I have always believed that leading a small group is not rocket science. You can take people with moldable hearts and teachable spirits and shape them into average group leaders. However, who wants to be average? Who hungers for mediocrity?

While attending the Southeastern Small Group Conference this year in Savannah, GA, I paid particular attention to what was happening in the area of small group leader coaching. I participated in several different workshops and main sessions where the topic of coaching was discussed. Here is what I gleaned from what I heard:

We are shaped by community. The theme for the 2005 Willow Creek Small Group Conference, held September 22-24-2005, was spiritual transformation in small groups – how God forms us in relationship to others in community.

Randy Frazee challenged and inspired more than 500 small group leaders, directors, and pastors one cold Saturday in February. Ada Bible Church played host to the second annual Great Lakes Small Group Network’s conference.