2008
January – Assimilation of New People into Small Groups
Whether it is church members, visitors, or non-believers, what is the best way to get people into groups? Is it best to assimilate into existing groups by creating group cultures of constant invitation or is it best to assimilate into brand new groups by constantly developing new group leaders and hosts? What strategies work best for inviting people into community?
February – How to Launch and Transition an Outreach-focused Group
Outreach and seeker focused groups have been gaining ground as an outreach strategy in many churches and ministries. What has been the success of outreach-focused groups and how do outreach focused groups assimilate into the life of the bigger church? Do these groups transition into spiritual fruit-producers organically? For someone who was won to community prior to being won to Christ, what is the pathway toward life in the larger body?
March – The Importance of Embracing Conflict in Small Groups
In many church settings, conflict results in division and ongoing tensions. For that reason, conflict is avoided or denied many times. However, knowing that conflict is unavoidable, how should it be handled in the small group? Can a group afford to keep their dirt under the rug and still be a life-changing Christian community?
April – Recognizing and Raising Leaders
Should leaders be appointed for their potential and gifts, even though they don’t yet have anyone following them? Or, is it best to recognize and affirm those who already seem to be gathering a natural following? Is your motto, “If they can breath they can lead”? Or is your motto, “Affirm the anointed”? What is the most fruitful practice when raising leaders?
May – Small Groups - Engaging Popular Culture While Sharing the Good News
Groups relating to cooking, auto mechanics, dog training, or Poker playing have all been used as small group Petri dishes where Christ is introduced and Christian community is formed. What has been the spiritual success of these types of groups and what group tactics have been most effective?
June – Spiritual Gifts and the Formation of Community
The New Testament describes the local church as a collection of people with different spiritual gifts working together as the Body of Christ. A healthy, functioning local church should have a distribution of gifts to accomplish her mission. Is that gift mix distribution also true of small groups? If it is, how do we identify and deploy the use of gifts in groups?
July – Creating Synergy between Whole-Church Teaching and Small Group Focus
People hear multiple messages each week: pastor’s sermon, elective class, personal devotional plan, radio-based teachings, and the small group study focus. There’s plenty of opportunity for information, but how much transformation results? Is there a way to connect the small group focus with other church-wide teaching opportunities without dictating to groups what they should study?
August – Moving from a Meeting Mentality to Christian Lifestyles
It's natural to think about the small group meeting as the core of what a small group is. But should a group be all about the "meeting," or does the meeting simply exist to support the member's lifestyle? How can members change their focus from actions and decisions made during the meeting to actions and decisions made the rest of the week?"
September – The Importance of Appropriate Disclosure and Authenticity in Group Life
Sharing our life stories, confessing our sins, and speaking the truth in love to one another are all critical biblical practices of community. And yet, these activities are very complex in how they are applied to the small group setting. What type of appropriate disclosure and confidentiality are important in group life?
October – Interactive, Fun and Exciting Training Ideas
Ongoing training of small group leaders can become drudgery for ministry directors and small group leaders. What are some ways to breathe fresh life into small group leader training events? What keeps small group leaders coming to training events and what makes these events productive for leaders?
November – Improving Support and Communication within your Existing Small Group Leadership Community
In most churches, communication and support between church leaders and group leaders can be improved. The question is: What support and communication structures are most effective and most helpful to small group leaders?
December – Outreach and Growth Walls that All Small Groups Hit
When and why do small groups hit growth plateaus? Are these plateaus normal or symptomatic of other problems? What should small groups expect in the way of progress and growth, and how do groups work through tough growth spots?
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