Spiritual Formation
Superheroes in Sunday School
What superheroes can teach us about God.

When I was a kid I wanted to be Robin: The Boy Wonder. And really, who wouldn't? You get to run with the greatest superhero in the world. You get to say cool stuff like "Holy scapegoats!" You have all these special abilities at your disposal, and no ...

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"Dude, I Can't Shepherd a Small Group"
5 tips on building community in your next group.

Some of you have been leading groups for six years—hosting is old hat for you. Some of you have been doing it for six months and may be looking to become a better host. And some of you just completed your first six-week study and, frankly, are ...

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The Five "Ms" Every Leader Should Know
What it takes to be a small group leader.
1. Minister to the needs of your members.

Okay, so that may seem obvious, but one of the critical roles of a small group leader is to shepherd the people in your group. Does the word "shepherd" scare you? It shouldn't. God has provided ...

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Bad Days Are Sometimes the Best Days
And nine other lessons I've learned from my small group.

Two years ago when I met with my new small group for the first time, I was so reluctant. I didn't know if I could ever find the sense of belonging and spiritual family I had enjoyed with my previous group. But they welcomed my wife and me into ...

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Five Ways God Answers Prayer
Whatever the answer, your best interest is always in mind.

Over the years, I've discovered from Scripture and experience that God loves to answer our prayers. Here are five of his most frequent answers:

"No, I love you too much."

The Lord of the universe isn't under obligation to say ...

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Five Essentials for Small Group Health
How to keep your groups growing vibrantly.

Churches all over the nation are recognizing a need to get small groups going in their congregations. But getting small groups started in a church and keeping the groups healthy are two completely different jobs.

As head of Touch Outreach Ministry, my ...

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Beyond "Prayer Requests"
Beyond "Prayer Requests"
What if people's wishes run counter to God's sometimes painful path of transformation?

You'd have thought I'd just cussed by the way the mouths around the table soundlessly fell open. And all I'd said was "I don't think I can pray that for you."

The woman who had just asked us to pray was perhaps the most shocked ...

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What Do We Want to Study Next?
What Do We Want to Study Next?
Five principles for selecting the right study for your group.

One question often heard in small groups is, "What are we going to study next?" Rather than sailing toward a destination, many small groups are like a sailboat at sea being "tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there ...

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How to Ask Great Icebreaker Questions
How to Ask Great Icebreaker Questions
Steer your discussion toward life change.

Icebreakers are common in many small groups. At the beginning of your discussion the leader may ask an icebreaker question like, "How was your week? Does anybody have anything to share with the group?" Or, perhaps the leader has a specific ...

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Eight Keys to Discipling New Christians
Eight Keys to Discipling New Christians
Suggestions to help you mentor.

So, what exactly should a Christian do if granted the opportunity to mentor and disciple a new believer? Here are a few suggestions that I've found helpful:

  1. Be prepared to be used in new ways. Just because he's used you in one particular way in the past doesn't mean it's going to be the same this time around. Different people require different approaches. Pray for God's direction, for boldness, and for vision.
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True Christian Community
True Christian Community
Do whatever it takes to connect a friend with Jesus.

One of the great stories in the Bible about community involves a paralyzed man and the friends who brought him to Jesus (Mark 2:1-8).

Imagine what life was like for a paralytic in the ancient world. This man's whole life is lived on a mat three-feet ...

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Make Devoted Disciples
Make Devoted Disciples
How to be an effective mentor.

Even though Rodger and Lynne Schmidt were planning to go to Africa as missionaries, they found themselves asking, "Is this really something we should be doing?"

At the same time in the same city, another couple was also wrestling with their ...

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