November 6, 2009
Collective Decision Making
How to create a group environment where the collective wisdom of the group will prevail
Not too long ago, I listened to an audio book called The Wisdom of Crowds, by James Surowiecki. A section of the book deals with the decision-making capacity of small groups and teams, primarily in a business setting. The conclusion of most studies on small-group decision-making is that the quality of group decisions is poor when compared to individual decisions.
Why? The reason given in the book is that stronger vocal individuals in a group will tend to give their opinion, as they normally would, but non-vocal members or members with different opinions will tend to continue to be silent and avoid confrontation. Or some stay silent to avoid prolonging an unproductive group discussion. By not being heard and bringing different perspectives into the group process, the result is the expressed opinion of the few becomes the default opinion of the group. The broader group may not be unified behind that decision, but everyone defaults to the opinion of the vocal member(s). The book goes on to say, "If a group in this situation makes a good decision, it generally is because the stronger more vocal person just happened to have a good opinion."
Despite this common dynamic of poor group decisions, one of the ideas proposed by The Wisdom of Crowds is that a collective group decision (small group or large group) can and should be a better decision than any one individual in the group could make—IF, and this is a big IF, the group process includes provisions for having every member be heard without being biased by other member’s comments. But according to the book, in business and organizations, groups and teams seldom reach the best collective decision because the group process is normally flawed.
Continue reading Collective Decision Making...
posted by Dan Lentz at 2:22 PM on November 6, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
November 2, 2009
Networking or Neighboring?
One is good for groups, while the other is a community killer.
Networking and Neighboring are not the same.
Networking has my agenda in mind.
Neighboring has the agenda of the other person in mind.
Networking is motivated by getting something from someone.
Neighboring has the goal doing something for someone.
Networking stems from selfishness.
Neighboring flows from selflessness.
Networking is a business term.
Neighboring is a Jesus expression.
Someone you network with can become a neighbor and someone who is your neighbor can become part of your network.
The people you are being the church with should always be neighbors.
Small-Group Leader: guard your heart from turning your neighbors into another member of your network. You might get more work out of them, but in the process vast amounts of love, grace, and mercy will escape and you'll be left with a heart occupied by aloneness.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:46 PM on November 2, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
September 28, 2009
Basic Prayers of Spiritual Life
And of small-group community
Many efforts have been made to try and distill our life in Christ down to the most basic elements. Tom Bandy, a church consultant, has put together a useful way of thinking about it. He has identified what I call five Scriptural “cries of the heart” that come out of the core of our journey with the Lord. Each of these prayers embraces a deep spiritual need we have.
Here they are:
- Change my life! Change my heart, oh God, take my life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” - Grow me up! Make every experience, every circumstance, good or bad, a pathway to knowing You and Your ways better, oh Lord.
James 1:2-4 says, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” - Help me fulfill my purpose in life! Show me who I am in Your eyes, and let that vision change my everyday existence.
Ephesians 1:11-12 says, “In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.” - have a good reader read the words of an old hymn
- play a music CD and just listen, then get responses
- dedicate a prayer time to only thanksgiving (what God has done) and adoration (who God is)
- share a favorite Scripture verse, and then share why it's a favorite.
- after sharing a Scripture or song, have some quiet journaling and then group sharing
- do communion together as a group
- do a sing along CD or DVD, and turn it up loud if your group members are not great singers—it works!
- When leading a small group meeting, don't move forward with the study if someone has verbally attacked another group member. Acknowledge the intense emotions and deal with them before continuing.
- If a household in your group has suffered a tragedy—loss of a job, death of a family member, and so on—the next meeting should be focused on ministering to the family rather than "doing the study."
- Similarly, don't try to multiply your small group (or even suggest multiplication) if an individual or couple in the group is going through tough times or processing some great loss. These individuals need relational stability for a season.
- Complete an agreed upon study before moving on to a different curriculum piece. You may sense that the present study isn't what you had hoped for, but if the group was involved in choosing the study, moving from it before completion will create silent discontent.
- If a small group has spent a substantial amount of time on a ministry project in the last four weeks, be sure you have group consensus before involving the group in another ministry project soon thereafter.
- PURPOSE—group members have a clear expectation of what they are to do as a member of their small group. Group members know why the group exists and why they are a committed part of it.
- COHESION—there is a strong perceived need for the group by the group members. Group members would feel like they were missing something vital if they missed a group gathering and small group relationships are viewed as high priority.
- Invitation. The new group member is honored to be part of the group.
- Expectation. Prior to the first meeting, emotions and hope rise as the person anticipates the upcoming relationships and group experiences.
- Intimidation. This often happens in the first meeting. The person is confronted with lots of new people and new surroundings, and can sometimes be overwhelmed by the perceived spiritual maturity of other group members.
- Inhibition. The new group member holds back, still not sure if the group is a safe place or a dangerous relational jungle.
- Exploration. The new group member begins searching for his or her place in the group.
- Evaluation. The new member begins asking mental questions that are vital to his or her participation in the group: Who am I in this group? Do I really fit in? Are the others really accepting me? Do I really accept them?
- Actualization. The new member accepts his or her place in the group. He or she thinks, "This group does have the shared goal, like passion, and sincerity of heart to see God act that I do."
- Reconciliation. I know and accept my place in this community of believers, trust them to know my needs and respond, and trust them to keep conversations confidential. We are Christian community with similar goals and callings. I am reconciled to living the principles espoused in the group covenant.
- Exhibition. Because I have learned this is a safe environment and because I have concluded that I am accepted here as a person of worth, I can exhibit the real me.
- Elation. There is no place I'd rather be. Being me is fun, exciting, and relaxing. I am elated to spend time in this environment.
- Learn their names, and if they live nearby or have attended your church before.
- If they have kids, ask names and ages of children - this helps the whole family feel welcomed.
- Find out how they heard about your group (member, website, friend, etc.).
Continue reading Basic Prayers of Spiritual Life...
posted by Dan Lentz at 2:02 PM on September 28, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
September 23, 2009
Small Group Worship
Some ideas to get your group over the hump
I have had conversations with worship leaders who led worship for Promise Keepers and who also led worship in small groups. They have commented that it is arguably more challenging to lead a worship experience in a small group of 6 than it is to lead a group of 50,000!
Given that most leaders I talk to think leading small group worship is a challenge, it reinforces the importance of looking carefully in our small groups for those who have gifting in the area of worship and allow them to share that gift with the group.
Beyond having someone in your group who is gifted with leading worship, another way to get over the worship hump in small groups is to start framing our paradigm of small group worship differently. There are many ways to create worship experiences in small groups beyond just singing. SmallGroups.com features lots of creative worship activities in our Worship Ideas section of the website.
And here are several other ideas that have come out of various conversations I’ve had and workshops I have attended:
How about you? What are some other ideas for small group worship experiences?
posted by Dan Lentz at 1:00 PM on September 23, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
September 9, 2009
GPS Leadership
When it comes to making decisions in your small group, timing is everthing.
I love my GPS. Whenever I drive somewhere new, a sophisticated female voice with a British accent kindly directs my route, telling me where to turn and whether to turn left or right. She doesn't tell me when to turn, though. Pulling up to a stop light and waiting until the coast is clear is my responsibility.
I am responsible for knowing the optimal time to turn the corner—that is, when I can turn without getting nailed by a semi. If I turn at the wrong time, the results will be devastating and everyone in the vehicle will be injured.
That's because timing is everything.
Timing is important for small groups, too. Books and conferences can tell you what to do, but not when to do it. That means group leaders must accurately read the environment of their small groups in order to know when is the right time to make a change or start something new.
With that in mind, here are a few tips about timing when it comes to small-group leadership:
Remember: timing is everthing.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:33 AM on September 9, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
September 8, 2009
A Simple Recipe for Group Success?
Here are two critical ingredients.
Not much about small groups is “clean” or simple, but Dr. Henry Cloud mentioned in a conference session I attended some time ago that he viewed two “ingredients” as being critical for small group success and group member life change. Those two ingredients are PURPOSE and COHESION.
According to Dr. Cloud, the presence of these two ingredients in a small group is a strong indicator that transformation will take place in group members’ lives.
I don’t disagree with Dr. Cloud, but I wonder what you think? Are these the two ingredients you would have picked? What would you say are the most critical factors of small group success and member transformation?
posted by Dan Lentz at 9:36 AM on September 8, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
August 19, 2009
"Sticky Church" Chapter Review
Looking at what happens in a sermon-based small group
If you didn't see it in the newsletter this week, SmallGroups.com is participating in a blog tour for Larry Osborne's recent book Sticky Church. The book covers the sermon-based small-group system Larry set up at North Coast Church over the years.
I've agreed to review chapter 11 of the book here; it's called "Flies on the Wall: What happens when a sermon-based small group meets." If you want to check out the blog posts for the rest of the chapters in the book, click here.
I've always liked the idea of sermon-based groups from an organizational standpoint. It seems like a great way to get the whole church on the same page not only about the weekly sermon, but about the value of small groups, as well. On the other hand, I've also been curious about the experience of the individual group leaders in such a church. Does such a system make leading a group easier or harder? More rewarding or more boring? That's why I was excited to review this particular chapter.
My opinion has always been that I would be stifled as the leader of a sermon-based small group. I love the creativity of crafting a lesson that approaches a Bible passage or topic in a new way. I enjoy being spontaneous and using different activities and games to supplement the teaching time. Most of all, I get a real kick out of leading people in meaningful discussions. Could those things survive in a sermon-based group?
Maybe Yes
Larry said a couple of things that eased my fears on this issue. For one, North Coast gives its leaders the freedom to digress. Larry writes: "Since the process of sharing, study, and prayer is more important than any specific content we might provide, I don't care that much if a group deviates, as long as it's led of the Spirit or in response to the needs of the group." That sounds healthy, to me.
Larry also emphasizes that the study material needs to cover different texts and materials than those covered in the Sunday sermon. Otherwise, people get bored because they are hearing everything twice. Amen.
Continue reading "Sticky Church" Chapter Review...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:51 PM on August 19, 2009 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)
August 13, 2009
Breaking Bread Together
Why sharing meals together is a big deal
We've done polls at www.SmallGroups.com in the past about various topics. One poll question we previously asked was, "When was the last time your whole small group ate a meal together?" I was a little surprised, but excited, about the results. A majority of those who responded said their small group has shared a meal together in the last month! Granted, our polling methods are not scientific, but I was delighted to see these results.
Perhaps groups tend to share meals together more around holidays or before and after seasonal breaks, but I suspect there is a trend toward groups “breaking bread” more frequently together. I believe this is important for several reasons:
1) Eating meals together was clearly a practice of the early church. And from what we read in Acts 2:42-47, it was part of the core practices that propelled the growth of the early church.
2) "Breaking bread" in the early church seems to have been part of the regular "Lord’s Supper" practice of the early believers, rather than the more ceremonial version we commonly practice today. Participating in this meal as a community obviously brought a profound sense of the Lord’s presence to the group. There's no reason this aspect of sharing a meal together couldn’t have the same impact today.
3) Having a meal together maximizes your time together for sharing and relationships. Rather than trying to rush and get supper in before group, why not go a little earlier to group and share that meal time together. The same is true of breakfast or lunch.
4) Meals allow the whole intergenerational family to share time together. Rather than trying to make arrangements for what to do with the kids during group, meals are great times to incorporate everyone in the family into the group. My own kids feel very connected to our group partly because of the meal we all share together.
5) My experience has been that sharing a meal together whenever the group meets has significantly increased the community and spiritual health of small groups. I led groups for years where we only had a short snack time. When we switched to sharing simple meals together that everyone helped prepare, our sense of unity and spiritual growth greatly accelerated.
"They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:46-47
posted by Dan Lentz at 2:47 PM on August 13, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
July 7, 2009
The Disruption Myth
What to do about four common distractions
Small group meetings are notorious for disruption. The most prominent disruptions occur when someone chases the rabbit, cracks a joke, breaks down in tears, or a child escapes the clutches of the babysitter and demands a tete-a-tete with mommy or daddy.
Interruptions of this nature can flabbergast, anger, even cause a small-group leader to believe the evening was a bust. But almost any disruption either unveils important information about an individual the group leader is shepherding or opens the door for a special group life moment.
Here are the four most common disruptions and how to either interpret them and/or utilize them:
The Rabbit Chase
The rabbit chase may be a group member's bridge to a present situation or debilitating past experience. It's your job as a leader to interpret, then respond. If you think the group member needs to delve into her/his personal journey, say something like, "I'm intrigued that our discussion is taking a turn in this direction. What were you thinking about when you started your comments?"
If you find it is simply a useless rabbit, hunt it down, blow it to bits, and dispose of it as quickly as possible.
The Joke Grenade
It may well be that the joke-cracker is uncomfortable with the conversation because the topic hits close to home. The joke is a deterrent keeping the person from dealing with the true emotions he/she is feeling. Laugh with everyone else, then respectfully ask the jokester a significant and serious question.
By the way, if the person is one of those people that hurls joke grenades into the middle of great discussions just for the fun of it, using this technique often is a great deterrant to that behavior. You'll find that, in time, they seldom interrupt the group meeting with what they believe to be "comic relief."
Continue reading The Disruption Myth...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 11:08 AM on July 7, 2009 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)
June 12, 2009
Progressive Intimacy
Use these stages of group life to get a read on each of your members.
Progressive Intimacy is a natural part of every group member’s experience. I know the phrase "progressive intimacy" might sound complicated, but it simply means that people go through a somewhat consistent pattern of connection when they first enter a small group.
Realizing where a group member is on this continuum will help you move group members further into higher levels of relationship. Below you’ll see the different steps involved with progressing intimacy as I perceive them based on my experiences.
Continue reading Progressive Intimacy...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 12:00 PM on June 12, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
May 18, 2009
Green Groups?!
Check out these videos for a different spin on being green
Crossroads Grace Community Church in Manteca, CA recently hosted the Synergy 09 Small Group Conference. The conference theme was highlighted by a clever spoof of the famous Blue Man Group, but instead called the "Green Man Group."
The Green Man Group's journey into small group community was chronicled in three very fun video clips which you can find below.
In addition to the Green Man Group trio, the conference featured many well done main sessions and workshops. And the best part - the audio recordings for all the workshops are available for free online! (Click the "Conference Media" tab!)
Check out the three videos below and stay tuned for information about future Synergy Conferences. (Tip: Watch these in order. The first one starts with a minute and a half of silence.)
Continue reading Green Groups?!...
posted by Dan Lentz at 9:59 AM on May 18, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
May 11, 2009
Free Hugs
43 million people have watched this video. What does it teach us about community?
I rarely look at my Facebook account, and I have never "Twittered" (Tweeted?) in my life. So I'm probably the last person in the world to become aware of the "Free Hugs" video below. But I finally saw it last week, and it made a deep impression on me.
Sociologists have been saying for a long time now that people of our generation receive less human contact than ever before—and that's a bad thing. I happen to agree, and I think a warm hug or a handshake is one of the best things we can offer our group members week in and week out.
What do you think? Is physical contact appropriate between group members? What should the boundaries be?
And what are some ways you could share this video with your group members?
posted by Sam O'Neal at 4:13 PM on May 11, 2009 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)
April 28, 2009
Free Membership Time
We want to hear your story, and we want to reward you for telling us.
Okay, if you have been paying attention to this blog for any amount of time, you have heard me talk about our YouTube channel. This was designed to be a way for people to share their stories about small-group life with others in a new and interesting way. This was also supposed to be a way for us to give away a few free memberships to SmallGroups.com.
Well, there has not been much sharing so far. In fact, there has been none outside of my co-workers. And there have been no free memberships given away—not yet.
But we are not giving up! Below you will see the video that introduces our "question of the month" for April. The original idea was to select five people at random who participated and give them free memberships to SmallGroups.com. But since no-one has participated, and the deadline of May 2 is drawing close, I'll change things up a bit.
The first five people to upload a video and send us a link will get a free membership to SmallGroups.com. Here's the question you'll be answering:
To be one of the first five, all you have to do is record yourself answering that question. You can use an expensive video camera or your cell phone—it doesn't matter. Then, you just need to upload that video to YouTube. Once it's there, click the "send video" button and send it to us at "inspiringcommunity." Or you can just e-mail the link to me at "smallgroups at christianitytoday.com".
It's easy, and the first five videos will receive a free membership. Let's see what you can do!
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:03 AM on April 28, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 22, 2009
The Power of Relational “Small Talk”
Even talk about nothing can be something
I haven't talked to a small-group leader yet who hasn't experienced the issue of time pressure during small-group gatherings. There so much to get done (food, fellowship, prayer, study, curriculum, service, planning, outreach, etc.) and so little time. And, if we're only working with an hour or two each week (or every other week!); there's precious little time for what we at our church call "hanging out."
But part of the power of biblical community comes as we have relationships that include time for "small talk." Small talk is the sometimes superficial conversation that happens when we are just hanging out together.
I was reminded of the power of small talk from an unusual source recently. I was reading an old transcript of the "Meet the Press" TV news show and here's a quote from Jay McGraw that caught my attention:
Continue reading The Power of Relational “Small Talk”...
posted by Dan Lentz at 1:06 PM on April 22, 2009 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
April 21, 2009
Take a Walk on the Wild Side of Prayer
Try something new, if you dare!
Note: In the next few weeks, we'll be introducing some "blogging all stars" from the world of small-groups ministry. One such person is Randall Neighbour. He is the president of TOUCH Outreach Ministries in Houston, and he regularly blogs at www.randallneighbour.com.
I travel all over the world for my ministry work, training small-group leaders and members in far flung places such as Curitiba, Brazil, Seoul, South Korea, and Lilongwe, Malawi. In all of these places, as well as many others around the world, the believers don't pray the way we do. When it's time to pray—and it's always time to pray, by the way—everyone prays out loud and at the same time.
My conclusion? If anyone is weird, it's us Americans. "Concert" prayer is the norm among people of all races and denominational backgrounds outside of North America.
When I asked a pastor from Malawi if they ever use conversational prayer where one person prays aloud while others listen, he said, "There is far more power when everyone is praying instead of listening to one person. When we pray with many voices, it builds faith and removes fear that others will be critical of the words the person is using to speak to God. You should try it and you will see that it is much more efficient and powerful."
Let me challenge you today. Print this page and read it to your small group when you next meet. Challenge them to take a walk on the wild side of prayer and see if it's more powerful and more effective than listening to one person voice a prayer. Then, return here and report on what happened. I'd love to know how they responded and how God moved in your midst.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:30 PM on April 21, 2009 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)
April 17, 2009
The Perfect Welcome
Greet visitors and guests with warmth and a little common sense.
Note: In the next few weeks, we'll be introducing some "blogging all stars" from the world of small-groups ministry. Reid Smith has been doing small groups for a long time, and he's been doing it online almost as long. You can read some great training resources at www.2orMore.org.
When people visit your small group for the first time they come with all sorts of questions: Will we like it? Will we connect with the people there? Will this be helpful for us? It can be intimidating for people entering a new group because they don't know how they'll be received, if they'll feel like they fit, and if they'll want to return.
Fortunately, there are things you can do as a group leader to help ease any tension that guests may be feeling, and instead help them feel more "at home." Here are some tips to help guests feel more comfortable, received, and accepted in your group.
1. Greet guests as soon as they come in. Introduce yourself and let them know it's great to have them at your group.
2. Learn a little about them as they're coming in (this will help you with introducing them to others later).
Continue reading The Perfect Welcome...
posted by Sam O'Neal at 9:39 AM on April 17, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
April 14, 2009
Leading by Discrepancy
Painting the picture of what is and what could be
One of the best "hands-on" conferences I attend regularly is the Xenos Summer Institute. In one breakout session, Dennis McCallum (co-lead pastor of Xenos Christian Fellowship) talked about a leadership tool known as "leading by discrepancy."
Let's say you or your church has a vision for what group life should be, but your small group doesn't resemble that vision. What do you do? One of the things you can do is help your group clearly see the discrepancy between their current situation and what could be. The process goes like this:
Continue reading Leading by Discrepancy...
posted by Dan Lentz at 1:14 PM on April 14, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
April 3, 2009
Got Community?
Here are two ways to measure the depth of community in your church.
At a recent event sponsored by Cornerstone Knowledge Network, co-sponsor of BuildingForMinistry.com, the group wrestled with this question:
"Is there any way to measure the depth of community in your church?"
People seemed stumped. How do you create a social metric?
Then Will Mancini, author of Church Unique, suggested two ways:
1. Ask each person, "How many '2 a.m. friends' do you have?" These are the people whom you could call at 2 a.m., and it would be okay.
2. Ask each person, "How many friends do you have who have 'refrigerator rights'?" These are people who could come into your house and open your fridge and help themselves, and it wouldn't bother you.
Make these questions part of an annual churchwide survey, and you'll be able to see if your people are truly in community.
What other ways can you think of to measure the depth of community in your church?
posted by Kevin Miller at 2:11 PM on April 3, 2009 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)
March 23, 2009
The Hot Seat
Sometimes warmth helps you grow rather than wilt
In the U.S., over the past few weeks, we've had lots of people in the "hot seat." What I mean is there have been many corporate and public figures getting grilled with questions from media, lawmakers, and angry citizens about the economy and their handling of other people's money.
Interestingly enough, while many people wilt under the pressure of the hot seat, I've seen the "hot seat" practice be a breath of fresh air and provide grace to some struggling small groups recently. While we think of the "hot seat" being a place of fiery questioning and accusation, the "hot seat" can also be a place of warmth and growth if you approach it differently.
Continue reading The Hot Seat...
posted by Dan Lentz at 12:42 PM on March 23, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
January 26, 2009
Introducing Sam O'Neal
Say hello to one of our Small-Group Dynamics Editorial Advisors.
Sam O'Neal is the Managing Editor of SmallGroups.com and SmallGroupDynamics.com. Sam oversees the planning and coordination of all content featured on the site and this blog.
Sam has a passion for seeing discipleship and full-bodied Christian education done right in the local church - especially in the context of small-group communities. He has been married to a wonderful woman named Jessica for over five years, and he thoroughly enjoys their young son, Daniel.
Sam is also a rabid fan of the Chicago Bears.
You can contact Sam by clicking here.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 2:04 PM on January 26, 2009 | Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0)
Introducing JoHannah Reardon
Say hello to one of our Small-Group Dynamics Editorial Advisors.
JoHannah Reardon is the associate editor for ChristianBibleStudies.com, an online Bible study site where over 125,000 leaders, students, and teachers come to learn and apply God's Word. JoHannah says, "I receive hundreds of e-mails from Bible students from around the world, giving me a good idea of the global spiritual climate. Christians everywhere feel a need to connect over God's Word, and our site helps their spiritual formation."
Besides writing, editing, and assigning Bible studies, JoHannah has ghostwritten two books, written content for the Couples' Devotional Bible, and has been published in several magazines. She also speaks at writer's conferences across the nation.
JoHannah is a pastor's wife, the mother of three, and a grandmother of two.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 1:56 PM on January 26, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)
December 23, 2008
Introducing Dan Lentz
Say hello to one of our Small-Group Dynamics Editorial Advisors
Dan Lentz is Director of the Small-Group Network -- a network of small-group leaders, churches, small-group resource providers, and other Christian organizations originally brought together at SmallGroups.com to provide an online place for training and support for group leaders and directors.
Over the years, Dan been has been a church planter, small-groups pastor, and has served in a variety of roles within small-groups ministries. He is also author of Let's Get Started: How to Begin Your Small-Groups Ministry.
Dan's family small group consists of his wife, Kim, and their three children: Sam, Katie, and Grace.
You can contact Dan by clicking here.
posted by Sam O'Neal at 10:55 AM on December 23, 2008 | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
