You may be familiar with this graphic that shows how to live a Christ-directed life. How could you apply this to your small group? Over more than 20 years of doing small group ministry, I’ve learned this: There are many skills and techniques you can learn to help you lead a good group. But nothing else even comes close to …

All that glitters is not discipleship. Christ-Centered, Holy-Spirit Empowered, Authentic, Missional Small Groups that Share Leadership are the environment where discipleship happens best, but I’ve witnessed far too often that many groups focus on the wrong wins. These are all fools gold: Good Meetings. If folks leave saying, “Great meeting!” they may have missed the point. A great meeting does …

Why don’t very many small groups in America reproduce themselves? I’ll mention three main reasons, and discuss the third in a bit more detail today. One reason I’ve mentioned often is that many groups simply are not healthy. Healthy things grow, produce fruit, and multiply. Unhealthy things don’t. In my ministry, I’ve prodded, rewarded, celebrated, shamed, urged, and manipulated, but none …

1. Make your group all about you. When you first looked for a small group, you may have done so in the same way you shopped for a new car or a new refrigerator. You looked for features you wanted, features like the right people, the right location, the right day or time, and the right kind of study or …