small groups leader's guide
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
1/23
Developing
Dynamic Small Groupsin Your Church
A Training Course in Eight Sessions
Leader's Notes
Prepared by David Cox
1
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
2/23
How to use the leader's notes:
1. Preview each session and become familiar with the content of the power-point slides. Wherenecessary do background reading for additional information and an overall grasp of theconcept of the holistic small group or cell
2. Be aware of the order in which information appears on the slides. Most slides are animatedand present ideas step by step rather than all at once
. Provide students with theparticipant's guide. !his closely follows the outline of the power-point slides
". #se the leader$s notes as supplementary material only. !hey are not intended to be used asthe presentation itself
%. Pray for wisdom& both for yourself and others who share this material with their churches
Slide contents are as follows:
Session One "Small Groups: part of God's Kingdom plan"- a brief look at the theology& Biblicalbackground& and history of small groups and the part they play in creating 'ingdom community
Session Two "Life-changing small groups: some definitions" - five definitions of the mosteffective small group model for the contemporary church( how to determine whether e)istinggroups are functioning to their best potential
Session Three "Small group values: the key to growth"- an overview of the values or principleswhich govern the life of the group and determine whether it will be a blessing or otherwise to thechurch
Session Four "Small group meetings and small group life" - what happens in a typical small
group or cell meeting& and the importance of e)tending the life of the group beyond its weeklymeetings
Session Five "The Goal of small groups: holiness and harvest" - the two principle ob*ectives ofsmall group ministry+ the growth of believers toward maturity in ,hrist& and numerical growththrough evangelism
Session Six "Small group leadership" - the small group leader$s *ob description& personalualities and skills of small group leadership& leadership principles& and some of the challengessmall group leaders might e)pect
Session Seven "eveloping a small group network" - how to start& the need to start small& theimportance of adeuate time for preparation and training& how to invite non-,hristians and non-
dventists to the group& developing a strategy for multiplying groups
Session Eight !aintaining the network" - the challenge of the long haul& sustaining interest& theneed for a larger vision for the future
2
Please Note: You are welcome to mae changes!additions to the "ower"oint slides for #our own"resentation "ur"oses onl#$ % welcome #our suggestions for im"roving the series which can then &eshared with others using the "rogramme$
David Cox david/co)".freeserve.co.uk and dco)/adventist.org.uk
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected] -
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
3/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
2. 7 sessions
3. Session 1 title
slide
4. Made in His
image
5. Universal need
6. Moses' method
7. The Jethro
priniple
!. Jes"s' model
#. Heart to heart
1$. %e& Testa
ment h"rh
11. %T h"rh
(gro&th)
Session One
"Small Groups: Part of God's Kingdom Plan"
Notes for Commentary
This session sho&s ho& &e &ere designed to live in omm"nit*+ and ho& ,od has
"sed small gro"ps thro"gh the *ears to -"ild His ingdom. The small gro"p onept
is a /,od idea+/ not 0"st a good idea.
/Made in His image/ &hat does this mean ieness in harater+ et. ssential
nat"re o ,od's harater love. ove onl* possi-le &here there is more than one
person. /,od is love/ is possi-le -ea"se ,od ather+ Son and Hol* Spirit (a
divine /omm"nit*/) e &ere designed &ith apait* to love and -e loved+ thereore
designed or omm"nit* to live in omm"nit* as ,od does. His omment8 /9t is notgood or man to -e alone
This apait* lost -* sin. :roen relationships et. Jes"s ame to restore omm"nit*.Hene His pra*er+ that /the* man -e one as &e are;/
%eed or lose relationships lies at heart o o"r longings
Soon ater nl* one o"rse go to Moses. :"t
this didn't &or.
,od provides sol"tion thro"gh Moses' atherinla&. ?esri-e the priniple. %ote the
o"nsel in v.23 /9 *o" do this @S ,>? A>MM@%?S;/ Bes"lt8 ever* individ"alno& part o small gro"p o 1$. This &as a "ndamental part o -"ilding this ne& and
dierent nation over &hih ,od &as Sovereign.
Ho& man* disiples Man*. Jes"s hose 12+ &ith inner gro"p o 3. h* o"ld not
2$ have -een more eetive Jes"s reating a protot*pe model or the %e&
Testament h"rh here. Jes"s hose 12 -ea"se this &as most eetive. Spent at least
hal His time preparing these men. 9n long term+ more eetive method than
spending all His time taling to ro&ds. Modern researh onirms that one personan eetivel* mentorCpastor no more than 1$12. Jes"s also -eneited rom the
intima*Cs"pport o this gro"p
ssene o Jes"s ministr*. Same or "s. Der* eno"raging statement. @nd it's tr"eE
Tr"e o all ministr*8 evangelism and n"rt"re
%T h"rh &as -asiall* a small gro"p h"rh. The* met in larger n"m-ers also+ -"t
da*toda* lie o the h"rh &as in small gro"ps in homes. videntl* %T h"rhleaders m"ltiplied Jes"s' protot*pe. videne is that there &ere no h"rh -"ildings
or a-o"t 3$$ *ears
@maFing gro&th. Ma*-e hal the 3$$$ onverts at =enteost &ere visitors. >ther
15$$ 0oined Jer"salem h"rh. Ho& &as it possi-le Aonsider the pratial
dii"lties i 15$$ tried to 0oin a modern ongregation in one da* Ho& &o"ld &e
3
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
4/23
12. Martin "ther
13. esle*'s lasss*stem
14. i-id (ont)
15. ! G"alit*
harateristis
16. Most import
ant priniple
17. 9t's a at
1!. =reparing or
2ndadvent
1#. S,C ,od's pl
2$. hat S,'s &illdo
21. Title slide
22. =reparing or
2nd=ent.
23. The ever
pop"lar p"-
24. Ahrist's
method
manage ?o &e have a s*stem e -elieve in a seond =enteost. >nl* a small
gro"p net&or allo&s or e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
5/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. Session 2 title
slide
3. S,'s or
Iingdom
omm"nit*
4. Ah"rh
&itho"t &alls
5. 9n the minds o
man*;
6. The tr"th is;
7. The eetivesmall gro"p is
1) holisti
!. Ahrist's
holisti
omm"nit*
#. S, mission
statement
1$. S, 2):asi
-"ilding-lo;
Session Two
"ife!Canging Small Groups: Some Definitions"
Notes for Commentary
This session deines &hat &e mean &hen &e "se the term /small gro"p./ Man* o "s
are amiliar &ith the pra*er gro"p+ :i-le st"d* gro"p+ s"pport gro"p+ or /ottage
meeting/ to name a e& e= are the h"rh. Man* are s"rprised to learn that orappro
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
6/23
11. hat the ell
is to the -od*
12. The eetive
S, is (3)interative
13. The eetive
S, is (4) a
-asi Ahristian
omm"nit*
14. 2&inged -ird
15. Aorporate
&ing "ntions
16. Aomm"nit*
&ing
17. %ot 0"stanother
programme
1!. S*stem or
ministr*
1#. %ot
independent
ho"se h"rhes
2$. @ str"t"re
&hih
onnets
21. %ot a-sene o
departments
The -od* gro&s -ea"se the -od*'s ells m"ltipl*. e digest ood+ e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
7/23
22. S, h"rh
provides;
23. %ot 0"st a good
idea;
This is ho& &e might represent the relationship -et&een the larger h"rh &ith its
departments and the net&or o small gro"ps or ells
Sel e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
8/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. Session 3 title
slide
3. ,oing
some&here
4. 9t's one thing...
5. Iingdom oHeaven islie;
6. Sho"ld -e o"r
val"es
7. iehanging
energ*
!. Dal"es &hihdrive;
#. ,ive me Jes"s
1$. ver*
Ahristian in
11. Areated or
12. ,ited or
13. ie o the
pastor;
Session Tree
"Small Group #alues: te Key to Growt"
Notes for Commentary
This session deals &ith the allimportant val"es+ /gro"ndr"les/ or priniples &hih
govern the lie o the gro"p and determine &hether it &ill -e a -lessing or other&ise
in the h"rh
e have a ro"gh idea o &hat lie in heaven &ill -e lie+ -ea"se Jes"s spoe so
m"h a-o"t the /ingdom o heaven/ -"t are &e reall* seeing to live lie that no&
Sele
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
9/23
14. =astor's irst
15. S, people (1)
16. S, people(2)
17. e're g"ilt*;
1!. J"st a la*
mem-er
1#. @nd love
2$. Areating
omm"nit*
21. >ther val"es
22. Aartoon
This &as the role o the pastor in %e& Testament times+ and this is ho& the pastor
served the earl* @dventist h"rh too.
Small gro"ps are or ordinar* people lie *o" and me. :"t that's the &hole point;
,od an do;
hat a remara-le statement. ?id *o" ever thin o "nderestimating *o"r potential
in the servie o ,od or someone else's or that matter as a rime e don't &ant
to -e g"ilt* o this riminal mentalit*. e need to see enormo"s possi-ilities in
o"rselves and eah other as &e mae o"rselves availa-le or ,od's servie
Still on the s"-0et o the seond val"e ever* mem-er in ministr*8 %ote that all
-elievers are la* people+ inl"ding pastors the* are all the people o ,od. ie&ise
all -elievers are lerg* all are alled -* ,od
Aomment on val"e 48 loving relationships. This is the -asi+ "navoida-le ommand.
Note: Alass ma* &ish to -rainstorm on ho& oten and in ho& man* dierent
onte
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
10/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. >"tline o 7
sessions
3. Session 4 title
slide
4. o"r 's
5. S, agenda
6. 4 's the
elome
7. 9e-reaer
!. 4 's
orship
#. 4 's :i-le
st"d*
1$. Belational 3
G"estions
Session (our
"Small Group eetings and Small Group ife"
Notes for Commentary
hat happens in a t*pial small gro"p meeting @nd &hat ativities do small gro"p
mem-ers share &ith eah other o"tside o reg"lar small gro"p meetings This
session ene or t&o /&orship leaders/ an develop this element
Sele
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
11/23
11. Belational :S
12. 4 's &itness
13. Aharateristis
o small gro"p
pra*er
14. @terglo&
15. ,oal o S,
meetings
16. ,ro"p lie
o"tsidemeetings
17. 4 stages
1!. hen the
gro"p gives
-irth;
%ote8 the 3 G"estions &ill not al&a*s -e ased "sing these preise &ords. :"t these 3
G"estions are the essene o &hat &e are asing.
"rther insight into relational :i-le st"d*
This is the time that is given to o"s on the primar* reason or the gro"p's e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
12/23
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
13/23
12. Thro"gh all to
all
13. ,od "ses;
14. Mentoring
15. @ riend;
16. 2 alternatives
17. Ho& does it
&or
1!. Mentors oer..
1#. 2. vangelism
2$. vangelism;
21. ngel8 proess
o deision
22. Ho& ar rom
the ross
23. riendship
evangelism
24. =o&er o
riendship
this statement in "The Small Group Book."
This is the priniple o ever* mem-er ministr*+ and it &ors -est in the small gro"p
onte
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
14/23
25. 9ntrod"ing;
26. h* S, &or
27. h* S, &or
2!. =ersonal;
2#. Ma
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
15/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. Session 6 title
slide
3. Shape o
"t"re
h"rh;
4. Ah"rh -egan
as protot*pe
S,
5. S, leaders arespeial
Session Si)
"Small Group eadersip"
Notes for Commentary
Small gro"p leaders not onl* determine the nat"re and eetiveness o the small
gro"ps the* lead+ -"t in the "t"re S.?.@. h"rh &ill pro-a-l* pla* an inreasingl*important part in shaping the loal ongregation as a &hole. h* Simpl* -ea"se
the* spend more time on a reg"lar -asis and thereore have the potential or a greater
inl"ene on the lives o their gro"p mem-ers than an* other individ"als in the
h"rh+ inl"ding the pastor. This session deals &ith the allimportant iss"es o the
small gro"p leader's 0o- desription+ the personal G"alities and sills neessar* oreetive leadership+ some o the pratial hallenges small gro"p leaders ae+ and
-asi small gro"p leadership priniples.
e sho"ld remind o"rselves o one other important reason &h* /the shape o *o"r
"t"re h"rh;./
Bemem-er the Ahristian h"rh -egan 2$$$ *ears ago as a single small gro"p a
protot*pe i *o" lie and Jes"s &as its eader. @s &e sa& in the irst session+ -*
hoosing 12 disiples and sharing His lie &ith them+ and -* alling =eter+ James and
John into an /inner irle/ relationship &ith Him+ He deli-eratel* reated a model or
the "t"re h"rh to ollo&. He &as the irst small gro"p eader. He is the perete o"rse ever* Ahristian is
alled to leadership+ -"t it's important that a small gro"p leaders
"nderstands that this is something ,>? has alled them to do. 9t's not 0"st
an appointment -* a h"rh -oard or nominating ommittee
2. a%aila&le* The* are -"s* people 0"st lie most o "s+ -"t the* have made
themselves availa-le to &hat ,od &ants them to -e and do. The* don't see
this responsi-ilit* as a 2ho"rsa&ee 0o-. 9n one sense the* are on 24ho"rs a da* d"t*+ read* to serve an* time the* are a-le
3. gifted*Ho&ever inadeG"ate &e ma* eel+ there m"st -e a sense+ -oth on the
part o those &ho lead and those &ho are assoiated &ith them that ,od has
eG"ipped them or this tas+ not onl* &ith sills+ -"t &ith the empo&ering
o His Spirit
4. teaca&le*Small gro"p leaders m"st reognise ho& little the* no&+ andal&a*s -e read* to learn (sometimes "nlearn)+ espeiall* rom the mem-ers
o their gro"p. ,its and sills m"st onstantl* -e improved and sharpened5. %isionary*,od has promised "s /dreams and visions/ (Joel 282!+2#) and
&itho"t them "ltimatel* &e &ill ail in o"r mission (=rover-s 2#81!). e
need to dream -ig dreams+ see the present in the onte
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
16/23
6. S, leaders
ordinar*
7. S, leaders alldierent
!. S, leader as
shepherd
#. Shepherd
leader's
method
1$. S, leader as
ailitator
11. S, leader;
12. ?ominator
13. Stor*teller
14. =assive
15. Joer
16. ighter;
17. ?on
1!. >h or good
leadersE
1#. The tr"th is
2$. 9s ,od alling
*o"
21. Ahanes are;
:"t small gro"p leaders are also ordinar* people.i%e in real world: "nderstand that the realit* o Ahristian living onsists o highs
and lo&s+ &illing to admit to personal str"ggles and do"-tsK spea normal+ not
religio"s lang"ageK an relate to ordinar*+ nonAhristian peopleK don't tae lie too
serio"sl*+ have a good sense o h"mo"rDon't +now e%eryting: have G"estions as &ell as ans&ers+ haven't /arrived/
Small gro"p ministr* ele-rates peoples' dierenes and "niG"e personalitiesK S,leaders sho"ld not -e threatened -* those &ho thin or operate dierentl* to
themselves. So the* are happ* to -e themselves. :"t;
The* have one thing in ommon the* >D; Jes"s+ people+ h"rh
>verall are o the /little lo/ 9n %e& Testament the role o shepherd and pastor is
similar
earning to share one's lie and not 0"st one's no&ledge is a smallgro"p leader's
greatest hallenge and greatest privilege
S, leader is not /the teaher./ Main tas is to develop the gro"p and the gits+ sills
and personalities &ithin the gro"p to mae the "ll potential o the gro"p a realit*.
S, leader reall* a manager.
Sele
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
17/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. Seven sessions
3. Session 7 title
slide
4. ,etting started
5. %eed or
strateg*
6. ,etting
started8 1+ 2
7. ,etting
started8 3+ 4
!. ,etting
started8 5
#. ,ro&
Session Se%en"De%eloping a Small Groups Networ+"
Notes for Commentary
or s"mmar* p"rposes
%o& to the nitt*gritt* o at"all* doing it. 9t's important to "nderstand the theor* o
small gro"p ministr*+ -"t the onl* &a* o learning more at this point is to get
involved in an e-vio"sl*+ *o" need a strateg*. oring this losel* &ith people means *o" have to
-e are"l ho& *o" move or&ard. itho"t a strateg*+ *o" o"ld -e in or some
pain"l e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
18/23
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
19/23
started8 1l+ 12
1#. ,etting
started+ Jethro
2$. Have patiene
21. "t"re
hallenge
22. Series slide
23. Strateg* or
hange
24. =astor's role
25. >riginal model
26. To"h model
27. ,ro"ps o 12
2!. Ho& it &ors
2#. ,12 str"t"re
3$. The stor*
31. The o-0etive
32. Mem-ershipgro&th
33. Aell
m"ltipliation
34. ,ro&th
priniples
12. See nethers are not *et in the h"rh. =roviding
ongoing training+ and preparing people or leadership is r"ial to -eoming a "ll*
ledged+ highl* eetive smallgro"p or ell h"rh
Jes"s' ministr* &as a reletion o this priniple. 9t led to =enteost
9t happened in the earl* h"rh -ea"se the -elievers not onl* prepared themselves
personall*+ -"t -ea"se the h"rh "nder ,od's diretion developed a str"t"re &hih
made "npreedented reaping possi-le. That's the &a* it &ill happen again
Alosing slide
>ptional an -e added to presentation. Bepresents a time sale or transitioning
e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
20/23
Slide Description
1. Series title
slide
2. ight sessions
3. Session ! title
slide
4. 9t's one
thing;
5. Small gro"ps
are living;
6. =oint 18
"nderstand;
7. /@ll -*
itsel;
!. =oint 2
#. =oint 2 (ont)
1$. ! harater
istis o
health*
h"rhes
Session ,igt
"aintaining te Networ+"
Notes for Commentary
or s"mmar* p"rposes
This session addresses the hallenge o maintaining and developing a small gro"p
net&or one it has -een esta-lished. ven i *o"r irst small gro"pCs are still in theearl* stages o development+ it's good to -eome aG"ainted no& &ith the hallenges
o the "t"re.
e all no&8 it's one thing to start and it's another thing to ontin"eE Until a gro"p
or h"rh -od* are thoro"ghl* aG"ainted &ith the idea and pratie o small gro"p
or ell lie it's val"e s*stem+ it's importane and "ntion in the h"rh there &ill
-e some steep hills to lim-. The sooner small gro"ps -eome the heart o the
h"rh+ the -etter+ -ea"se the* are here to sta*.
@t least+ the* sho"ld -e. rom the ators (h*porites) o Jes"s' da* to the mem-ers o
the h"rh at Sardis &ho had the appearane o -eing alive -"t &ere at"all* dead(Bevelation 381)+ /pla*ing h"rh/ seems to ome G"ite nat"rall* to religio"s people.
:"t h"rh is not a game. @ small gro"p o -elievers &ho meet in His name an
e>T L SH>>T L BU9T
>pport"nit* to -riel* revie& the ! G"alit* harateristis o gro&ing h"rhes listed
-* Ahristian Sh&artF in his -oo /%at"ral Ah"rh ?evelopment./ %ote that it's the
ad0etive (empo&ering+ gitoriented+ et.) that is the e*. or e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
21/23
11. ,raph
12. =oint 38
M"ltipl*
leaders
13. eaders
leading
14. =oint 48 eep it
hallenging
15. =oint 58 eep it
interesting
16. =oint 68
lead Similarl*+ /&orship/ taes plae in most h"rhes and gro"ps+ &hether
traditional or ontemporar*+ -"t to &hat e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
22/23
dii"lt
deisions
17. S,'s sho"ld -e
on ire
1!. Ho& an
&e;
1#. =oint 18 he
val"es
2$. =oint 28
"nderstand
hange
21. =oint 38 signs
o overload
22. =oint 38 the
amil*
23. =oint 48 pra*er
24. =oint 58
-elieve the
promise
?is"ntional gro"ps8 gro"ps &hih don't gro& over an e
-
8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide
23/23