http://smallgroups.com en-us http://smallgroups.com N/A bryan@upstateimage.com Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:05:11 -0400 20 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1169/1/Principles_of_Group_Closure__Good_Closure_Makes_For_Good_Beginnings.html Healthy closure of any group experience is extremely important.  Good closure to group life help members process and define their experience.  More can be learned from a group experience if that experience is remembered and understood.  Good closure of the existing group sets the stage for a good experience in the new group.  Successful closure is based around positive reflection of the group experience and casting a vision for new groups. rbrenton@netins.net (Randall S Brenton M.D.) Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1152/1/eTraining_-_Relating_to_God_Through_Worship_and_Prayer_in_Your_Small_Group.html "Relating to God Through Worship and Prayer in Your Small Group" is an interactive training experience with audio and video features designed to help your smal group grow in the areas of worship and prayer. office@smallgroups.com (SmallGroups.com ) Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/304/1/The_quotUs_Four_and_No_Morequot_Syndrome/Can_Your_Small_Group_Remain_Closed_Indefinitely.html God created living organisms to go through life cycles. Jesus used these life cycles to illustrate points in many of His parables. dlentz@smallgroups.com (Dan Lentz) Tue, 06 May 2003 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/305/1/Open_Or_Closed_What_Really_Matters.html Well…it is Thursday night and the gang is gathering again. Not sure what will happen, things are pretty open and agendas are floating. We are trying to understand what it means to be church right now…right here. jhpatton@uplink.net (Jeff Patton) Mon, 05 May 2003 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/306/1/Compel_or_Expel.html Keeping in mind Christ's command to go into the streets and compel people to come hear the gospel, it seems audacious to exclude anyone from a small group. In most situations, I believe newcomers and visitors should be welcomed with open arms. baileywick@juno.com (Esther M. Bailey) Sun, 04 May 2003 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/458/1/Teaching_for_Life_Change.html "Daddy, I dreamed last night that when I grow up, I would be just like you!" These were the words whispered in my ear a couple of years ago by our 7-year-old son. mike@connectedlife.us (Mike Shepherd) Sat, 04 Nov 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/459/1/Small_Groups_-_Dead_or_Alive.html There is something terribly wrong in many of today's small groups. Part of the problem is that they are dead. But, believe it or not, that's not the biggest problem. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 03 Nov 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/460/1/Moving_from_Teaching_to_Obedience.html A life reflecting biblical obedience could be described as one who loves God with his whole heart, soul and mind, and loves his neighbor as himself. By definition biblical obedience is submission or adherence to biblical principles. ceymiller@primary.net (Cindy Miller) Thu, 02 Nov 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/461/1/Hearing_and_Obeying.html I love education. I've dedicated my life to learning. But I must constantly remind myself that learning should never become an end in itself. The end or goal is obeying God's Word, thus giving glory to His name. joelcomiskey@msn.com (Joel Comiskey) Wed, 01 Nov 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/569/1/Charting_the_Journey.html My mother is a college professor in the discipline called Child Development. When our daughter Sarah was young, we would often call my mom with urgency in our voice, "Is it natural for Sarah to act like this?" joelcomiskey@msn.com (Joel Comiskey) Mon, 03 Apr 2000 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/570/1/Going_to_Seed.html Young plants sprout from a seed and then go through a process of establishing their own roots. At anytime during that process plants are challenged by many different factors: poor soil, weeds, lack of water, or people. dlentz@smallgroups.com (Dan Lentz) Sun, 02 Apr 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/571/1/A_Look_at_Life-Cycles.html Several authors and small group trainers have described the group life-cycle process. The following are 5 unique perspectives on life-cycles based on book and curriculum reviews. office@smallgroups.com (The Small Group Network Community) Sat, 01 Apr 2000 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/608/1/Changing_for_the_Better.html Are your small group members becoming better informed about the Bible? Great! But are they also being transformed by the Bible? office@smallgroups.com (Scott Olson) Wed, 04 Aug 1999 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/609/1/Are_the_People_in_Your_Group_Being_Informed_or_Transformed.html I was involved in a group leader training session recently when the leader asked the group to do the following exercise: dlentz@smallgroups.com (Dan Lentz) Tue, 03 Aug 1999 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/633/1/Expert_Advice/Guidance_from_the_Small_Group_Gurus.html We asked a number of small group authorities from around the world these questions: "How can small groups help bring revival to the church?" and "What can leaders do in their areas to help bring revival?" office@smallgroups.com (The Small Group Network Community) Thu, 04 Feb 1999 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/634/1/Wesleys_quotMethodsquot_for_Revival.html Jonathan Wesley spurred a revival that impacted both England and America in the late 1700s. Wesley's followers were later called "Methodists" because of the methods Wesley used to bring about holiness in people's lives. jayfirebaugh@sbcglobal.net (Jay Firebaugh) Wed, 03 Feb 1999 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/734/1/A_Dynamic_System_of_Groups.html Think of the church as concentric circles, where the innermost circles represent the most committed Christians (leaders) and the outside circles represent uncommitted folks. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Thu, 02 Oct 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/737/1/From_First_Date_to_Potential_Mate/Understanding_the_Life_Cycle_of_Your_Small_Group.html M any writers have offered analogies for the stages of group formation, most choosing the individual human life cycle as a parallel. david@lifejourneychurch.com (David Limiero) Mon, 04 Aug 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/738/1/Group_Life_Cycle_Models_A_Comparison.html The life cycle of small groups has been studied by a variety of researchers, both secular and religious, for several decades. david@lifejourneychurch.com (David Limiero) Sun, 03 Aug 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/739/1/The_Small_Group_Life_Cycle.html The small group goes through stages of life, much like ta person does. It is not surprising that people pass through different levels of understanding and ability. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sat, 02 Aug 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/740/1/Stages_Of_Development_In_A_Small_Group_6-12_Months.html Small Groups are not static organisms. They go through stages of life like any living organism. Groups have a life cycle from birth through infancy and adolescence to adulthood and sometimes, death. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 01 Aug 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1399/1/Whats_the_age_limit_for_small_group_participation.html There isn't any! We'd probably all agree. But do we--even unknowingly--limit participation of older adults in our small group ministries? You see, I'm not sold on the idea that older adults won't participate in small groups. Perhaps there are barriers to their participation, even self-imposed barriers, but I believe those can be overcome. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 04 Jul 1997 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/757/1/Discipleship_in_the_Local_Church.html The word translated "disciple" is mathetes, which means a learner or apprentice. Although Christians are ultimately Christ's disciples, it is clear that Christ works through other Christians in this process, because he commissioned the church to "make disciples" (Mt. 28:19). mccallumd@xenos.org (Dennis McCallum) Mon, 03 Feb 1997 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/758/1/Discipleship_and_Spiritual_Growth_in_Small_Groups_and_Sunday_School.html Evangelism is only the first step in what the church and the individual Christian are called to: disciple making. Being a disciple and making disciples are not solo endeavors. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Sun, 02 Feb 1997 00:00:00 -0500 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1371/1/Starting_Right.html Starting a small group can be more complicated than it first appears. And less complicated than we make it. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Tue, 06 Aug 1996 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1373/1/Restart_With_a_Bang.html August is upon us. School days are fast approaching, along with fall and winter (already?). Vacations and savings have been spent, and plans are being made for the holidays--“Who’s family is it this year, dear?” Gasp! It’s time for church to “start up” again after the summer break! But wait, we don’t have enough time to prepare! It’s way too soon! rdamon@valleycc.org (Robert Damon) Sun, 04 Aug 1996 00:00:00 -0400 http://smallgroups.com/articles/1366/1/Reasonable_Service.html This summer, our small group isn't studying the Bible. We won't be praying much together either. And woship is definitely out this summer in our group. You've given up our Christian ideals, I hear you saying. You've thrown in the towel, sold out, abandoned the call. micmac@smallgroups.com (Michael C. Mack) Fri, 05 Jul 1996 00:00:00 -0400