http://smallgroups.com en-us http://smallgroups.com N/A bryan@upstateimage.com Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:22:24 -0400 20 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1291/1/Is_the_Church_Driving_a_Wedge_In_Our_Families.html Back in the 60s, Billy Graham asserted that the eleven o'clock hour on Sunday is the most segregated hour of the week. Of course, he was talking about racial and ethnic issues, but there is another segregation that has been going on in church for many years: the segregation of our households. Today in many, if not most, of our church's worship services, our kids stay with their parents until _________. In some churches, that blank is just after the children's chat. In others, it is until mom or dad walks the tot to the nursery or Kid's Church in another part of the building. Today's church is sadly notorious for adding to the fragmentation of the family. Why not? Fragmentation is part-and-parcel of our Western society. bill@spiritualhabits.com (Bill Tenny-Brittian) Mon, 04 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1292/1/Family_Friendly_Small_Groups.html Isaiah 41:4 says, "Who has prepared and done this, calling forth and guiding the destinies of the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord - the first and with the last - I am He" (Amplified Bible). As the generations were created by the Almighty God, "what God has joined together, let no man put asunder"! daphnekirk@hotmail.com (Daphne Kirk) Sun, 03 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1293/1/The_Many_Ways_to_Include_Children_in_Your_Community_Life.html The greatest issue for small groups that want to bring younger families together is how to include children or to provide childcare. Lorna Jenkins says: “In churches where small groups are the basic growing units for the adult congregation, the children need the same context for growth, a place to find peer acceptance within their spiritual family…A group of children who are walking together in the Christian way have a profound effect upon each other.” – Lorna Jenkins, Children’s Cell Groups reidsmith777@msn.com (Reid Smith) Sat, 02 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1467/1/Welcoming_Children_Into_Community.html We had tried a half-dozen babysitters during our meetings.  We had tried letting children play without a sitter.  We had tried keeping them in the meetings with us.  Nothing we tried worked very well for very long.  The “babysitting problem” stubbornly resisted solution. eddyhall@living-stones.com (Eddy Hall) Sun, 02 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/254/1/Developing_Childrens_Small_Group_Curriculum.html As I travel all over the world I am repeatedly asked about materials for the children's small group/cell meetings or for the children in the "Kids Slot" of an intergenerational cell. daphnekirk@hotmail.com (Daphne Kirk) Fri, 01 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/312/1/Five_Fundamentals_of_Student_Small_Group_Discipleship.html In the last several years, small group discipleship has caught on significantly in many progressive churches across America. But many youth ministries got a jump on the rest of the Body of Christ. zekezeiler@aol.com (Zeke Zeiler) Thu, 03 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/314/1/Childcare_or_Small_Groups.html If parents were expected to come, there would also be children. How were we to get over this hurdle? perrycarols@aol.com (Carol Perry) Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/344/1/Kids_and_Small_Groups_-_Handling_Difficult_Children.html I have found that many leaders of small groups think that children will bring with them difficulties that can only be resolved by having an "expert" on hand. daphnekirk@hotmail.com (Daphne Kirk) Tue, 01 Oct 2002 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/355/1/Assimilating_Children_in_Cells.html Assimilation--moving people (adults, young people and children) from larger groups to smaller groups. daphnekirk@hotmail.com (Daphne Kirk) Thu, 01 Aug 2002 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/447/1/Ministering_to_Children__Youth_in_a_Two-Chop_Stick_Church.html We often refer to the church where I serve as a "two-chop stick church." Other people would call us a cell church, but I prefer the picture that comes from identifying ourselves as a two-chop stick church. jayfirebaugh@sbcglobal.net (Jay Firebaugh) Sat, 03 Feb 2001 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/448/1/Children_Love_Small_Groups/How_to_have_successful_childrens_group_time.html If you want to know the truth about something, ask the children. They will tell you. office@smallgroups.com (Holly Allen) Fri, 02 Feb 2001 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/449/1/How_to_Start_and_Maintain_Small_Groups_for_High_School_Students.html "I shudder at the thought of having to go into a group of some 30 to 40 teenagers to try to elicit some kind of enthusiastic participation," says Tony Campolo. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Thu, 01 Feb 2001 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/675/1/How_Cell_Groups_Rescued_My_Youth_Ministry.html My first job as a paid youth pastor was in a church of about 250 people. On a good youth group night we had 15 kids. On a bad night, we had three or none, depending on which key kids had offended each other that week. throness@uniserve.com (Trevor Throness) Mon, 07 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/677/1/Why_Small_Groups_for_Youth.html If I hear the same old story about Moses and the Red Sea one more time, said one minister's teenage daughter, I'll scream! micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sun, 06 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/678/1/How_We_Started_Small_Groups_for_Youth.html Our youth small groups are totally student-led, with "at-hand" adult leadership available in case of needs that are outside the ability of teens. wgooden@gte.net (Wayne O. Gooden) Sat, 05 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1425/1/What_Its_Like_to_Be_16.html Don't let yourself forget what it's like to be sixteen." -- Anonymous In a couple of weeks I'll be heading to my 20-year high school reunion. As I've prepared for this -- schedule-wise, financially, and emotionally (especially emotionally!) -- I've reflected on what it was like to be 16 often in the last few weeks. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 04 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/679/1/Wheres_the_Youth_Group.html Even though we started purposefully as a pure cell church at Acts 2 Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, we've still had to undergo transition as people decided that a cell church isn't really what they thought it was. brs@cs.odu.edu (Bryan R. Stevenson) Fri, 04 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/680/1/Father-Daughter_Teamwork_in_Reaching_Youth_Through_Cells.html It's been just about a year now since my daughter asked me if we could start a youth cell in our home. office@smallgroups.com (Mike Osborn) Thu, 03 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/681/1/Small_Groups_Where_Teens_Belong/How_to_Start_and_Maintain_a_Small_Group_Ministry_for_Teens.html "I shudder at the thought of having to go into a group of some 30 to 40 teenagers to try to elicit some kind of enthusiastic participation,: says Tony Campolo in Carpe Diem. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Wed, 02 Sep 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/682/1/Your_Children_are_Dormant_Volcanos_Ready_to_Erupt_for_God.html Dad aren't you glad we went to our cell group tonight? We got blessed? I like getting blessings over me! office@smallgroups.com (Holly Allen) Thu, 06 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/683/1/Intergenerational_Cell_Groups.html Child: "May I come to your cell today To see you worship, sing and pray?" Adult: "You wouldn't find it any fun. When you are older, you may come" office@smallgroups.com (Janet Busboom) Wed, 05 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1422/1/Kids_in_Groups_No_Problem.html It takes a village to raise a child."  This African proverb expounds the importance of community in child rearing. Oh, yes, parents take on the awesome responsibility, but I believe that in our society we also take on more of the sole burden than we should. This is true mostly because we have forgotten just how to live in community ourselves. What was normal and natural in the past has disintegrated in our culture today. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Tue, 04 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/684/1/Child-Friendly_Small_Groups.html Our small group of adults was moving harmoniously into deeper worship as we sang the familiar choruses to the accompaniment of a skilled guitarist. office@smallgroups.com (Matt Messner) Tue, 04 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1423/1/WHAT_ABOUT_THE_KIDS.html Darryl has a number of couples in his group with children. The ages of the children range from a nursing infant to several junior highers. Darryl has tried a number of child care options, but nothing seems to work. One couple in the group who have older kids would like to have the kids in the meeting time, but Darryl is afraid this will be a huge disruption. What should Darryl do? pat@mightyoakministries.com (Pat J. Sikora) Mon, 03 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/685/1/Adventures_in_Babysitting.html This question was asked on a message board on Christianity Online: micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Mon, 03 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/686/1/More_Adventures_in_Babysitting.html My wife and I are the only ones in our group with children who need babysitting. We also can't afford a babysitter every week, so my wife and I trade off--she attends one week and I attend the next. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sun, 02 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/687/1/Small_Groups_Small_Children_Big_Concern.html Take this quiz to help you decide about child-care options. Every church's small-group ministry-and each group-is different, so there are no right or wrong answers. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sat, 01 Aug 1998 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/747/1/Come_and_See/The_VBS_Jamboree.html Philip and I had just finished playing Wiffle ball in front of our apartment building when he asked me what my wife and I were going to name our baby. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sat, 03 May 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/748/1/How_to_Plan_a_Jamboree_and_Follow-up_Bible_Study_Group.html You can have a Jamboree and backyard Bible studies whether you live in an apartment or a house. All you need is a neighborhood with kids. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 02 May 1997 00:00:00 -0400