More topics were discussed on this podcast episode than any other. Jay had heard Alex tell church guests about groups and was eager to host him and Chandra on the podcast along with Chris Amaro, of course. Here's what all we discussed: merging people with differing life stages or circumstances into a group, how Alex uses the Group Guide to prepare to lead a session, Shawn Ryan's journey and long podcasts, why people need community, dealing with levels of participation in groups, volunteers enlisting volunteers, special-needs families, welcoming, a posture of serving and how it changes everything, and probably a few more things! Listen in for some ideas about making your group great!

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.

We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form.

Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.

Lifetime Show Notes

Brook Hills Pages:

• The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
• Small Group Leader Resources Page
• Small Group Discipleship Resources
• Small Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss both launching (or relaunching after the summer break) and welcoming guests well. Don't miss Jay's stark discovery about guests and groups. As they talk about launching, they cover the importance of expecting guests, arriving early, and creating a welcoming environment that helps people feel at home. They also share practical suggestions for a successful launch, including praying, reaching out to everyone, and providing a few snacks. Listen in for helpful reminders and practical tips for starting the season strong and making guests feel welcome.

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.

We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form.

Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.

Lifetime Show Notes

Brook Hills Pages:

• The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
• Small Group Leader Resources Page
• Small Group Discipleship Resources
• Small Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris evaluate their own groups using a list of ten categories (see the list below). We discuss such things as disciple-making focus, the leader's personal example, welcoming guests and more. Listen in and find a couple of areas of improvement for your group in the upcoming year.

Evaluate Your Group and Your Leadership

Here are ten best practices for healthy groups. Consider the last year and give yourself one point for each item. What do you need to work on for the upcoming year?

1. Disciple-making Focus: I'm often thinking about how to help the people in my group take next steps toward maturity in Christ.
   
   
2. My Example: I have a growing relationship with Christ, and I allow what I'm learning from Scripture to spill over into my teaching.
   
   
3. Discussion: Our group meetings include meaningful discussion, and I intentionally work on crafting good questions.
   
   
4. Inviting and Welcoming: We talk about inviting people to our group, have a plan for when guests visit, and discuss how to help them feel welcome.
   
   
5. Consistency: We meet every week, even when we know there are only a few of us. We leverage the smaller meetings for more conversations and prayer.
   
   
6. Through-the-Week Engagement: Our group doesn't just exist on Sundays. We are interacting with one another throughout the week.
   
   
7. Effective Use of Time: We start on time, end on time, include at least 30 minutes of Bible study, and make time for prayer and relationship-building.
   
   
8. Shared Leadership: As a leader, I don't do everything. We leverage people's gifts to help with leading, teaching, prayer, fellowship, missions, hosting, hospitality, and communication.
   
   
9. Serving Together: We find ways to serve together as a group and also celebrate when group members serve individually.
   
   
10. Prayer: We engage in prayer together as a group, allowing people to hear other group members pray for their requests.

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.

We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form.

Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.

Lifetime Show Notes

Brook Hills Pages:

• The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
• Small Group Leader Resources Page
• Small Group Discipleship Resources
• Small Groups @ Brook Hills