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

In this unique episode, Jay and Andy Noel sit down with Dr. Robert Coleman—author of The Master Plan of Evangelism—at his home in Wilmore, Kentucky. Their visit took place during the 2023 Asbury Revival; they missed the outpouring by just one day, but gained something just as meaningful: an intimate conversation with one of the most influential voices in disciple‑making.

Dr. Coleman reflects on the heart behind The Master Plan of Evangelism, a book that may be even more about disciple‑making than evangelism itself. His insights are warm, wise, and deeply rooted in decades of walking with Jesus and training others to do the same.

Listen in as this renowned leader shares what truly matters in making disciples who make disciples.

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 two types of questions from two recently published articles, one from the Navigators and one from Church Leaders. The first part of the podcast deals with what the Navigators article describes as "Storytelling Questions", defined as questions that allow people to reveal who they are. These questions help build community in groups which also aids in disciple-making. The second part of the podcast deals with good Bible study questions that help dig into both understanding and applying a Biblical passage. All group leaders should understand and use questions frequently because they help engage people in one another's lives and in their walk with Christ.

Don't forget, at Brook Hills we produce a weekly Small Group Guide that focuses on Bible study questions. You can find that each week below the sermon at brookhills.org/sermons.

Building Relationships in Small Groups, The Navigators

Twenty Bible Dialogue Questions, Church Leaders Small Group Edition

See all our Great Groups podcasts.

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