Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren (Part 2)

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

#Religion #Church #Group #Ideas #Leaders #Network #Saddleback #Small Group Network #Cell #Gladen #Leadership #Ministries #Small #Steve #Podcasting Education #Pastor

34:01

I think you could probably go back and track the stages of grief, probably that is what I went through. But I think if you do it right, you end up at acceptance. And that's where I ended up. And that's not to say that I've fully accepted the idea that the golden toad is extinct. Personally, I do still hold out hope that it could still be out there in those forests." - Trevor Ritland This conversation is with Trevor Ritland, who—along with his twin brother Kyle—authored The Golden Toad . The book chronicles their remarkable journey into Costa Rica’s cloud forest, once home to hundreds of brilliant golden toads that would emerge for just a few weeks each year—until, one day, they vanished without a trace. What began as a search for a lost species soon became something much more profound: a confrontation with ecological grief, a meditation on hope, and a powerful call to protect the natural world while we still can. Links: SpeciesUnite.com Kyle and Trevor: https://kyleandtrevor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventureterm/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222249677-the-golden-toad Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Toad-Ecological-Mystery-Species/dp/163576996…

2 years ago 20:47

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262 episodes

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren (Part 2)

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

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published 2 years ago

MP3•Episode home

262 episodes

#Religion #Church #Group #Ideas #Leaders #Network #Saddleback #Small Group Network #Cell #Gladen #Leadership #Ministries #Small #Steve #Podcasting Education #Pastor

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1
7 Ways Your Small Group Leaders Can Have The Best Summer Ever 26:42

26 days ago26:42

26:42

7 Ways to Encourage and Empower Small Group Leaders This Summer In this exciting episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, along with co-host Derek, discuss seven practical and creative ways to encourage and build into small group leaders during the summer. From handwritten cards and spontaneous drop-bys to fun ideas like hosting a pool party or tour of a local stadium, Steve offers actionable tips to help small group leaders feel appreciated and motivated. This episode aims to help small group point people make lasting memories and strengthen relationships with their leaders, ensuring vibrant and healthy small groups throughout the year. CP Olympics Print CP Olympics 04:29 Tip 1: Send a Card for Coffee or Dinner 07:02 Tip 2: Drop By with a Summer Kit 11:20 Tip 3: Send a Heartfelt Text 14:22 Tip 4: Host a Pool Party or Olympic Games 17:22 Tip 5: Organize a Car Wash 19:23 Tip 6: Mail a Summer T-Shirt 22:42 Tip 7: Plan a Stadium or Museum Tour ★ Support this podcast ★…

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The Best Part of Your Week: How to Make Groups Fun, Relational, and Life-Giving - Featuring Brad Shank 35:11

8 weeks ago35:11

35:11

Enhancing Small Group Ministry: Insights from the Lobby Gathering In this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladden and James Browning discuss the annual Lobby Gathering event in Southern California, which brings together small group pastors from around the world. The conversation highlights the inception of the Lobby Gathering, emphasizing the importance of practical networking over traditional conference sessions. The episode features insights from Brad Shank of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), who outlines four key rhythms for creating vibrant small groups: eating together, doing life together, growing together, and serving together. Shank stresses the significance of these rhythms in fostering genuine relationships and spiritual growth, offering practical advice for making groups the best part of members' weeks by embodying the spirit of the early church. The episode encourages listeners to reevaluate their small group practices to foster environments filled with joy, generosity, connection, and mission. To take advantage of the early bird discount, head to https://smallgroupnetwork.com/events 00:00 Introduction to the Lobby Gathering 00:33 The Origin of the Lobby Gathering 00:59 Mistake #1: Wrong Assumptions 02:56 Mistake #2: Impatience 04:29 Mistake #3: Defensiveness 06:35 Insights from the Lobby Gathering 08:12 Best Part of Your Week: Building Life-Giving Groups 15:56 Four Key Rhythms for Small Groups 19:32 Practical Tips for Group Leaders 31:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ★ Support this podcast ★…

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3 mistakes to avoid with your Lead Pastor 23:34

12 weeks ago23:34

23:34

3 mistakes to avoid with your Lead or Supervising Pastor Mistake #1: Wrong assumptions In the middle of a difficult moment with leadership relationships, it is very easy to assume the worst about them. A Christian counselor friend once said, “ When we assume the motives of someone else we are wrong most of the time.” I have learned this is very true. We often forget is what it’s like to be in their shoes. Remember when others misjudged you? What did you want from them? What did you wish for? It might be a good exercise to make a list of what you remember as a starting point for making changes in your relationships. The danger of assigning motives, of assuming someone’s intent, is we never know all the facts. They maybe new to the church? To the role? To you? They come with their own often un-named values, beliefs, and assumptions about what we, their leadership, should or should not do. It’s very complicated. The temptation is always to side with your own beliefs, to assume you are correct, because we know them…or think we do. But God is clear when He says, “ You shall not be partial in judgment … For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty and the awesome God, who is not partial …” (Deuteronomy 1:17; 10:17). Meaningful relations can’t happen if we are assuming the worst or assigning blame without knowing all the data. And we will rarely have all the facts. Conclusion: Choose to believe the best. Ask God to give you His love and grace and to help you give grace, expecting nothing in return. You will never know the full impact of the Lead Pastor world! Help them see you as a “friend” not a “foe”. Mistake #2: Impatience We’ve had a lifetime to get to know our ministry, but when it comes to being the Lead Pastor…not so much. It’s all too easy to impatiently expect these relationships to gel perfectly. Relationships take time … lots of time with many investments of grace, love, and patience. There are so many factors to consider—working styles, age gaps, passion gaps, interest gaps, etc. Often what helps me in impatience is to know, that through PRAYER, God can make things go far faster than I can. Simple, huh? Along with that, you need to be good for your church. You are part of the team to help, not just have your way. You need to show up, but not throw up! Basically, be what a friend taught me, “Be a good General, not a bad General”. A bad General takes their assignment and does whatever higher ups tell them. A good General will assess the situation, give their advise and then execute on whatever leadership decides. If you feel it is wrong, PRAY, God will course correct. Conclusion: We are only responsible to suggest and pray.. God is more than able to work His will in their lives without our help. Our job now is to be patient with the process and trust Him to do the work. SOMETIMES God is working in the background and doesn’t tell us! LOL Mistake #3: Defensiveness When a Lead Pastor points out a flaw he or she sees in us, it hurts. Our natural inclination is to be defensive, to explain our position and how hard we tried to do our best rather than just apologize and say, “I’m so sorry that hurt you so much or wasn’t done the way you expected.” We forget so easily that we are all flawed, broken people and no pastor is perfect. So why are we surprised when stuff happens and people give us issues? This next statement isn’t natural but … instead of having defensiveness of those of we serve (our Lead Pastor), we should be grateful for the opportunity to mend and apologize for the mistakes we make! Even if it was 100% unintentional. Modeling an apologetic heart and seeking forgiveness will open the door for you to do the same with those that serve under you (staff or volunteer). A friend once said , “Seeing a flaw in ourselves is a joy because we now have the opportunity to be rid of it.” It takes maturity and humility to see our shortcomings this way, but it’s liberating. Only when we own our mistakes and admit where we failed leadership will we grow rich relationships with them and church leadership. The truth is always your friend. Only humility produces the beauty of meaningfully deep relationships. And continually acknowledging our own shortcomings and failures before God makes beautiful our lives in the greater body of Christ. It’s been quite a journey at Saddleback Church since March of 1998. I’ve known lots of misunderstandings and mistakes. Thankfully I’ve known forgiveness too. I love our church so much, including the staff and people LOL. Each difficulty brings uniqueness which challenges us to a greater faith, and that is always good. He’s got us, He’s got our ministry and He’s got our Lead Pastor too ! ★ Support this podcast ★…

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The 4 "K"s of Small Group Ministry Spring Cleaning 19:11

16 weeks ago19:11

19:11

Spring Cleaning for Small Group Ministry: The 5 Ks with Steve Gladen In this episode of FG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups from Saddleback Church, shares insights from his 25+ years of experience to help listeners enhance their small group ministries. Joined by Derek, Steve discusses 'The 4 Ks of Small Group Ministry Spring Cleaning': Kinship with leaders, Keeping clean data, Knowing your playbook, Kindling leadership, and Kicking spiritual butt. They emphasize the importance of building deeper relationships with leaders, maintaining accurate data, ensuring everyone understands the group's playbook, fostering leadership pathways, and ultimately achieving ministry victories. Tune in for practical advice to rejuvenate your small group ministry. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:25 Personal Updates and Moving Challenges 01:46 Spring Cleaning in Small Group Ministry 03:02 The Four Ks of Small Group Ministry 03:20 Kinship with Leaders 07:42 Keep Clean Data 10:50 Know Your Playbook 12:50 Kindle Leadership 16:56 Final Thoughts and The Fifth K 18:30 Conclusion and Farewell ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
5 Emotional Refreshments for You & Your Groups (Replay) 32:40

21 weeks ago32:40

32:40

Equipping Small Group Leaders: Insights from Saddleback Church In this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, shares his extensive experience to encourage and equip small group leaders. The episode includes the 'Saddleback Scoop,' highlighting the church's shift from fruitfulness to faithfulness, an approach to combat COVID-induced depletion by focusing on all four aspects of personal refreshment: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The 'Network Nugget' segment introduces Saddleback’s first online training course, Align, and discusses its positive impact on participants. Additionally, the podcast touches on new course releases, upcoming events, and the importance of maintaining various forms of personal well-being. The show wraps up with a focus on five emotional refreshments essential for small group leaders and members: support, stability, self-expression, significance, and satisfaction. 00:00 Welcome to F G Squared 00:19 The Saddleback Scoop: Refreshment and Recalibration 07:03 Network Nugget: Align Learning and Cohort Strategy 13:42 Leadership Learning: The Replenishment Cycle 21:45 Trending Topic: Five Emotional Refreshments 32:08 Closing Remarks and Resources ★ Support this podcast ★…

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Special Episode from the Group Answers Podcast with Chris Surratt and Steve Gladen 46:14

25 weeks ago46:14

46:14

This episode is a very special cross post from the Group Answers podcast. We are sharing in honor of the passing of Chris Surratt, a friend and brother in Christ who has impacted thousands of small group point people around the world. Thanks for taking the time to listen, and don't forget to check out Group Answers podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Original Description: On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen on Knowing Hard and Soft Data in Your Small Group Ministry appeared first on Adult Ministry. CLICK HERE to read the report from Lifeway Research about the state of groups. ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
4 Steps to a Strategic 2025 30:11

30 weeks ago30:11

30:11

1
TOP SMALL GROUP MAIL BAG QUESTIONS (Part 3) 23:53

34 weeks ago23:53

23:53

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode! SHOWNOTES Mail Bag Questions 13-18 13 How do we get previously existing groups to become “official” Small Groups so we can include them on our website and app? They are nomads and we love to start walking beside them. 14 What’s one thing you would do differently if you could go back to your first day over groups? 15 How do we create a church culture of groups? 16 Top tips for getting long-time groups to multiply 17 What is the outcome or “win” of a group? 18 Can Adult Sunday School work with small groups? ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
TOP SMALL GROUP MAIL BAG QUESTIONS (Part 2) 34:00

38 weeks ago34:00

34:00

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode! SHOW NOTES Mail Bag Questions 8-12 8 Who is doing ESL as a small group? 9 I wish I had known the importance of having the right coaches in place...any tips? 10 What is the biggest mistake you made? 11 What’s the one thing you would tell yourself as someone new to ministry regarding groups? 12 How to get/grow more leaders? Re-imagine Coaching Episode ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
Top Small Group Mail Bag Questions 44:55

43 weeks ago44:55

44:55

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to read and answer the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode! Mail Bag Questions 1-7 1 What advice would you give to someone brand new to vocational ministry? 2 What is key to moving from good and high participation to great and highly effective in your groups. 3 How do you navigate creating a small group culture if senior leadership isn’t on board? 4 How to encourage attendance after a busy work day? 5 How do you best prioritize time and energy with ministry friends? 6 Starting healthy! I am from a church plant and want to establish firm foundations as we look to continue the process of growing more into the likeness of Christ in community! Help. 7 What % of regular worshippers being in small groups is typical? Check out the The Lobby Conference ★ Support this podcast ★…

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🎂EPISODE 250🎂 - 20 Ways To Honor Your Groups Leaders 30:10

47 weeks ago30:10

30:10

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10 Ways Your Small Group can Evangelize! 39:55

51 weeks ago39:55

39:55

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can evangelize together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Kiersten Telzerow to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can break out beyond the walls to share the good news with people in their community. Note: Kiersten is still finalizing her program and is not yet a doctor. 10 Ways Your Group Can Evangelize Kiersten - Groups Pastor @ NCC in DC DMIN: Wholistic Discipleship– passionate about ways that groups can engage in mission on a regular basis– being the hands and feet of Christ Do the leg work up front– don’t just sign your group up for something - because then everyone will feel like they have to do it and that’s not mission ;) Of first time Health Assessment takers 87% evangelism is self selected as low Set up Personal, Local and Global Personal—1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Plant, Water, and Harvest) Local/Global—Homa and Away Teams Don’t overcomplicate it- first and foremost- don’t try to put a 1-week overseas trip on the calendar for all 15 people in your small group- never say never, but the likelihood is that may not happen. Keep it simple and consistent- if we know those who experience the greatest transformation in community in a small group- why wouldn’t we believe the same to be true of mission? The more we keep showing up– the easier it gets. It’s like flexing a muscle. If we don’t have the gift of mercy or evangelism- it can be harder to flex this muscle- so start with something easy. Pray about & strategize it - What’s one of the areas that’s a great need? Is there a local cause that is close to the church or your small group? Are there places that a group could rotate so maybe it doesn’t work on everyone's schedule all at once, but you can take shifts. Serving 2 Saturdays/month. Find what people are passionate about – leverage strengths/ gifts in group. & the most important thing is do it together– model it together, live it out- express the Gospel through our lifestyle/everyday living. Practically speaking: Prayer Walk- Reimagine mission – what that could look like in your group– prayer walk your neighborhood or around your church. Every summer our groups engage in 40 days of prayer walks- in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces, etc. Prayer walking is still living on mission! **Have everyone in your group be praying for 3 people consistently in their sphere of influence. See if your group can “adopt” a cause like taking turns providing respite care to families who are fostering or every year your group puts together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Food- Make lunches for homeless friends- if that doesn’t already exist- make that a small group! Or, every other week I’m a part of a reconciliation lunch at our Dream Center and I’ll bring people with me– listening to people’s stories is a way of partnering with Jesus- doing what He did wherever we go. Evangelize in your own neighborhood –(together or individually) If you all live in the same community- ask what you can do in your community. Several of our group members all live in the same area and so we realized there was a gap of a chaplain down at our police precinct- one day we had an incident in the neighborhood and I just said hey I’m a pastor, I live over here- if there’s anything I can do please let me know… there’s several of us from the same church in the area if anyone needs anything. Never underestimate the small- hidden things. Our small group is made up of bakers- we are always baking things, giving them away, etc. So one time we made a batch of cookies with invites to Easter services attached. I thought- small things- maybe it’ll cheer a neighbors day up. Everyone in the group can do this wherever they live- but just deliver goods to neighbors on a regular basis- you never know the difference. Recently I had a neighbor I’ve been praying for, and she came up to me and said I just needed you to know the difference you made by dropping off those sweets- I’d like to go to church with you one day if that’s possible. I was floored- over a batch of cookies. Neighborhood block party. Invite your group host home to had a block party (or someone else in your group if thats better) to invite their street to a block party. Either the group, the church, whoever can sponsor it and have a gathering. This is a great way to live for Jesus in front of lost people Write out your 1-, 3- and 10-minutes testimony and share it with your small group. Identify your One Life who doesn’t know Christ and share with the group what stage you are at with them (plant, water, or harvest) and your next step. Have a party with your small group and invite your One Life(s). Let them see Christians having fun. Explore people different than you , attend an ethic mom and pop restaurant and learn about their culture. ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
10 Ways to Worship in your Small Group 50:32

1 year ago50:32

50:32

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can worship together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Troy Kennedy to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can worship together. 10 Ways to Worship in Your Small Group Brief discussion on definition of worship. Three questions to prompt response: Who is he? Who am I in relationship to Him? What has he done? 10 Ways to Worship in a Small Group - For the leaders - Before and during the worship time, always pray for God's guidance and presence to be felt among the group. Ask for wisdom in leading the group in worship. Every group dynamic is different and needs to be treated sensitively. Sing along with a favorite worship song with the text. Afterwords, discuss which parts of this song were most powerful or meaningful to you. After everyone has shared, sing along with it again. Read a passage of scripture (Start with John 15) then offer gratitude prayer through what you discovered as a group. Festoon a passage of scripture - start with Psalm 23 (define "festoon") As a group read The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 - Articulate to one another different sections in your own words. "Our father" "in heaven" "holy is your name" "for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, and ever." Use your own perspective on what these phrases are applied in your life right now. Read Revelation 4 & 5's scene from heaven then respond to what you read with one another. Pick a story from one of the gospels involving Jesus. (A good place to start is Luke 10:38-41) Read the passage through together. Then instruct everyone to imagine themselves in the story themselves. Who are they? What does it feel like? What time of day is it? What are the smells? Etc.… Have someone else then read the passage again, slowly, while everyone else is imagining themselves in it. Afterwords have group members share who they were in the passage, describing in detail, what day heard, saw and felt. Everyone write down 10 things, however, great or small, they are grateful for. And when everyone is done, offer prayers of gratitude in the form of popcorn prayer. After a reading from the Psalms enjoy a time of contemplative prayer using silence. Set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes. And during that silence have everyone focus on the goodness of God. Try to visualize yourself sitting quietly with Jesus across from you in the room. How is he looking at you? How does that make you feel? After this time of contemplation, share the experience, however, beneficial or awkward, it might have been. Read Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-17. Then listen to or sing along with a favorite worship song in the group. Afterwords, go back to Ephesians 6, and identify which parts of the armor of God the song best represents. Have someone share a story in their faith journey where God came through for them. They may have been healed of some kind of malady. They may have had a relationship that was healed. They have felt protected in some way, etc.… while the group is listening to their story, have everyone write down three characteristics of God best exemplified in that story. Afterwords, share with one another your observations. And then offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s character as it is revealed in that person's story. Have everyone go on some sort of hike or outing to a beautiful outdoor location. Enjoy God's majesty in nature and spend some time prayerfully thanking him as a group for what you see. Expand the worship experience by including elements like communion, foot washing, different body postures (kneeling, hands raised, eyes lifted up etc…) ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
10 Ways Your Small Group Can Serve 40:50

1 year ago40:50

40:50

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can serve your church and community? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Derek sit down with special guest Jon Laster, small group pastor from Spring Hill, TN to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can mobilize to serve people. 10 Ways Your Group Can Serve Groups serving other areas of ministry in the local church is life giving, and fuel for what God wants to do in your local congregation! 1 - Talk to your Pastoral Staff and ask them what areas they feel needs the most attention in your local church. This can be basic cleaning, outreach, etc. I believe it’s the best place to start on where you can serve as a group. 2 - Serve those in your group. Whether someone needs their lawn cut during a busy season of life, or just a 45 min coffee meeting to check in on them and their family. 3 - Serve your local police and fire department. These are groups that are often are carrying a heavy load and it’s a great way for the local body to serve and encourage them. Pizza and subs go a long way! :) 4 - Find a street in your community and serve the community by doing clean up together. 5 - Sponsor a block party in someone’s neighborhood and serve your neighbors lunch or dinner. This leads to a great time of connection. 6 - Gather and pray for your local church and leaders. There is never not a good time to do this. Church leadership is carrying a heavier load than a lot of people realize and one of the best ways to serve others is to pray for them. 7 - Serve together at local food pantries, or homeless shelters. Find local opportunities outside the walls of your church to be the church. 8 - Find a way to serve your Kids, Teens, Worship, etc. Departments in your church. Whether it’s helping with snacks, prayer, set up, clean up, etc. Serve the upcoming generation! 9 – Connect with a city official and see what they did help in that your group(s) can help. 10 - Serve your local churches vision. This might look a little different for each church, but find ways to serve and carry out your local church’s vision together as a group. ★ Support this podcast ★…

1
How to Start a Small Group Ministry 34:18

1 year ago34:18

34:18

Would you like to know the basics of starting a small group ministry? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares his timeless and commonsense keys to launching & building healthier small groups. Download the fill ins: 1. The Saddleback Small Group Difference 2. How To Start A Small Group Ministry ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
The Saddleback Small Group Difference 49:37

1 year ago49:37

49:37

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
March 2024 The Lobby Panel 58:09

1 year ago58:09

58:09

This month's episode features a panel conversation between Steve Gladen, Dave Enns from North Coast, Rick Howerton from Lakepointe Church, and moderation by Carolyn Taketa. Join us as we listen in to their discussion on their decades of small group experience while at the Lobby Gathering small group conference and retreat in San Juan Capistrano. ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Think critically: Accomplish More with Less 40:59

1 year ago40:59

40:59

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Creating an Environment for Spiritual Growth with Dr. Bill Donahue 1:18:45

2 years ago1:18:45

1:18:45

Today's episode comes from a small group conference at Saddleback Church. The session speaker is Dr. Bill Donahue as he shares about how to create an environment for spiritual growth in small groups. Dr. Donahue is one of the most well respected and accomplished speakers and small group practitioners, having written several books and taught at the collegiate level. He also is a coach and leads cohorts at the small group network. To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com , our facebook group , or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Interviewing Nicky Gumbel - Vicar, Holy Trinity Brompton, and Pioneer of the Alpha Course 37:08

2 years ago37:08

37:08

Steve Gladen, pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church visits London to interview Nicky Gumbel, Vicar, Holy Trinity Brompton, and Pioneer of the Alpha Course. Nicky and his wife Pippa have impacted millions throughout the world with the Alpha course. Steve talks through what goes into an Alpha course and what makes it effective with Nicky. To learn more about small groups, or to share your own small group ministry experience, find Steve Gladen and others at https://smallgroupnetwork.com , our facebook group , or join our community at https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
How To Move From Making Friends To Reaching Friends 56:20

2 years ago56:20

56:20

The episode features Steve Gladen who, leveraging his extensive experience of over 25 years, offers insights on leading small group ministry in churches. He addresses the common misconception of people fearing evangelism, emphasizing how the experience fundamentally transforms when done as a group. Gladen shares practical strategies to equip small groups in spreading the gospel, growing the church and leading people to Jesus. He also underscores the importance of sharing starts with caring and the role of curriculum strategy in successful evangelism. ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Treasure Hunt: How to Find the Gold 41:05

2 years ago41:05

41:05

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
How To Move From Making Friends To Reaching Friends 56:20

2 years ago56:20

56:20

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERE and the full workbook from the conference HERE Check out the videos referenced in the podcast HERE In this session, Steve shares one of the biggest sources of excitement for Saddleback as a church. And in each group. Evangelism. Steve is going to begin the session by addressing the concerns of the typical small group member. Which is that they feel like they might not be a good evangelists. Well, once they find out how different of an experience it is when done as a small group, rather than on their own. Evangelism and seeing a friend or loved one's life changed by the hope of the gospel. That is an incredibly powerful moment in the life of that small group. Steve will get us through the journey of equipping small groups to share the gospel. To grow the church. And to lead people to Jesus. Join us in today's episode. How to move from making friends to reaching friends ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Leading Up or Sucking up? How to lead up & lead out 56:58

2 years ago56:58

56:58

Do you need more small group leaders? How would you like to see an exponential increase of volunteers stepping up to serve in your church? Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest pastor William Johnston of Saddleback church who shares his top tried and true keys to creating a healthy ministry and staff culture. You are not going to want to miss this episode! Learn more about getting pastor buy in at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/pastorbuyin/ Will's Notes Introduction Our secular work culture has largely influenced our workplace interactions Secular work culture shapes us in certain values Escapism: Working for the weekend. My real life starts when I leave work. Individualistic Results: My personal results are the upmost sign of success. Passive responsibility: I am just going to take care of what I need to do. We hand over ownership and leadership completely to a senior leader because we do not want deal with something or we are just lazy. The buck never stops with us C. Quickly provide alternatives God wants our whole life to reflect him and flow together. While we can turn off our ministry as work minds. We live on mission for Jesus in all facets of life. We often do not know how to measure success well in church because it is challenging to quantify but our goal is for the Church, the Body of Christ to flourish, for people to meet Jesus, grow to spiritual maturity, serve other and live on mission for him. If it becomes my niche ministry or idea taking off, then we’ve missed it. Lastly, in the body of Christ we all have responsibility to each other and to live as God has created us. We have interactive mechanisms in our body that course correct when we are sick or even when we trip on shoe. It is the same in the body of Christ II. One of the symptom of these values is challenging or decaying staff cultures A large part of our jobs are people and the largest portion of time is spent with our staff. We are all different people with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, and work ideals. There is nothing new about people not getting along. Even Paul and Barnabus reached a point where they were like “Ya, I think I’m good” B. We all want to enjoy our place of work. We all want to enjoy the people we work with but it is hard. III. Who is to blame? If you are waiting for someone to make your workplace enjoyable, you are 50% of the problem. If you are sitting back, waiting, and complaining about what other people are not doing for you without doing anything about it, you are part of the problem. “We want our lead pastor to set the tone” “We want the denomination to do this” “If the board of directors said this” We think of certain people in authority as the one with the sole responsibility for our staff dynamics instead of thinking about our staff as something we have an equal part in. If your staff culture is poor, you are a piece of that pie. IV. How do we course correct when we are not in the head chair? We need to reflect on: What do we want in a workplace? and What are steps I can do to help us get there? What things would you enjoy in your workplace and begin doing them? B. There are some simple questions that I believe lead to crawl steps in building a staff that turns into a family. If we as ourselves this set of questions weekly, our staff culture will begin improving immediately. How can I make this time more fun, memorable, intentional? How much time am I spending with each staff member? When was the last time I ate a meal with each staff member in a setting of 4 or less people? When was the last time I asked them about their family? How much time am I in communal spaces or around other staff? When was the last time I followed up on something we talked about recently? What does each staff member want from our relationship? When was the last time I encouraged each staff member? C. Walk Step Ideas Have an onboarding strategy for new staff. Taking them out to eat or bringing lunch in Every week checking in on questions they have Inviting them and their spouse over for food or a game night Know everyone’s favorite drink Know their bdays and their family members Bdays Individualized BDay gifts Show up to something that matters to them D. Run Steps Relationship study about the correlation of long lasting relationship and unique joint experiences Grand openings Community Events V. Building Trust with a Supervisor The Basics I typically hear people who want trust or an in with their senior leader to share challenges We don’t think they are doing something correctly They are not taking our ideas 2. We do not begin with the right intentions. We connect because we want something This is never a ploy! If someone takes any of the next steps for their own gain instead of enjoying the people God has placed in your life. It will not be successful. These things done without a heart that sincerely wants to know the other person will probably leave you in the same situation. This is the difference between leading up and sucking up Trust with a senior leader begins with a basic friendship I. Well that is easy. And the answer to that thought is yes it is easy It is interesting that most people in our churches desire time and closeness to the senior or lead pastor but when we get on a church staff and are a couple chairs down the table we stop taking initiative and believe everything should be initiated by that senior leader. So we sit back and wait for our senior leader to initiate and then become frustrated when our relationship does not look the way we want it. B. Making Changes In the conversation about building good staff relationship I gave clear next steps I believe a healthy and sustainable relationship with your senior leader is more about posture. Questions that lead us to the right posture When was the last time you prayed for your campus pastor? When was the last time you asked about their kids? When was the last time you asked them out for dinner? When was the last time you asked if there is something you could take off their plate? When was the last time you just talked with no agenda? When was the last time you texted them about something happening in their life? C. Hard Conversations 1. People are probably thinking “ok, now can I have a hard conversation with my supervisor?” 2. We always need to ask ourselves a set of questions before a conversation with a superior where we want to express concern, frustration, or…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Is Sermon-Based Curriculum Hazardous to your Small Group’s Health? 13:55

2 years ago13:55

13:55

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
8 Steps to Successful Recruiting 40:09

2 years ago40:09

40:09

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
What We Can Learn From The 5 Words That Changed Amazon 19:36

2 years ago19:36

19:36

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
How To Disciple People, Not Just Lead Groups 55:27

2 years ago55:27

55:27

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERE and the full workbook from the conference HERE Check out the videos referenced in the podcast HERE Welcome to SG squared. Glad you joined us for this episode. In this particular one, we're going to be talking about how small groups just aren't a program in the church, but they are a powerful discipleship tool that your church has. As you know, we talk about temple courts and house to house and the house to house movement is your discipleship engine. Now we're going to cover so many things about the transformational power of small groups, but the important thing to understand is that it needs to happen in your own group. And as we go through this material, I want you to start thinking through, okay, how does this pertain to where my small group is? And what am I doing in my own group? Now, as we talk about a number of things in this episode, make sure you download the resources at the top of the show notes and understand that that material is there for you to take this from just being a podcast that you listen to, but something that can transform your small groups and help you make them a discipleship engine. I want you to enjoy as we take a little flashback on this particular episode, but it's great content that will help you make the discipleship tool powerful in your small group. ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
The 5 Levels of True Fellowship 20:55

2 years ago20:55

20:55

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
5 Steps to Creating a Workplace Ministry 42:52

2 years ago42:52

42:52

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
4 Consequences You Need to Avoid 32:25

2 years ago32:25

32:25

1. How do you handle unclear or wrong communication? 2. How do you handle worry? 3. How do you figure out who's after you? 4. How do you handle failure? 7 Lessons Learned from Face Plants 1. Think through your response and LISTEN 2. The response is always done with humility 3. Everything we do is being watched by the world 4. We must make sure our impact matches our intent 5. We can be creative without being offensive 6. When dealing with upset people, pray with them and have them pray too 7. TEACH - True, Encouraging, Age Appropriate, Culturally Honoring, How would Jesus respond? ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
The 5 Levels of True Fellowship 20:55

2 years ago20:55

20:55

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
How To Connect To Everyone In Your Church! 1:05:21

2 years ago1:05:21

1:05:21

You can download your planner HERE and the church planner HERE Check out the videos referenced in the podcast HERE Everyone's got excuses... and here are 5 of the most common. But if you are hearing one (or all) of these excuses in your small group ministry, how should you respond? Listen to Steve's talk from the Purpose Driven Small Groups conference to get prepared for the next time you hear an excuse. For more great resources check out https://smallgroupnetwork.com And to connect with Steve Gladen as well as other small group pastors from around the world, check out https://go.smallgroupnetwork.com ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
4 Consequences You Need to Avoid 32:25

2 years ago32:25

32:25

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
7 Ways CRM Can Improve Discipleship! 58:45

2 years ago58:45

58:45

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve is joined by co-host Derek and special guest Christina Dawson to talk about 7 ways CRM can Improve Discipleship. In this episode we break down the following: High Level Perspective Personalized Service Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable Data Insights Time is Our Most Precious Commodity Continual Improvement – adapt or die Soul Food – nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact SHOW NOTES: 1. High Level Perspective: - We're all in sales - it's just a question of "what's the product?" - Clear vision & benefit statement - don't make people guess - Concise, positive, fun, high energy, memorable Everyone's favorite subject: Themselves!! The more you know about them, the more impactful & engaging you will be. God's tool to move them beyond themselves-Small Groups (our product) - to fill the spiritual void they have from a broken relationship with God. Small Groups bring back (read Acts 2:42-47) community, Biblical knowledge, personal development (Discipleship), serving, evangelism and worship 2. Personalized Service Our world demands real time interaction with deep personalization Personalization = You Care / You Understand Me = Credibility Credibility is critical in a noisy, misguided world 3. Central Repository of Information, accessible and sharable A good memory is great but it isn't transferable or scalable (institutional Knowledge) One source of information for all team members to access Requires thoughtfulness on the required fields vs. optional fields Start small, think in terms of the bare essentials or Minimum Viable Product Too Much Information or Layout / Architecture = can drown the initiative Shared information shows competence, increases confidence & greatly improves customer experiences 4. Data Insights Ability to spot trends - very powerful in driving outcomes Move from reactive to proactive - address issues earlier Cohorts & Patterns - ability to compare outcomes & experiences over time Increase personalization and value to customers / people Competitive advantage - data can bring knowledge & knowledge is gold 5. Time is Our Most Precious Commodity Use it wisely & maximize impact Don't waste other people's time - they will reward you through avoidance Learn through data analysis how to improve time management - adjust regularly Serve people with the method they prefer, it's not about what you want or like Focus on building the perfect day & week (activities done every day / week) Don't let things slip - if a day is subpar, make it up the following day 6. Continual Improvement - adapt or die Static approaches die no matter how great they are The world is changing, people are changing and the approach has to stay current Data analysis will spot trends, help reveal required adjustments and highlight areas of application (who or where I need to apply the adjustments) 7. Soul Food - nurturing relationships that foster growth and positive impact People are attracted to ideas & other people that have a positive impact on them Align the interaction to provide value / positive impact with every touch Feedback is essential and needs to be regular from a diverse group Try to score or grade user experience or engagement - If you don't measure it, it's very difficult to monitor performance and spot changes (good or bad) ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

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3 Areas for Your Groups to Shine in Today’s Culture 42:06

2 years ago42:06

42:06

Listen is as we go back to February 2021 and the 3 Areas for Your Groups to Shine in Today’s Culture. We still find that this will be relevant in your group's setting today! 7 Civilities Listen with your eyes (don’t roll your eyes) acknowledge their view Sleep and hungry—know the right time Social media news vs. Good news Neither side may trivialize or dismiss the concerns of the other. Neither side should define the “other” according to one single characteristic or identity marker. Both sides should aim to help each other understand their own experience and perspective using a type of speech (words and tone) that can be heard by the other. Both sides should accept the fundamental ground rule of life in a free society: the essence of liberty is the right to be different and to act wrongly in the eyes of others—you will need to agree to disagree. ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren (Part 2) 20:47

2 years ago20:47

20:47

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren (Part 1) 31:08

2 years ago31:08

31:08

Listen in as Pastor Rick Warren talks about the coming trends in small group ministries. This was from our Lobby 2019 Gathering and is still relevant today! Part 2 next week! ★ Support this podcast ★

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
10 Strategic Tips for Follow Up with Small Group Leaders 47:27

2 years ago47:27

47:27

Goal : To know how to set and be comfortable having coffee/follow ups with Small Group leaders. Why : We want you to be totally comfortable contacting and meeting with small group leaders. It is important to remember that these folks are just like you. They have goals, fears, hurts, insecurities, families, family problems, health concerns and everything else you can imagine. Be confident - Biblical basics: God owns everything, and I am His manager. (Ps. 24:1, Matt. 25:14-30) You are their pastor. You are responsible for their health (2 Cor 5:10) Know the landscape: These are financial, spiritual and emotional issues. Isolation, spiritual void Materialism, 1/3 of those earning over $250k per year live paycheck to paycheck. Business, environment setting their priorities Prepare Yourself: Am I living out biblical health in my own life? Do you buy what you sell? 5 purposes Active in my group balancing the purposes Have YOUR own story ready to share. Where do you start: Review your group list: You may already know some of your SGL as they are very involved as volunteers, but you may have had no idea who they are. Many of these folks are not well connected, don’t attend a lot of events and may not even be on your radar. Start small and grow into the list How many engagements can you do? Pick some names to begin and learn as much as you can before you meet: Check HC and know family names, ministries, time at Saddleback Zillow their address for where and how they live Google them and their company Check LinkedIn, Facebook, IG etc. Make the invitation: If you know them, simply call, text, or email that you would love to grab a cup of coffee when it is convenient for them. If they ask what you want, simply say I just want to spend time with you and get to know you better. Another line I use is, I like to invest my time with the folks who are investing in our church. If you don’t know them, we have found that having an assistant set up the meeting works very well. They can call and simply say the Pastor Dave would like to see if you would get together with him for a cup of coffee. Are you available on the 23rd? They almost always ask, what does he want or why does he want to meet with us? The simplest answer is usually the best. Pastor Dave loves to meet with our members, and he gives me a list to contact, and you are on that list. This seems to take the edge off and I have never had a no. Pick a place close to them, not you. They may suggest it, or you can, based on their home/work geography. Pick a time most convenient for them. While I meet mostly with men, very often they ask to bring their wives which is perfect. Obviously if you are just meeting with a woman, you need to bring someone else with you such as your 101 or worship pastor, someone mature in their faith as well and comfortable in this environment. I often send a text confirming the time and place Meet them and be on time!! (Early is even better) Relax and enjoy the conversation: Don’t be intimidated, pretend you’ve been in the end zone before! They want to be treated like regular people and have a lot of the same problems and issues, plus some that others don’t have. There is no need to make it awkward, in fact, start with their story. Share the vision for the church, Groups and your excitement and enthusiasm will be contagious. We do not need to ask for anything! We just need to Pastor people. Initiating Conversations, Discipling is relational, be their Pastor. Here are some easy open-ended questions: Tell me your story. How did you come to Saddleback? Tell me about your family? Tell me about your work/company? What are your passions, hobbies, dreams? How is God growing and stretching you? Which areas of your life are easiest to put God first, and which are hardest? What do you think God is working on in your life? Wrap up questions: Is there anything we can be doing better at Saddleback to support you and your family? How can I be praying for you? Offer to pay – but 9 out of 10 times, the member will treat you. Always send a follow up text or note thanking them for their time and for treating you to coffee/breakfast and telling them that you will be praying for what ever they asked for prayers for. Thank them for making an earthly and eternal difference. A couple Don’ts: If they are group leaders with means, never ask for anything for yourself. Don’t forget to follow up on anything they mentioned. Something you said you would send them or someone you promised to introduce them to. Don’t make a commitment that you may not be able to keep such as get Andy to attend their kid’s 1st birthday party. Don’t start on your agenda (hard data) but their agenda (soft data) ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching 1:06:09

2 years ago1:06:09

1:06:09

In this episode, Steve Gladen breaks down 5 areas where ministry leaders can re-imagine how they do coaching for their groups ministry. The following is what will specifically be covered in this show: History of Coaching Staff or volunteers Serve in one Help in another Saddleback’s history—building upon, keeping best of… 1.0 version (1998) 1:5—I could recruit faster than our growth 2.0 version (2005)—why it changed, it was broken 1:25 paid Introduced not equal care, but strategic care 4 Buckets and Reactive/pro active Name changed from Coaches to CL’s because of paradigm shift Care 70% Administration, training, connecting 30%, Get in for right reason, but get out for right reason CL Retreats 3.0 Version (2009)—why it changed, it couldn’t scale financially 1:25 volunteered, above same Introduced any span of care a CL could do 4.0 Version (2014) why it changed, they weren’t sure what to do Introduced the “Starbuck’s” green apron more developmental FRIEND LEADER COACH Hard and Soft data collection Skip Level, Trust but Verify 5.0 Version (2017) why it changed, we discovered other factors not giving maximum alignment Introduced the Village concept Alignment 6.0 Version (2021) why it changed, discovered different types of CL’s HOST to Leader to CL to Minister CL Course Training Modules Track training (next gen beyond Starbuck’s green apron) 5 Areas to Reimagine Coaching The Ethos (the environment the CL lives in) the family system (w/o parents it is risky) How’s the family (you, coaches and Group leaders) Do you know what you are producing—the end in mind The Reason (for the CL) Directive Disciple MAKING—management and guidance, Space flight PSGWP page 201 Tom Landry quote Baseline, Know the health metrics HA & GHA How will you give course corrections (ideas, curriculum, encouragement, etc.) The Process (finding CL’s) The Group Leader pathway HOST to Leader to CL (P3) to Minister Competency and Capacity Retreats Introductory Course The Pathway (growing the CL) The Coach engagement pathway to the HOST; FRIEND—LEADER—COACH The Coach’s pathway of growth for them SGP guidance Modules Training Course(s) Retreats The Influences (that help the CL)…what I call the Village Share the Village, who’s in helping? Who surrounds the Small Group speaking health? People (primary) Small Group Point Person CL or Coach Senior Pastor Processes (secondary) Training Pathway for the leader Tools (HA and GHA) Training Pathway for the CL Newsletter Small Group Weekend Table connection Small Group Website home page Weekend services Leader Retreats and SGH Streaming content (curriculum and training) Social Media Testimonies FAQ’s Shownotes: smallgroupnetwork.com/smallgroup https://sb-web.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/saddleback.com/connect/smallgroups/9958-SmallGroupsCL-Booklet_Interior_Interactive_092101.pdf ★ Support this podcast ★…

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
4 Vital Trainings, Which Are You Missing? 34:31

2 years ago34:31

34:31

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren 31:14

2 years ago31:14

31:14

From the Lobby Gathering in 2019, Pastor Rick Warren shares his heart on Small Groups and what is to come. ★ Support this podcast ★

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
7 Thoughts on How DATA Can Help You 54:56

2 years ago54:56

54:56

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
5th Wednesday: Crawl, Walk, Or Run Into The Future Of Small Groups 52:12

2 years ago52:12

52:12

Steve Gladen and James Browning look at the history of the small group network and what things that are currently happening that could make a big difference for you or your ministry. ★ Support this podcast ★

SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

1
10 Principles of Exponential Thinking 53:05

2 years ago53:05