Carl George: The Past, Present & Future of Small Groups Ministry

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 &[...]

Pioneer of small groups ministry in the United States, Carl George has been an influential voice in churches for decades. Here, Carl shares his thoughts on the small groups movement over the years including trends, concerns, and the future of small groups ministry in the current cultural context.  Carl George, an internationally recognized church consultant,[...]

Since 2014, Peter Clow has served as a bi-vocational Discipleship Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in New Hampshire. He oversees the small groups ministry and also serves on the Senior Leadership Pastoral team, assisting in the teaching and preaching, and in the growth and vision of the church. Peter is an Air Force veteran who[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

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[...]

Three Seasons of Ministry: What I Wish I Had KnownPart 1: StartingSteve Gladen has served as the Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees the strategic launch and development of over 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. Steve has authored “Small Groups With Purpose,” which has been translated into[...]

What is the difference between small groups and support groups? How do we care for the people in our small groups in ways that are healthy without becoming therapists for them? How do we keep small groups on track for their intended purpose? If you or anyone on your team is wrestling with these questions,[...]

What is the difference between small groups and support groups? How do we care for the people in our small groups in ways that are healthy without becoming therapists for them? How do we keep small groups on track for their intended purpose? If you or anyone on your team is wrestling with these questions,[...]

"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[...]

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[...]

Do you serve as a Small Group Point Person in your local church? Would you like to learn how to maximize your small group ministry budget for this new year? If your answer is yes, then you've come to the right place! In this exclusive Here to There Podcast episode, host Carolyn Taketa interviews Pastor[...]

Q As a small group point person, how am I cultivating my own relationship with the Lord?Q How do I create a culture of discipleship within my small group ministry?If you or anyone on your team is wrestling with these questions, you’ve come to the right place! Reid Smith has been equipping group leaders for[...]

Do you "want to want to read the Bible?" Do you or your groups struggle to incorporate Bible reading as a regular habit? We talk with Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of the Bible Recap, a short digest of a daily bible reading. With millions of downloads, Tara Leigh has been enormously influential in helping people love[...]

How engaged is your senior pastor in the small groups ministry? When senior leadership is on board and talking often about groups from the platform, the church is likely to make groups a higher priority and will have more groups, more leaders, and more impact on discipleship. So how do you get your senior pastor[...]

How do you define discipleship? How do you know that people are actually being discipled through small groups? If you or anyone on your team is wrestling with these questions, you’ve come to the right place!Reid Smith has been equipping group leaders for effective disciple-making since 1996. He was a part of the Small Group[...]

Do you desire to be the best leader you can be? Would you like to strengthen the weaker areas of your leadership? Do you want to influence people like never before and help elevate your team to new heights? If your answer is "Yes," then you’ve come to the right place!Jenni Catron is the author[...]

Who do you want on your team? And how do you recruit people to join you? Small groups ministry cannot be done by yourself. We all need a team of people with different personalities, gifts, and skills to build a thriving groups ministry. Listen to Steve share the top ten things he considers when he[...]

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[...]

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 &[...]

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[...]

Dr. David Wang is a licensed psychologist and associate professor of psychology and pastoral counseling at the Rosemead School of Psychology, at Biola University. He is the editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology and serves on the editorial board for Spirituality in Clinical Practice (an APA journal). He also leads research funded by[...]

Since evangelism is critical part of discipleship, it is typically a high value for our churches. However, practically speaking, many of our groups do not engage regularly in intentional outreach to nonbelievers. In this episode with Joel Comiskey, we focus on why evangelism helps small groups thrive and how we can empower groups to engage[...]

Pioneer of small groups ministry in the United States, Carl George has been an influential voice in churches for decades. Here, Carl shares his thoughts on the small groups movement over the years including trends, concerns, and the future of small groups ministry in the current cultural context.  Carl George, an internationally recognized church consultant,[...]

Topic: A question we frequently field from our small group leaders is, "What should we study?" There is an overwhelming range of materials and topics to choose from and it is critical to choose curriculum wisely. What a group chooses to study has a significant impact on group dynamics and spiritual growth. On this podcast,[...]

Bio:  Since 2017, Bart has been serving at Traders Point Christian Church, a multi-site congregation in Indianapolis, IN with 5 campuses, as their Lead Groups Minister, Campus Pastor for their 2000+ site, and on their Leadership Team. Prior to that, he ministered for 12 years as a Discipleship and Teaching pastor in Northern Indiana. Bart[...]

Since 2014, Peter Clow has served as a bi-vocational Discipleship Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in New Hampshire. He oversees the small groups ministry and also serves on the Senior Leadership Pastoral team, assisting in the teaching and preaching, and in the growth and vision of the church. Peter is an Air Force veteran who[...]

A lot has changed since Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits was published 16 years ago describing the North Point Church's vision and strategies for group life. New realities, cultural shifts, technological changes, sociological dynamics, and organizational challenges have caused us to reevaluate our assumptions and strategies about small groups ministries. Listen to[...]

Guests:  From Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA  Britt Vargas, High School Ministry Director - brittany.vargas@calvarywestlake.org Connor Johnson, Middle School Pastor - connor.johnson@calvarywestlake.org    https://calvarywestlake.org/middle-school/  https://calvarywestlake.org/high-school/    How do we disciple the next generation through small groups?   Why have student small groups?  What do you look for in student group leaders?  How do you[...]

Guests:  From Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA  Britt Vargas, High School Ministry Director - brittany.vargas@calvarywestlake.org Connor Johnson, Middle School Pastor - connor.johnson@calvarywestlake.org    https://calvarywestlake.org/middle-school/  https://calvarywestlake.org/high-school/    How do we disciple the next generation through small groups?   Why have student small groups?  What do you look for in student group leaders?  How do you[...]

Guest: Greg Anderson    Greg is originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and has been in full-time church-based ministry since 1996 as a small group pastor, most recently at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. He has been involved with SGN from the early days of its launch, and currently serves as the Southeast Regional Representative for the[...]

Guests on the Panel:Bill Search is the author of Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders and Simple Small Groups. Currently serving as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City.  Heather Lee has served on staff at Crossroads Church in Manteca, California for 12 years and as the Groups Director for the last[...]

For more information on Ruth Haley Barton check out her website at https://www.ruthhaleybarton.com/ and learn more about the Transforming Center at https://transformingcenter.org/Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back AgainEarly Release from IV Press: https://www.ivpress.com/embracing-rhythms-of-work-and-restAmazon (Oct 11): https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Rhythms-Work-Rest-Sabbatical/dp/1514002639This episode really just took a surface level look at Sabbath and barely even[...]

Most small group ministry leaders would agree that Bible study is a significant part of a small group. Yet, do our groups engage meaningfully with Scripture or are they just bouncing off verses during meetings? How well do we train our group leaders on working through a passage of the Bible and helping members interpret[...]

Guest:  Dr. Bill Donahue Dr. Bill Donahue, Ph.D., focuses his work on building transformational leaders, groups and teams. He is a conference speaker, author and strategic voice in areas of leadership development, community-building, and strategic vision. Bill’s work blends his corporate and church experience as he serves clients in both arenas. After 18 years at Willow[...]

A panel discussion on how to overcome the typical barriers of getting new leaders, and how to identify, invite, and recruit new people to lead groups. Group Talk Podcast Panelists: Bill Search - Author of "Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders" and "Simple Small Groups" and serves as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community[...]

"What unites us is much greater than what divides us." This quote by Pope John XXIII is so applicable to this conversation with Kelly Lippenholz from Church of the Nativity - a dynamic Catholic congregation deeply committed to discipleship and community through small groups. Kelly shares about the power of a personal invitation from her own[...]

We talk with the authors of a compelling new book, "Leading Small Groups that Thrive: Five Shifts to take your group to the next level." Based on extensive research, this book provides insights and practical how-tos on building small groups that are healthy, effective, and transformational.  https://thrivinggroups.com/ Jason Sniff is the pastor of small groups at Eastview[...]

What are younger generations looking for from churches, small groups, and leaders? What are some unique markers of this generation? What does it look like for them to deconstruct their faith? Join us for this conversation with Saddleback's Development Pastor Dave Alford, who has worked with younger generations for decades both in ministry and higher[...]

Guests: Rex & Andrea Minor Intro:  How has your marriage been impacted by working at a church? How are you navigating the unique stressors of vocational ministry and its influence on your marriage? What are some ways we can build and sustain a healthy marriage that helps us thrive in ministry? In honor of the upcoming[...]

We're all working hard to progress in our ministries and our personal journeys with Christ. Here's how we can learn from each other as we get from here to there. Here To There focuses on moving from Here, wherever you are as an individual in your personal life, leadership, or church ministry, to There, the[...]