SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

We would all agree that small group leaders need the support, mentoring, and care that a coaching system can provide, but it continues to be an area of ministry that is challenging, and often a source of confusion and frustration. In this exclusive interview, Host Carolyn Taketa talks with Allen White about issues related to coaching, especially the top 5 common mistakes for small group point people to avoid! Allen White coaches churches in launching exponential groups. In over 25 years of ministry, he has served on staff at two churches: New Life Christian Center in Turlock, CA and Brookwood Church in Simpsonville, SC. He has coached over 1,500 churches across North America. Allen is the author of Exponential Groups: Unleashing Your Church's Potential. 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 ★ Support this podcast ★

Q Do you ever wonder if the issues in your small groups ministry are unique to your environment? Q Are you curious to know if others are dealing with the same challenges? In this podcast, host Carolyn Taketa interviews special guest Amy Jackson where they survey the landscape of small groups ministry by looking at the top issues that arose in 2017 as well as the ongoing popular issues that come up year after year. Amy is the associate publisher of SmallGroups.com, a publication of Christianity Today which has over 875,000 visitors each year and specializes in providing resources for small-group point people. She has been a small-group leader for over 14 years and has served in small groups ministry as a director, minister, trainer, speaker, and coach. 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 Take your small group ministry to the next level by attending the "Lobby Gathering" 2018 in sunny Southern California March 13-15th! Register HERE! ★ Support this podcast ★

Steve Gladen, founder of the Small Group Network and longtime small groups pastor, shares practical strategy and budgeting wisdom. He outlines building relationships before budget talks. He explains cost-saving moves, pooling resources, and prioritizing leader care and training. He also covers smart tech choices, asking for more funds, and timing requests.

Are you dealing with any sticky issues within your small group ministry? If so, you've come to the right place! With more than 20 years of small groups ministry experience, Bill Search has led the discipleship charge in churches from the Midwest to California ranging in size from 1000 to 20,000. He's a frequent contributor to Smallgroups.com and RightNow Media. He has written 2 books: Simple Small Groups and the recently released Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders.       Part 1: Top 5 Sticky Issues in Small Groups (Click HERE to Listen) Politics Sex Non-essential issues Gossip /complaining Alcohol/ substances   Part 2:  Top 5 Sticky Issues for Small Groups Pastors and Directors. (Click HERE to Listen) Relationship with senior leadership Drawing from new trends Defining small group Underpromise and overdeliver Managing your time To subscribe to our Group Talk Podcast, click HERE ★ Support this podcast ★

Have you ever wished that there was a miracle formula for small groups ministry? A silver bullet that would guarantee that everyone in your church would be in a biblical Acts 2 kind of small group where people would grow to love God deeply, where lives would be radically transformed, the marginalized would be served, and non-Christians all around them would come to faith in Christ every day?  As anyone who has been in ministry for longer than a day knows, there are no quick fixes. In fact, Daniel wrote a terrific new book called, “No Silver Bullets” which lays out 5 microshifts that can produce macro changes, lasting movement in the right direction for your groups ministry and church. Bio:  Daniel Im is the Director of Church Multiplication for NewChurches.com and LifeWay Christian Resources since 2014. He serves as Teaching Pastor at The Fellowship, a multisite church in Nashville, TN. Daniel is also the co-author of Planting Missional Churches: Your Guide to Starting Churches that Multiply with Ed Stetzer. He has an M.A. in Global Leadership and has served in groups ministry and pastored in three countries, six cities, and churches ranging from 100 to 50,000. Click HERE for more resources from the Small Group Network  ★ Support this podcast ★

Have you ever wished that there was a miracle formula for small groups ministry? A silver bullet that would guarantee that everyone in your church would be in a biblical Acts 2 kind of small group where people would grow to love God deeply, where lives would be radically transformed, the marginalized would be served, and non-Christians all around them would come to faith in Christ every day?  As anyone who has been in ministry for longer than a day knows, there are no quick fixes. Our guest Daniel Im, wrote a terrific new book called, “No Silver Bullets” which lays out 5 microshifts that can produce macro changes, lasting movement in the right direction for your groups ministry and church. Daniel Im is the Director of Church Multiplication for NewChurches.com and LifeWay Christian Resources since 2014. He serves as Teaching Pastor at The Fellowship, a multisite church in Nashville, TN. Daniel is also the co-author of Planting Missional Churches: Your Guide to Starting Churches that Multiply with Ed Stetzer. He has an M.A. in Global Leadership and has served in groups ministry and pastored in three countries, six cities, and churches ranging from 100 to 50,000 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 ★ Support this podcast ★

Q Do you serve in a local church ministry? Are you a small group point person? Are you doing groups in a multisite context? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, then this Small Group Network podcast is for you as it will encourage and equip you regarding general ministry principles, leadership & groups in a multisite context! Jason Williams is a Texan, born and bred. He earned an MBA from University of Texas at Dallas and worked for 10 years in oil & gas and healthcare IT field. Jason joined Chase Oaks Church staff in Plano, TX for 8 years as part of the executive team, teaching team, and was responsible for developing groups ministry across all campuses, including launching a new campus. In fall 2016, Jason joined Saddleback’s staff as the Campus Groups Development Pastor. In 2010, Saddleback started their first multisite campus and currently has 18 campuses with a 19th one in the works for December. Jason develops and oversees the leadership of groups ministry on all campuses. In this exclusive "Group Talk" podcast, Host Carolyn Taketa interviews Jason regarding groups in a multisite context as well as general ministry principles that will apply to any ministry leader. 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 ★ Support this podcast ★

If we were to ask you, “what are your top 3 challenges in your small groups ministry?” One of your answers would probably be related to getting new leaders or starting new groups! Whether you are launching a new small groups ministry at your church or growing an existing one, it can only happen when you have new people stepping up to lead or host a group. So what are some practical strategies we can use to start new groups and get new leaders? Adam Workman is the Discipleship Pastor at Sandals Church, a multi-site church in Riverside, CA where he has been serving for 3 years. Previously, he was in groups ministry in Maryland and Pennsylvania. He has been a groups pastor for 14 years. Adam is also the Southern California and Hawaii Regional Leader for the Small Group Network.  Host Carolyn Taketa asks Adam the following questions and more in this exclusive interview… What are some practical strategies we can use to start new groups? What are some practical strategies we can use to get new leaders? 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 ★ Support this podcast ★

Q Are you feeling burnt-out as a ministry leader? Q Do you know other ministry leaders who are on the edge of burn-out? If so, you've come to the right place... The greatest gift you can give those you lead is your own healthy soul. So often, as pastors and Christian leaders, we get weary and depleted behind the scenes even while our ministries are thriving and successful. The statistics on pastors struggling with depression, anxiety, and burnout are alarming. Lance Witt is the founder of a ministry called REPLENISH, which has been around for 10 years. It is dedicated to helping people live and lead from a healthy soul. Prior to starting Replenish, Lance served 20 years as a senior pastor and another 7 years as an Executive/Teaching pastor at Saddleback Church in Southern California. He led Saddleback’s small group Campaigns, such as 40 Days of Purpose and 40 Days of Community. Currently, along with speaking, consulting and training, Lance does Life Plans, individual coaching, and staff training and development. He has published a book called Replenish and is currently working on a new book on High Impact teams to be released in 2018.  Host Carolyn Taketa asks Lance the following questions and more in this exclusive interview... So how do we care for ourselves in such a way that we minister from a healthy soul? What are the warning signs to look for? What spiritual disciplines and practical activities help us replenish our souls and keep us flourishing both in ministry and in our personal lives?  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 ★ Support this podcast ★

"What will our groups study?" This is a common question in groups ministry and one that is critically important in shaping the dynamics and discipleship process of a group. The sermon based model has been increasingly popular over the past decade and can be a valuable tool to helping groups get into Scripture with one another in practical, life-changing ways. In this conversation with Dave Ennes, we unpack the what, why, and how of the sermon-based model. Dave has been on staff at North Coast Church (the Sticky Church) since 1990 and is the lead pastor of their Small Groups Ministry. He oversees a team of 25 staff, 1,500 lay leaders and over 7,000 who attend their home groups. Under Dave’s leadership, North Coast remains well-known for maintaining over 80% adult participation in weekly home groups. He has also played an integral role in helping North Coast grow from 700 to now over 12,000 weekend attendees. Given Dave’s decades of experience, his coaching and training has been valuable for small group leaders and veteran ministry leaders around the country, no matter the size or type of ministry. Host Carolyn Taketa asks Dave the following questions and more in this exclusive interview! What are the basic aspects of the sermon based small group model? What are the advantages of using sermon based curriculums for small groups? What are the challenges of the sermon based model? 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Are you a member of our Facebook Group? Benefits include connecting with other small group ministry leaders world-wide, sharing ideas, asking questions and receiving insightful resources! To join this amazing community, click HERE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ★ Support this podcast ★