Let's just get honest here ...
5 Reasons Not To Disciple
May 22, 2013
1. It’s really hard.
Helping someone become a fully devoted follower of Christ is not for the faint of heart. There will be times of elated joy and times of extreme frustration. People’s lives are messy, and walking this journey with them gives you a backstage pass to the ugliness.
What would you ask?
The Top 3 Small Group Questions I Always Get
May 16, 2013
Over the years I have done a handful of small group workshops for lay leaders, youth pastors, small group pastors and senior pastors. Every time I lead one, I always try to leave time at the end for some Q&A. I love the question and answer time because it has that raw, organic small-group feel of spontaneous transactions. While the questions vary, there are definitely three questions in particular that I consistently receive.
One of the challenging dynamics of leading a small group workshop for leaders from different churches is that every church is different. They’re different because of their geographic location, the model of ministry the church has, the type of people who attend the church and the interpretation of what a small group is in their church. Sometimes, “small groups” can mean something different for two people that even attend the same church!
Small Groups Producing Produce?
3 Ways Small Groups Produce Fruit
May 15, 2013
The gifts of the Spirit awaken people to God (see Acts 3:1-10), but it’s the fruit of the Spirit that changes people’s lives.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV).
This is one of our main goals in ministering to others: cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in their character, behavior and overall life.
Toward Lasting Discipleship
5 Core Convictions on Discipleship
May 10, 2013
[Ed. Note: In the following post, Brian Jones reflects on a blog post dialogue with his former small groups pastor, Frank Chiapperino. Brian encapsulates that five-year-old discussion in "Why Churches Should Euthanize Their Small Groups."]
In the last five years, some core convictions regarding the process of discipleship have been solidified.
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Small Groups Videos
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Eddie Mosley, a Small Group Pastor at Life Point Church in Tennessee, shares how his church successf…
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Unique. Special. Irreplaceable. That's you and that's me. Through this study focused on the book of …
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This video accompanies Week 47 of the "Eat this Book" challenge to read through the Bible in one yea…
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This video accompanies Week 34 of the "Eat this Book" challenge to read through the Bible in one yea…
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Seven leading Christian voices. Seven big conversations about faith. All you need is seven weeks. An…
Preaching >
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Ron Edmondson, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, preaches on Jonah 3.
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animate. Faith is the new adult small group resource from sparkhouse. This excerpt comes from Sessio…
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This video accompanies Week 48 of the "Eat this Book" challenge to read through the Bible in one yea…
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The biblical author, Mark, invites us to get to know God’s Son, Jesus Christ, not by enrolling in …
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This video accompanies Week 29 of the "Eat this Book" challenge to read through the Bible in one yea…
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