My 2012 Small Group Ministry Coaching Network kicks off today. This classic Dilbert seemed like an appropriate opener. Anyone who’s spent time on a conference call will get this right away:

I get a lot of questions.  I love getting them and when possible, I love answering them individually.  And sometimes they’re so representative of the questions many people have…I just have to answer them here.

Here’s one that I think will hit the needs of a lot of people.  It came in last week.

In the last two years our 8 year old church has doubled in size and we average about 300 in weekly attendance, with about 170 adults and about half of those adults regularly attending a small group.  Over the last two years our small group participation hasn’t grown at nearly the same rate as our Sunday morning attendance.

We want to do a better job of creating simpler steps for people to go from Sunday morning attendance to group participation.  We’ve tried a few things that haven’t worked so well, and we’ve had little success integrating people into existing groups.  Our greatest success has come from starting new groups in conjunction with a church-wide campaign.

Have you seen churches our size that have successfully led the overwhelming majority of their people into group life?  If so, what about their system is working so well?

Great questions!  Don’t you think?  Here are a few observations:

• Keep in mind that as difficult as it is to come to church for the first time, it is often even scarier for a new person to go from the relative safety of the auditorium to a stranger’s living room.  Be sure you’re building in on-campus connecting opportunities where new groups are formed (see Top 5 Advantages of New Groups and A Bias Toward New Groups).
• Easter adult attendance is a much better estimate of the total number of adults who consider your church to be their church.  Although you might be averaging 170 adults on Sunday, it is a different 170 each week (see Clue #1 When Designing Your Small Group System for more).
• We say we need to create next steps for every attendee and first steps for their friends.  The best way to create simpler steps for people to go from Sunday morning attendance to group participation is to understand who your customer is, know which customer your ministry is designed to connect and then make sure that your topic and strategy connect with that customer.
• What enables some churches to connect the “overwhelming majority” of their people to groups?  There are a number of important factors.  Without question, the senior pastor plays a critical role (see 5 Things Senior Pastors Need to Know about Small Group Ministry).  Stay the course over the long run.  Narrow your focus to avoid sideways energy.  Steadfastly avoid the Top 10 Fantasies of Churches WITH Groups, which are all major stumbling blocks.

I can tell you that churches of all sizes are beginning to push beyond 100% connection.  Is it easy?  No.  It takes commitment to the objective on the part of the whole team.  It takes an unwavering laser focus.  It is happening…but only in those churches that lock onto the target and never let up.

Looking for resources that will help your group members begin to understand the culture in which we live?  You may want to take a look at Dan Kimball’s 6 session study, They Like Jesus But Not the Church.  Published by Zondervan in 2008, it is nowhere near out of date.  Extremely relevant and very much in line with the discoveries in David Kinnaman’s unChristian and You Lost Me, as well as Gabe Lyon’s The Next Christians, this is a very good resource.

If you’re unfamiliar, Dan Kimball has been a leading voice in the emerging church movement as well as a sought after speaker and communicator.  He is also the primary teaching pastor and has oversight of the missional aspects of Vintage Faith Church, founded in 2004 as a church plant of Santa Cruz Bible Church.

A number of components make this a great study.  First, it is a DVD-Driven study and features 6 DVD segments that are a combination of Dan Kimball’s compelling narration and an engaging set of interviews.  Each of the sessions is presented in a two-part format.  First, a narrative description of a root issue that grows into one of the objections to Christianity.  Second, a kind of look back at the statements from the interview coupled with Kimball’s grace-filled and compelling teaching.

The subjects covered include:

• The Danger of the Christian Bubble
• Is the Church Negative Judgmental, and Political?
• Does the Church Restrict and Oppress Women?
• Is the Church Homophobic?
• Do Christians Arrogantly Think All Other Religions Are Wrong?
• Are Christians Fundamentalists Who Take the Whole Bible Literally?

The Participant’s Guide provides a note-taking section for the DVD segments, a set of discussion questions that pull in response to the ideas presented on the DVD along with an informative set of scripture passages that are designed to build a solid biblical foundation.  Each session also includes activities and opportunities for reflection designed to enhance between session development.  Finally, the “for further study” section provides additional resources that will enhance new understanding.

In addition to a basic leader’s guide, an appendix provides a very detailed set of suggested answers to cross-referenced questions in each section.

In addition to the small group sessions, They Like Jesus But Not the Church is also designed to be used as a church-wide campaign.  You’ll find sermon outlines, powerpoint presentations and promotional materials at www.theylikejesus.com and the DVD a includes a set of six video clips to be used in connection with the six message outlines.

In a recent article I pointed out 5 Transferable Website Concepts from Saddleback’s Recent Campaign Launch.  I believe you can learn a lot about how the most effective small group ministry in America works…if you just keep your eyes open.

Can I point out one more super important concept?  Honestly, I think I noticed it subliminally, but it was only when I got an email from Steve Gladen pointing it out that I really recognized the potential impact of this simple idea.

What is it?

This is the page I pointed out last week.  If you take a look, you’ll observe several of the transferable concepts right away.  See them?  Carefully chosen page title.  Meticulously crafted and short sentences in the above the fold section.  Obvious call-to-action steps.

Notice the bottom line on the page.  See it?

“If you have questions about small groups, email Steve Gladen, our small groups pastor.”

Guess what?  It actually goes to Steve!  Interesting, right?

Want to make a big place small?  What if it’s in the teeniest, tiniest of details?

In December of 2010 I wrote my 500th post here at MarkHowellLive.com.  I celebrated the mile-marker by compiling a list of my 10 favorite posts.  Not ranked according to pageviews (the way my monthly top 10 most popular is ranked), but on the basis of my favorites.  If you’re wondering what I’m about, you might go back and take a look at that post.

This morning, I wrote my 800th.  Actually, it kind of slipped up on me.  I meant to mark my 750th post, but missed it.  So…here are my favorites from 501 to 800.  If you missed anything, hope you’ll take a look:

• Clue #1 When Designing Your Small Group System
• Connecting the Widening 60% (Who Are Unreachable by the Attractional Model)
• Different, Not Better, Will Connect the Widening 60%
• The Next Christians (a Book You Should Definitely Be Reading)
• Top 5 Signs Your Church is Designed to Underperform at Connection
• Belonging or Believing: Which Comes First?
• I See Dead Groups
• Preoccupied with the Needs and Interests of the Right People
• Top 5 Advantages of New Groups
• The Catch a Moving Train Scenario
• A Bias Toward What’s Next
• 5 Assumptions That Stunt Small Group Ministry Growth
• 5 Things Senior Pastors Need to Know about Small Group Ministry
• A Road Map to Crowd’s Edge
• Keys to GroupLife at Crowd’s Edge
• Recalculating: 5 Signs Your GroupLife System Needs an Update
• Messy Comes with the Territory

There are some pretty challenging dilemmas in small group ministry.  And it doesn’t really matter what system or strategy you’ve chosen.  Since there are no problem-free solutions…challenging dilemmas just come with the territory.  Here’s the one I’m wrestling with:

Can you have high leader expectations when you’ve lowered the bar so that more potential leaders will get in the game?  How high can your expectations be?  What are reasonable expectations for leaders?

You get this, right?  When you use the HOST strategy, you’re perilously close to characterizing the role as just “open up your home, serve some refreshments and tell a few friends.”

Did you see that little four letter word?  ”Just.”  Ever said that?  I probably have.  You probably have, too.  And in the interest of full disclosure, I’m actually okay with saying it.  But when you use the word “just” you’re opening up the bait and switch discussion.  And I get that and so should you.

The Reason for Leader Expectations

There are reasons for having leader expectations.  The most important reasons for me?

1. I really do believe that a small group can provide the optimal environment for life-change.  Note the word “can.”
2. At the same time, I believe the quality of the group experience has less to do with curriculum than it does with the group leader.
3. In fact, I believe that whatever I want to happen in the lives of group members has to happen first in the lives of the leaders.

What Might Some Expectations Be?

While every church will have its own set of expectations, you can see that there might be some basics.  For example:

• You might require new leaders to complete a simple spiritual questionnaire that allows them to tell their story.
• An increasing number of churches require a background check.
• Agreeing to a set of shared values.
• Some churches require that their small group leaders be church members (or at least be in the process of becoming a member).
• Maintaining good communication with their small group coach or the small group pastor is something that is a little bit more qualitative but is an essential requirement.
• Attending leader development opportunities or participating in a leader development pathway.

Want do you think?  Have you established leader expectations in your ministry?  I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can click here to jump into the conversation.

Here are my top 10 posts for January, 2012.  Interesting to note that only two of these posts were written in January.

1. New from Beth Moore| James: Mercy Triumphs (November, 2011)
2. Join Us for GroupLife Midwest 2012
3. How to Choose a Small Group System or Strategy (October, 2009)
4. How to Launch Groups Using a Small Group Connection (May, 2008)
5. 10 Essential Small Group Leader Skills (June, 2010)
6. Review: Not a Fan (September, 2010)
7. Small Group Models (December, 2009)
8. The 7 Numbers That Matter Most in Small Group Ministry
9. The Meta Church Small Group Model (October, 2009)
10. Review: The Gospel Revolution (October, 2011)

Ready to work on something? Don’t just read this. Take at least 2 or 3 minutes and actually look at the links below. You can learn so much about how one of the most effective small group ministries is doing what they’re doing. But…you’ll learn a lot more if you’ll just take a closer look.

First, a little side-note: it pays to watch closely for transferable concepts; ideas that you can use to raise the bar in your own small group ministry. I love this line from Pablo Picasso:

“Good artists copy. Great artists steal.”

It reminds me of another great line that I heard from Rick Warren over 20 years ago:

“If you steal from one person, it’s plagiarism. If you steal from five, it’s research. If you steal from 10 or more, it’s sheer creativity. And I am a very creative person!”

Ready to get creative? Here are 5 (web) ideas that should be copied from Saddleback’s most recent campaign launch (40 Days of the Word):

1. Note how prominent the Small Group link is on Saddleback’s home page. “Small Groups: Join a small group to grow closer to Christ and other believers. Learn More” is easy to see right on their main page. Note: if it takes two or three or four clicks to reach the page on your website where I can find out about joining a group…I’m probably not going to make it.
2. When you click the link from Saddleback’s main page, it takes you to a page with a carefully chosen title: Experiencing Life Together. That’s very important. People are searching for experiences. One of the most important books in the last decade was The Experience Economy by B. Joseph Pine and James H. Gilmore.
3. Note how carefully the words on this page are chosen. Short sentences. It fits above the fold. The first sentence captures the essence of everyone’s longing for connection. The next two sentences frame the idea of a small group very succinctly. The 4th sentence is a call to action.
4. Note that the call to action directs you to Select a Small Group Type (Home, Work, Online). Don’t miss a key detail right at this spot. All three options allow you to select “find” or “start.” That is a very big development (i.e., it’s never too late to be looking for new leaders).
5. Take a look at what happens if you click on “start.” You may not be able to go further than this…but let me tell you, Saddleback has made it super easy to start a group.

What do you think? Can you make these changes? I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can click here to jump into the conversation.

Forgiveness.  What a concept.  If you’re looking for a solid, biblical look at the subject of forgiveness…you need to take a look at Have the Funeral by James MacDonald.  Joining Lifeway’s Platform Series in 2011, this six session study is very solid material.

I reviewed another MacDonald study, Always True: God’s Promises When Life is Hard in September of 2011.  One of America’s most popular Bible teachers, MacDonald is the founding/senior pastor of Chicago’s Harvest Bible Chapel, host of the radio show “Walk in the Word,” and author of several books and Bible studies, including “Gripped by the Greatness of God,” and “Ancient Wisdom.”

The DVD features six excerpts from two messages given at Harvest Bible Chapel.  Averaging 12 to 17  minutes in length, the segments are very compelling, full of great practical application, and fly past.  Important for small group studies…they grab your attention at the outset (there’s a coffin in the background) and never let go.

In addition to the discussion questions, the Participant Guide also provides biblical context and historical background.  A great set of questions takes the teaching and drives immediately to application.  Along with the session activities, the Participant Guide also provides journaling ideas as well as next steps for every session.

While there is no leader’s guide, this is a very straightforward study.  The practical, application orientation of this study should provide a solid basis for discussion for even the newest groups.

If you’re looking for a study that will deeply impact small group members or Bible study attendees, I want to suggest that you take a serious look at Have the Funeral.  This is a study that will leave a powerful impression on leaders and members alike.  I highly recommend it.  In fact, a solid understanding of biblical forgiveness is so important, this study definitely joins the recommended curriculum list for me.  And I hope for you too!

Had an opportunity this week to spend some time with an interesting new DVD-driven small group study from Lifeway.  Rooms: The Small Group Experience is the first study I’m aware of that was inspired by an award-winning novel (Published in 2010, Rooms was named the Best Inspirational Novel of 2010 by the Reviewers’ Choice Awards).

Likened to The Shack, Rooms is the story of “young software tycoon Micah Taylor and a cryptic letter he receives from a great uncle he never knew.  It claims a home awaits him on the Oregon coast.  In Cannon Beach.  The one place he loves.  The one place he never wants to see again.  But strange things happen in the house.  Things Micah can’t explain.  Things he can barely believe.  The locals say that the house is ‘spiritual.’  But Micah slowly discovers the house isn’t just spiritual, it is a physical manifestation–of his soul (from the cover).”

The study is designed to guide groups through four significant themes: woundedness, destiny, (spiritual) warfare, and freedom.  The DVD segments feature a combination of author James Rubart’s teaching/narration against the backdrop of reenacted scenes from the book.

The participant guide provides discussion questions that enable group members to work through the biblical basis for each of the four themes.  Each week also includes four daily devotional experiences, continuing to pursue the theme through the week.

A Leader Guide section is included in the participant guide and provides some important hints for the study.  In addition, each of the four DVD segments includes a “watch me first” moment for group leaders.  In view of the challenging themes developed in this study, it may be too challenging for some leaders.

Although the study was “created so that even someone who has not read the book–or who does not intend to–can still find fresh perspectives and strong biblical content for becoming a more effective disciple,” it will be a far different experience for those who participate without reading the book.  In my mind, the most likely participants of the study will be readers of the book.  I should point out that while I haven’t finished the book, I read the first 20 pages to get a feel for the writing style and the quality of the writing.  It’s an intriguing story-line and caught my attention right away.

This is an interesting new category.  While it’s easy to envision a book club that leads to a four week study, I’m finding it harder to imagine just any group choosing a s