Here, at Grace, we've begun a new season of Small Groups. As they fall under my area of responsibility, I thought it would be good to post once in a while about the whole Small Group thing: give advice, solicit advice, have guest bloggers share their wisdom, and more.

So, how's the Small Group Leader thing going? I know that several of you don't like the term "leader" and prefer to be called "HOSTs" and that's OK in my book. We often say around here, that it's very easy to HOST a group at Grace. All you need is a Heart for people, be willing to Open your home or office as a meeting place, Serve a snack (because we ARE purpose-driven eaters), and Turn on the DVD, since many of our groups are DVD-based.

But allow me to share 3 other traits of a successful Small Group:
1) Consistency - If you don't meet consistently, people will have a hard time connecting. Our groups are all about connection and care. We find they are one of the best places to get connected and to find the kind of care people are looking for. So consistency - both as a group and as a leader - will help you to connect with one another and to care for one another.

2) Patience - Another trait of successful Small Groups is that they are extremely patient with one another. We have to understand that not everyone is the biblical scholar that you are, nor are they the prayer warrior you are. In fact, our groups are made up of many different people from many different backgrounds - and we like it that way! So you, as a leader, need to show a little patience with those in your group. But here's the paradox: we accept people where they are, but love them too much to allow them to stay there - just as God loves us and desires for us to grow. So the next time one of your group members says something completely off the wall, so a little patience.

3) Improve content - As you go further along this Small Group journey, you will discover what most of your groups responds to most frequently. Do they enjoy thought-provoking questions or are is that "too deep"? Do they respond when asked to look up a passage in the Bible or do they need help finding one of the books of the Bible? Whatever it is, you'll discover ways to help them grow as you lead your time together.

So there are three more ways to help your Small Group connect with each other and truly care for one another. Have a great time doing life together! If you need help, check out http://www.smallgroups.com/ fofr more info.

Ever thought about hosting or leading a Small Group at Grace? Ever feel unqualified?

Relax, we all do. But at Grace we've made it very easy to become involved withe the Small Groups ministry. Here's how YOU can host a Grace Small group:
Havea heart for people. At the heart of Grace Small Groups is the idea of care and connection. Groups connect people together and provide care for one another.
Open your home or office as a meeting place. OR find a location where the group can meet on a regular basis.
Serve a snack. (We ARE purpose-driven eaters!) Once your group begins meeting, this part of the HOSTing process can be a shared responsibility. It frees you up from doing everything, and creates more buy-in with the group.
Turn on the DVD. Many of our studies are DVD-based. That way you don't have to be the Bible expert. The teaching is done on the DVD, you get the discussion started and keep it flowing. We'll talk about group dynamics in a future post.

So that's it. If you'd like to HOST a group at Grace, just let me know. I welcome your interaction with this post.