Small Groups Articles

Healthy Small Group Leaders

by Danny Bowers on 08/04/2010

If Small Groups are a vital aspect of your youth ministry, then healthy small group leaders need to be a vital aspect as well. Those leaders need to feel trained and encouraged, and that their role is vital to the ministry. Here are a couple ideas we use that might help your leaders know that they matter.

Coffee Conversations

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When Small Groups Don't Work

by Danny Bowers on 07/28/2010

Small Groups don’t always work. Instead of just ignoring it we need to face some questions to find out why. At times subtle changes can be made to fix an issue. While not exclusive, here are some issues I've run into that have caused some small group problems.

Poor Advertising

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Introducing youthministry360

by Andy Blanks on 07/20/2010

How often do you think about what you want students to get out of the time they spend studying the Bible with you?

At youthministry360, we think about it a lot.

If you’re asking who youthminstry360 is, it’s not a bad question. You see, we’re a brand new youth ministry resource company. And while our hope is that we’ll soon get to know each other really well, I’ll start with a two-sentence glimpse into our values and priorities. (Don’t you wish every introduction were so efficient?)

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Leader Training: Making Contact

by Tim Blake on 05/28/2009

The heart behind making these contacts is that your group would make a connection with you outside of a small group setting and realize that your investment in them goes beyond the walls of the church Many leaders, however, are intimidated by this aspect of their ministry and thus don't get started off on the right foot...
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What Do You Do When "IT" Is Not Working?

by Matt Bush on 05/26/2009

He does not want me to proceed with my own way of doing ministry and pray Him along with it, He wants me to pray and ask Him what type of ministry I am supposed to be doing and follow along with His answer.

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Small Groups in a Church Plant...Student Ministries Style!

by Gary Hale on 11/29/2008

Now, let's ask a question...when should you start small groups in a church plant? There's no need to start small groups if you're weekly program already is one.

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Discuss or Disgust?

by Gregg Farah on 11/14/2008

Small group discussion is a powerfully effective tool for ministry. Students retain up to 70% of what they discuss compared to less than 10% of what they only hear. But because small groups are made up of people with unique personalities and problems, there are many ways for a group to get off course.

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4 Comments

Small Groups

by Danny Bowers on 07/21/2008
Having to confront a small group leader about the quality of his or her ministry to students is an incredibly hard task. Sharing of life, discipleship, healthy—these are words you want to use to describe what small groups are like.
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5 Tips for Leading Great Discussions

by Amelia Richardson Dress on 05/21/2008
The lesson plan called for “discussion,” but instead of the stimulating chatter you’d planned there is only The Dreaded Silence.
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Eleven Steps to Successful Small Groups

by Kevin Mahaffy Jr. on 04/29/2008
These churches had Sunday school classes, etc. but nothing in terms of small groups that met outside of the church building.
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1 Comment

When Small Groups Work Best: Part 2

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
While freedom is a good thing, too much of it can do more harm than good. Let them set the pace, but only after sharing their strategy with you. Let them chose some of their own curriculum, but make sure you approve it.
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2 Comments

Building Community Through Small Groups

by Jim Burns on 08/23/2007
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I Believe in Evolution

by Brad Neese on 02/29/2008
“I don’t get up in front of people, I don’t teach, and I definitely don’t lead small groups.” Ahhh, the words every new youth pastor loves to hear from an Adult Leader! It immediately became obvious that Jason (the Adult Leader who was so eloquently quoted) and I held very different views of youth ministry. But the evolutionary process that he was about to experience was a change that would make even Darwin blush.
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3 Comments

Eleven Steps to Successful Small Groups

by Kevin Mahaffy Jr. on 04/29/2008
These churches had Sunday school classes, etc. but nothing in terms of small groups that met outside of the church building.
Read More
1 Comment

5 Tips for Leading Great Discussions

by Amelia Richardson Dress on 05/21/2008
The lesson plan called for “discussion,” but instead of the stimulating chatter you’d planned there is only The Dreaded Silence.
Read More
0 Comments

Small Groups

by Danny Bowers on 07/21/2008
Having to confront a small group leader about the quality of his or her ministry to students is an incredibly hard task. Sharing of life, discipleship, healthy—these are words you want to use to describe what small groups are like.
Read More
0 Comments

Discuss or Disgust?

by Gregg Farah on 11/14/2008

Small group discussion is a powerfully effective tool for ministry. Students retain up to 70% of what they discuss compared to less than 10% of what they only hear. But because small groups are made up of people with unique personalities and problems, there are many ways for a group to get off course.

Read More
4 Comments

Leader Training: Making Contact

by Tim Blake on 05/28/2009

The heart behind making these contacts is that your group would make a connection with you outside of a small group setting and realize that your investment in them goes beyond the walls of the church Many leaders, however, are intimidated by this aspect of their ministry and thus don't get started off on the right foot...
Read More
0 Comments

Introducing youthministry360

by Andy Blanks on 07/20/2010

How often do you think about what you want students to get out of the time they spend studying the Bible with you?

At youthministry360, we think about it a lot.

If you’re asking who youthminstry360 is, it’s not a bad question. You see, we’re a brand new youth ministry resource company. And while our hope is that we’ll soon get to know each other really well, I’ll start with a two-sentence glimpse into our values and priorities. (Don’t you wish every introduction were so efficient?)

Read More
0 Comments

When Small Groups Don't Work

by Danny Bowers on 07/28/2010

Small Groups don’t always work. Instead of just ignoring it we need to face some questions to find out why. At times subtle changes can be made to fix an issue. While not exclusive, here are some issues I've run into that have caused some small group problems.

Poor Advertising

Read More
1 Comment

Middle School Small Groups

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
Small groups give students a place to belong. They help a larger youth ministry feel small. Small groups build community. They create a safe place for questions to be asked and struggles to be shared. Small groups build and strengthen friendships.
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13 Comments

10 Things a Great Small Group Leader Does

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
A dad who really loves his children a lot and one who is thankful for people like them who can do something a dad can't do...even a dad with a lot of youth ministry experience.
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12 Comments

When Small Groups Work Best

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
Spiritually mature, healthy leaders who understand young teen development and have the patience to be part of the journey are crucial to small group ministry.
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9 Comments

Tangent Trouble

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
If you were actually able to trace the origins of the tangents your junior highers lead you down, you might be surprised to discover that most of them actually start off as an honest observation or question about the bible study or topic that is being discussed.
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4 Comments

Discuss or Disgust?

by Gregg Farah on 11/14/2008

Small group discussion is a powerfully effective tool for ministry. Students retain up to 70% of what they discuss compared to less than 10% of what they only hear. But because small groups are made up of people with unique personalities and problems, there are many ways for a group to get off course.

Read More
4 Comments

Advice for Dividing Small Groups

by Doug Fields on 09/10/2007
s students in their small group grow spiritually, they will most likely reach out to their [lost] friends and invite them to join a small group.
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3 Comments

Nudge your students (and your boss if necessary)

by Megan Hutchinson, MA on 01/22/2008
Sometimes the students in our youth ministries or dare I say, even we ourselves need, a nudge to do something we have never done before.
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3 Comments

I Believe in Evolution

by Brad Neese on 02/29/2008
“I don’t get up in front of people, I don’t teach, and I definitely don’t lead small groups.” Ahhh, the words every new youth pastor loves to hear from an Adult Leader! It immediately became obvious that Jason (the Adult Leader who was so eloquently quoted) and I held very different views of youth ministry. But the evolutionary process that he was about to experience was a change that would make even Darwin blush.
Read More
3 Comments

When Small Groups Work Best: Part 2

by Kurt Johnston on 08/23/2007
While freedom is a good thing, too much of it can do more harm than good. Let them set the pace, but only after sharing their strategy with you. Let them chose some of their own curriculum, but make sure you approve it.
Read More
2 Comments

What Do You Do When "IT" Is Not Working?

by Matt Bush on 05/26/2009

He does not want me to proceed with my own way of doing ministry and pray Him along with it, He wants me to pray and ask Him what type of ministry I am supposed to be doing and follow along with His answer.

Read More
2 Comments