Group Talk - Small Group Network

The world is becoming increasingly complex, while at the same time becoming increasingly interconnected. The reality is that with each revolution the planet Earth makes around the sun, our countries, cities and communities look less and less like they used to. The world is a very different place than it was 50 years ago. There is a great migration taking place in many parts of the world, and the beautiful thing about these changes is how much smaller the world has become in the process. Exponential urban and immigration growth has given us unprecedented exposure and access to diversity, varied ethnicities and cultures and with it all, opportunities to learn from one another.  Increasingly, the churches in our cities are becoming microcosms of the cities themselves. Along with the beautiful array of culture and diversity can also come challenges in terms of meeting the wide range of ministry needs for diverse people groups, understanding other cultures and serving those we may not completely understand.  In th

Diversity is a beautiful thing. People, cultures, perspectives and ideas come in all shapes, sizes, colors and variations, adding tremendous depth and value the tapestry of life we're all part of. And just like people, cultures, perspectives and ideas, personalities also come in all shapes, sizes, colors and variations. This, too, is a beautiful thing, However, problems tend to surface when we fail to understand and appreciate the diversity of personalities and how that diversity impacts and adds value to our environments, relationships and leadership styles. In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Amy Jackson and Tom Kang about learning to understand and appreciate the diversity in personality types and how finding value in the nuances of the various temperaments can help you shape effective ministry environments and experiences. Amy Jackson is a managing editor at Christianity Today and oversees the websites SmallGroups.com, ChristianBibleStudies.com, and Gifted for Leadership. She has served

Millennials... Flaky. Inconsistent. Non-Commital. Inauthentic. Insert your own adjective here _______.  All terms frequently used when the millennial generation enters the conversation. However, even for as much as there may be threads of truth woven into stereotype personas, the reality is many millennials are quite the opposite of how they are often portrayed.  Many are dependable, consistent and crave authenticity. The secret lies in learning how to crack the code and speak the cultural language of the millennial, serving them where they are and challenging them to new levels of life and spiritual growth. In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with millennial pastors Tommy Carreras and Jennifer Ip about their experiences, insights and perspectives on reaching, impacting and developing the millennial generation. Tommy Carreras has been on staff for 2 ½ years at Mission Church in Ventura CA, a four and a half year old church plant, leading small groups and new guest connections. He loves the chall

Albert Einstein once said, "everything must be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." When it comes to designing and implementing systems for your church's Small Groups Ministry, you'd be hard pressed to find truer words spoken.  Whether you're a groups ministry veteran or brand new to the groups world, the constant challenge at every level of your ministry will not necessarily be "what" you do, but "how" you do it.  Small Groups systems and strategies are not one-size-fits-all, and having a balanced perspective on how your church does groups is crucial to a healthy ministry. In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Will Johnston about understanding small groups systems, determining the best fit for your church and why that is important. Will Johnston is an author, speaker, and consultant on small group ministry, specializing in building and troubleshooting small group systems.  He previously served as the groups pastor at National Community Church, a multi-site congregation in Washington

Building a team. Developing a playbook. Identifying wins. All fundamentals of any effective football team. But would you believe they're also some of the same foundational principles that will greatly determine success in small group ministry?   In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Small Group Network Founder, Steve Gladen, about the core strategies that are crucial on both the football field and in your small group ministry. Steve Gladen has been a small groups pastor for 25+ years. Since 1998, he has been the Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church where he oversees the strategic launch and development of 5,000+ adult small groups on multiple campuses. The founder of the Small Group Network, he has also authored Small Groups With Purpose, which has been translated into seven languages to date, and Leading Small Groups With Purpose. Connect with Steve on Twitter: @stevegladen ★ Support this podcast ★

Neil Sedaka was right. Breaking up IS hard to do. But sometimes, breaking up is necessary. While Neil probably didn't have your small group in mind when he wrote his deceptively sweet heart break anthem in the 60's, he very well could have! Sometimes, the question isn't "if" you should end your small group, but rather "how". What are some indicators that it is time to break up? What if people don't want to break up? If you decide to end, how do you go do it in a healthy, relationally honoring way? If you've found yourself singing the words of another blast-from-the-past Small Group anthem, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?", then this month's group talk is for you! In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Allen White about the delicate topic of knowing when it's time to break up with your group, good and bad reasons to end a group and practical tips on how to transition well. Allen has devoted the last 25+ years to helping people find Christ, make meaningful connections, grow in their faith, and f

Because we are all Small Groups Ministry practitioners on some level, it is easy to unwittingly assume that everyone else is just like... "us". They value what we value, think how we think, want what we want and respond how we respond. The truth is, most of us are sitting on the proverbial front row, with rows and rows of "them" behind us... different personalities, different experiences, different perspectives, waiting to be engaged, waiting to be included, and most of the time just waiting on... "us". In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Chris Surratt, author of Small Groups For The Rest Of Us, about designing your small groups so that everyone, from the front row to the fringes, are invited into thriving, Christ-centered community. Chris is the Discipleship Specialist for Smallgroup.com at Lifeway Christian Resources, a ministry consultant with The Unstuck Group and author of the new book, Small Groups For The Rest of Us: How To Design Your Small Groups To Reach The Fringes. Most recentl

Challenging seasons of life are inevitable. It is never a question of "if" they will occur, but rather "when". When life gets tough, it is often how we respond to the challenges we're faced with that shape us more than the situation itself. Particularly as a leader, it is in those times when living with vulnerability and authenticity can have the biggest impact on leading with vulnerability. In this month's Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa talks with Laura Copeland about what it means to live and lead authentically in the tough seasons and when life hurts. Laura Copeland has been serving on staff at churches, mostly in small groups ministries for almost 10 years, and she has a desire to see honest, authentic community where people are being transformed by the truths of God. She has an MA in New Testament Studies from Talbot School of Theology and recently joined the small groups team at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. Laura also serves on the SGN Communications team, overseeing the SGN Facebook page. ★ S

Summer is a time when is seems like everyone’s schedule gets turned upside down, making it hard for your groups to meet consistently. However, with just a little creativity and planning, the Summer months could present your groups with a unique opportunity to focus on outreach and connect with the local community in extremely effective ways An effective outreach strategy could very well be lying right in the middle of your current groups and their relationships. In this month’s Group Talk, Nick Lenzi shares some creative strategies his groups recently used to make a significant impact in reaching their community, as well as practical ideas for how your groups can do the same. Nick Lenzi is the Groups Director at Hoboken Grace in Hoboken, NJ. Prior to moving into full time ministry, Nick worked on Wall Street as a Trade Support Analyst. He spends his free time with his wife Erika of 4 years, together they enjoy attending comedy shows, concerts and people watching in New York City. Nick has a passion for seeing

Kay Warren is the co-founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA with her husband Rick Warren as well as the founder and advocate of the HIV & AIDS initiative at Saddleback and around the world. She is an international speaker, best selling author, and bible teacher. Kay’s latest book, “Choose Joy, because happiness isn’t enough” was published in 2012. After their son, Matthew, took his life in 2013, the Warrens revealed that Matthew had a lifelong struggle with mental illness. Since then, Rick and Kay are committed to raising awareness about mental illness, reducing the stigma many experience and equipping local churches, groups, and families to effectively minister to those living with mental illness. Conference: The Gathering on Mental Health and the Church (Oct. 7-9, 2015) http://mentalhealthandthechurch.com/ blog: kaywarren.com Twitter: @kaywarren1 Facebook: Kay Warren    ★ Support this podcast ★

Many of us have stepped into existing small groups ministries to add new support, leadership and vision to what was already there. But what about creating a groups ministry at a church where one didn’t necessarily already exist?   Ministry buzzwords are a dime a dozen, but actually having to implement ideas and vision to relaunch a groups ministry can be a real challenge. It’s crucial to get your finger on the pulse of a particular church’s culture enough to define reality, contextualize vision and properly frame the conversation around shared desires and goals. But how do you do that?  This month, Andrew Mason breaks down the process he used in relaunching a groups ministry from “ground zero”, sharing practical concepts and actionable strategies that can be scaled for any size church or ministry. Andrew Mason oversees Small Groups at Real Life Church, a multi-site family of churches in Northern, CA. Andrew is the Northern CA Regional Leader for the Small Group Network and founded the website, SmallGroupChur

Are you looking for the silver bullet for your groups ministry? Then keep looking, because this isn't the Group Talk for you. But if you're willing to sit and listen, learn, and digest, this edition of Group Talk will help you think outside of your box. You have something to learn from the Mid-Sized Community movement. Get your notepad ready. ★ Support this podcast ★

The sage prophet Benjamin Franklin once said "a failure to plan is a plan to fail." Every day of every year, teams and leaders across the world read that perennial quote in bewilderment, wondering "how did he KNOW?!?" If you've ever been there and felt the weight of the failure to plan, this month's Group Talk is for you! The million dollar question is always "how do I establish goals, plot my path there and keep my team excited, engaged and moving toward them?" This month, Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church and Founder of Small Group Network, shares practical strategies on how to do just that. From tips on carving out ministry goals to actionable steps to staying focused to accomplishing them, this month's Group Talk is packed full of wisdom on how to prepare your team for a year of effective ministry!  Connect with Steve on Twitter @stevegladen. ★ Support this podcast ★

Listen to the host of Group Talk, Carolyn Taketa interview Mark Howell, the Pastor of Communities at Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.   ·       ★ Support this podcast ★