Archives for October 2017

What is success in Ministry? What’s a “win” look like? How do we measure success?...

by Pastor Brian Dobak, Streamsong ChurchReading the Bible can be simple. God has given us His Word in such plain terms, that on one hand, it's simple to comprehend. But on another hand, it can be confusing, particularly depending on what book of the Bible you read. There are various ways to read scripture. The following is just one way to extract what God wants to say to y...

The Secret to Effective Leadership Why do some small groups grow and multiply and others don't? Is there some activity or set of activities a small-group leader can do to increase the probability of the group growing and multiplying? If so, are these activities beyond the reach of the average leader? Will it take years of training to master them? Or is there a set of acti...

by Kevin DeYoungAs school starts back up, so will plenty of church-sponsored and church-related small groups. Some will study the Bible. Others will read a Christian book together. Almost all will have a designated leader or leaders. While knowing your Bible and having Christlike character are the more important factors, there are also a number of skills which go a long wa...

by Dave McDonald - September 10, 2015 People need encouragement. It's pretty tough doing a job on your own without the support of others spurring you along. Bible study group leaders are no different. They require training and resources, but they also depend on encouragement. In a church with many leaders, no one person can be relied upon to provide all the encouragement....

by Melissa Kruger - September 12, 2017 I'm an educator at heart. When I taught high school, I loved watching light bulbs flick on as my students grasped a new concept. Many people consider lecturing the most important part of teaching. However, the more years I taught, the more I realized students learned as much from my questions as my explanations. While lecture may of...

by Melissa Kruger ASKING BETTER QUESTIONS IN SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSIONS There's a lot to be concerned about when leading a Bible study or small group. The group may be inconsistent in attendance. They may be slow to open up to one another. They might ask questions about the Bible that you don't know how to answer. But there's one thing most leaders dread more than anything e...

by Kristen Wetherell Thursday night. Bibles open. Six men from the local church pray together. One reads Psalm 31 and applies it to his brother. A strong sense of God-dependence fills the room. Sunday after lunch. The church is quiet after a busy morning. Kids play in the next room, while five couples gather to discuss the sermon. They hunger and thirst together for God'...

by Christopher Ash, "Listen Up: A Practical Guide to Listening to Sermons"How to listen to a sermon? you may think. What a silly subject. After all, it would be pointless to write on "how to watch TV." And listening to a sermon is even easier than watching TV, since I don't have to deal with the remote control. It's a passive activity, something preached to me, not somethi...

by Taya Smith, Hillsong Worship 1. PreparationThe difference between preparing and not preparing is MASSIVE.Apart from knowing the songs and learning the lyrics, setting aside time to prepare my heart before God is the most important thing it allows the Holy Spirit to speak, puts a verse on my heart, and gives me ideas. Setting aside time to prepare my heart before God i...