knew very little about soccer. Though I felt unqualified, I committed to coach for the season. And as I …
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One skill every small group leader should have is the ability to talk with unbelievers about your experience of God in ordinary language that an unbeliever will understand. In the church we use some specialized words like "repentance" and "being saved." Of course, the average person who hasn't been to church very often has no clue what …
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Mastering these two qualities will make all the difference in your group's participation
Few traits describe a good group leader as effectively as "authentic" and "patient."
When you lead a group, just be yourself. God wants to use your unique gifts and temperament. Don't try to do things exactly like another leader; do them in a …
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Three Ways to Become More Like Christ
The novel Across the Nightingale Floor is a classic hero tale set in a fictional ancient Japan. Cut off by tragedy from his childhood world, teenage Takeo forges a new life as the adopted son of Lord Shigeru. Shigeru is nothing like the villagers among whom Takeo was raised, but the boy …
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