SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

How do we move from a homogenous church or group to one that welcomes full participation of people from different ethnicities? Why is it so important for churches to reflect their communities and be ethnically integrated as a reflection of the full Gospel? What can we do in our small groups to help create safe spaces for people to discuss issues related to ethnicity and socioeconomic differences as part of our discipleship?  Listen as Dr. Derwin Gray envisions and calls churches to "grow out of ignorance, classism, racism, and greed into the flourishing, vibrant, and grace-filled communities of believers that God intended."    Guests:  Dr. Derwin Gray & Kristel Avecedo     Bio: Dr. Derwin L. Gray, a former NFL player, is the founding and lead pastor of Transformation Church (TC). Transformation Church is a multiethnic, multigeneration, mission-shaped community in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Derwin and Vicki have been married for twenty-eight years and have two adult children. Derwin is the author of Building a Multiethnic Church: A Gospel Vision of Love, Grace, and Reconciliation in a Divided World and the host of Marinate on That Podcast Kristel Acevedo serves at Transformation Church as a Content Creator and also works in small groups ministry. She writes transformational discipleship resources in English and Spanish and is passionate about helping people get connected to God and each other.    LINKS: https://www.derwinlgray.com/ https://www.kristelacevedo.com/ https://transformationchurch.tc/   ★ Support this podcast ★

Saddleback Small Groups Website Small Group Network Events 10 Things that for easy engagement ANY Small Group Pastor can do1 Being on Time 2 Work Ethic 3 Effort 4 Body Language 5 Energy 6 Attitude 7 Passion 8 Being Coachable 9 Doing Extra 10 Being Prepared ★ Support this podcast ★

How aligned in your small groups ministry with the rest of your staff? Many in ministry struggle with "buy-in" from senior leadership. But James Browning takes a fairly deep dive into the idea that small group point people would benefit from buying into other ministries in their church. In particular we look at the role of church communication leaders and how to align small groups ministry with church comms. Our guest on this episode is Shawn Gendall. Shawn was born and raised on the Canadian plains, but – following a few years in Arizona – met and married Kelly, a Los Angeles native. Shawn and Kelly have served in student and family ministries for 18 years, all on the Westside. They are grateful parents to Delaney (’03), Caden (’06), and Peyton (’08). The Gendalls typically spend their free time on the bike paths and in the basketball gyms of this beautiful city. Shawn holds a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary and is currently completing his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Leadership. This episode is for anyone who is a student of church leadership, wants to take a deeper dive into the small groups world, or even fans of Carey Neuhoff or Thom Rainer and just want to explore church development. ★ Support this podcast ★

Our small group gatherings shouldn't be repetitive and predictable but rather places where our members and guest can be known and flourish. his month's Reading Lenz features an insightful discussion regarding the book "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters" by Priya Parker with Andrew Camp, Carolyn Taketa, and Nick Lenzi ★ Support this podcast ★

Guests:  From Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA  Britt Vargas, High School Ministry Director - brittany.vargas@calvarywestlake.org Connor Johnson, Middle School Pastor - connor.johnson@calvarywestlake.org   https://calvarywestlake.org/middle-school/ https://calvarywestlake.org/high-school/    How do we disciple the next generation through small groups?  Why have student small groups?  What do you look for in student group leaders?  How do you train leaders of various ages and life experiences?  How to connect and develop effective student groups?   How do you handle complicated messy life issues that affect students such as the LGBTQ issues and self-harming behaviors?  ★ Support this podcast ★

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Do you ever feel the ministry you run and the church you work for are on different pages? Or maybe your small groups and care group are fighting for the same leaders? Join us this month as we welcome Nick Schonlau from Third City Christian Chruch in Grand Island, Nebraska to break down the book Silos, Politics and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni. It's only a matter of time until you'll find yourself in a silo. Listen in to hear how you can take steps to identify silos and prevent yourself and your groups from finding yourself in one.   Lightning Round Books: Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazerro Canoeing the Mountain by Tod Bolsinger ★ Support this podcast ★