One of the best ways that we’ve been told (and I have experienced) new growth can happen in small groups is by making new units. But wow, it is painful!  Why?

1.  It is the birth of a new group.  Anything containing the word birth probably has a painful element to it!

2.  If you are like me, you are working hard to press into relationships in small groups and not religion.  Growing relationships with Christ, and growing relationships with other believers.  Then, we are effectively breaking those to create new ones.  Ouch!

So what am I doing to stay committed to creating new groups and nurture healthy relationships:

1.  I am continually looking for new leaders. In a strange paradox, if I do not activate idle leaders, that is also painful in and for the group, even if it is in a passive way.

2.  Also, though there is not an exact number, each group will have its ceiling of members it can actively minister to, relate with.  Once you pass that, it is also painful. The group will firm up like jell-o and no new members will be able to move in.  Therefore I am keeping this in mind to help me stay committed to new units.

3.  I am looking for new leaders who are willing to “go it alone.” Split, and divide are not friendly elements to creating new units.  So the more leaders are apt to take an empty room and create from scratch, the better.

4.  With that said, if people do move, I also am encouraging the leaders in the new and former group to focus in on one or two couples/people to go to the new unit and that is all. Helps me to stay away from the fun words of split and divide.

5.  COMMUNICATE.  One chink in my armor has been not communicating quickly and clearly and frequently enough about this being in the DNA of our small groups.  I must talk about this all the time.  Though it will not relieve all the pain, I must talk with the leaders clearly about the upcoming new unit in their future.

So, I am committed to the painful process of birthing new units in our Sunday School small group ministry.

What steps are you using that make this process smooth?

A few days ago, I was asked if I could explain the emerging church movement.  Not an easy thing.  As a matter of fact, this timely question has forced me to really think through this realm (though I am about a decade late!)  In my mind, I have clustered the missional, emerging, post-modern discussion together, as well as melting ”emerging” and “emergent” together.  Right or wrong, it seems as though these defining streams are all running to the same river of change.

I believe it is important to sort through simple syntax, definitions, and the jargon.  Secondly, it is important to find the leaders arena in this arena with voices I can trust, but also to engage and respond to elements on the edges.

Here are a few resources that are helping me in this quest, and spur to others:

Navigating the Emerging Church Highway

Ed Stetzer’s Perimeters of Light

Reaching 18-34 year-olds

Why We’re Not Emergent

John MacArthur Interview on his site Grace to You

What resources have you found that have been helpful?  What have you experienced in ministry that reflects an impact from this wave?

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This time of year is generally the time in ministry for leader conferences to occur, firing up leaders, casting vision, and setting the pace in Sunday School small group work.  So why lead one?

1.  Leading/teaching a conference tracks with the old saying that you have really learned something when you can teach it.  Trust me; try teaching something brand new and feel the brain squeeze. Leading a conference gives me a stretch for something new.

2.  In leading a conference, you get to really look at what is working where you work.  You will be sharing frankly about what works and does not work, and you will be asked why something works or does not work in your place of service.

3.  Leading conferences makes me think outside of my box.  In other words, some things work in our context, but they may not in other locations, regions, communities.  Why is that?  Have I really thought hard about my own context and making tweaks, or am I being just a bit lazy with what worked 2 years ago.

4.  Leading conferences lets me explore new content to present and utilize where I serve.  I presented a fantastic ministry tool Monday night called Power Up Your World.  We will be using this in the spring of 2009.  Like I mentioned earlier, since I taught it, it helped me own it personally, and be ready to take our church family through it in the spring.  Check out this great resource:

Power Up Your World

I am honored to even be asked to lead a conference.  When you get the call, study, prepare, present passionately, reflect, and bring something new back where you serve.