Here To There With Carolyn Taketa: Recent Episodes
Carolyn Taketa | Lumivoz
We focus on moving from Here, wherever you are as an individual in your personal life, leadership, or church ministry, to There, the preferred future that God has for us.
Each monthly episode features a conversation with someone in small groups ministry, authors, thought leaders, and pastors. We discuss topics that can be helpful, informative, or even powerful for you the listener.
A monthly podcast by Carolyn Taketa. Here To There releases on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Carolyn Taketa serves as the Executive Director of Small Groups at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California, where she has been on staff since 2005. She oversees all aspects of the small-group ministry, participates in Calvary's senior leadership team, and contributes to planning weekend services. Prior to vocational ministry, Carolyn was a litigation attorney (University of California, Berkeley School of Law).
Dr. David Wang is a licensed psychologist and associate professor of psychology and pastoral counseling at the Rosemead School of Psychology, at Biola University. He is the editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology and serves on the editorial board for Spirituality in Clinical Practice (an APA journal). He also leads research funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Foundation investigating the spiritual and character/virtue development of seminary students. Dr. Wang teaches and speaks internationally, maintains a small clinical practice in Fullerton, CA and is the pastor of spiritual formation at One Life City Church
Pioneer of small groups ministry in the United States, Carl George has been an influential voice in churches for decades. Here, Carl shares his thoughts on the small groups movement over the years including trends, concerns, and the future of small groups ministry in the current cultural context. Carl George, an internationally recognized church consultant, has helped congregations and leaders in over 100 denominations to increase their effectiveness. An experienced Pastor, Church Growth Institute director, and author, Carl has guided small group ministry design in many influential churches. Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion!
Topic: A question we frequently field from our small group leaders is, "What should we study?" There is an overwhelming range of materials and topics to choose from and it is critical to choose curriculum wisely. What a group chooses to study has a significant impact on group dynamics and spiritual growth. On this podcast, we discuss some issues to consider when choosing small group curriculum.
Guest: Chris Surratt
Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than 24 years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Team at Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and Seacoast Church in Charleston, South Carolina, prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Group Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. chrissurratt.com.
Since 2017, Bart has been serving at Traders Point Christian Church, a multi-site congregation in Indianapolis, IN with 5 campuses, as their Lead Groups Minister, Campus Pastor for their 2000+ site, and on their Leadership Team. Prior to that, he ministered for 12 years as a Discipleship and Teaching pastor in Northern Indiana. Bart has served in smaller, midsize churches with Sunday school models as well as small groups and is now at a church of 10K+ with 450 small groups. He’s also a certified life coach and trained in 3DM discipleship ministry.
Show Notes:
Traders Point Christian Church Resources
https://tpcc.org/
https://tpcc.org/group-leaders
We're going back to 2019 for this episode! Join Carolyn as she talks with Derek Olson on the challenges of childcare in small group ministries.
Since 2014, Peter Clow has served as a bi-vocational Discipleship Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in New Hampshire. He oversees the small groups ministry and also serves on the Senior Leadership Pastoral team, assisting in the teaching and preaching, and in the growth and vision of the church. Peter is an Air Force veteran who works full-time for BAE Systems, a leading defense and aerospace company as a manufacturing supervisor. Since 2018, Peter has been involved with the Small Group Network as a blogger and is currently the SGN NH State Leader.
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
Guest: Greg Anderson
Greg is originally from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and has been in full-time church-based ministry since 1996 as a small group pastor, most recently at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. He has been involved with SGN from the early days of its launch, and currently serves as the Southeast Regional Representative for the Small Group Network. Greg is currently on staff with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Palm Beach County Florida.
Along with beginning a recovery ministry at his church in South Carolina, He also has served as the National Training Coach for Celebrate Recovery in 2002, southeast regional director in 2003, and eventually became the first National Director for Celebrate Recovery in 2004.
SHOW NOTES
Reach Greg via email:
ganderson@fca.org Greg's website for Men's recovery group: mysafegroup.org
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
A panel discussion on how to overcome the typical barriers of getting new leaders, and how to identify, invite, and recruit new people to lead groups. Group Talk Podcast Panelists: Bill Search - Author of "Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders" and "Simple Small Groups" and serves as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City, OK Mark Kendall - Small Groups Pastor at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN and also serves as the North Central Regional Leader for the Small Group Network. Tommy Carreras - Tommy oversees care and community at Mission Church in Ventura, CA and helps to lead the Ventura County Small Group Network "Huddle."
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
A lot has changed since Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits was published 16 years ago describing the North Point Church's vision and strategies for group life. New realities, cultural shifts, technological changes, sociological dynamics, and organizational challenges have caused us to reevaluate our assumptions and strategies about small groups ministries. Listen to Bill share North Point's learnings and how we can adapt strategically and creatively for a thriving small groups ministry today.
Guest: Bill Willits is the Executive Director of Adult Ministry Environments for North Point Ministries (NPM). One of the founding staff members of North Point, Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He is also the co-author of the book, Creating Community with Andy Stanley, which was re-released in an updated and expanded edition in July, 2021. He and his team have helped connect thousands of adults into the benefits of group life.
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
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?
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
Since evangelism is critical part of discipleship, it is typically a high value for our churches. However, practically speaking, many of our groups do not engage regularly in intentional outreach to nonbelievers. In this episode with Joel Comiskey, we focus on why evangelism helps small groups thrive and how we can empower groups to engage in relational evangelism.
Joel is the founder of Joel Comiskey Group and has written numerous books on cell groups-based churches. Joel consults with churches, coaches pastors in small group ministries around the world, and actively leads a life-giving small group. Joel recently published a book with co-author Jim Egli titled, “Groups that Thrive: 8 Surprising Discoveries About Life Giving Small Groups.”
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
Guests on the Panel:
Bill Search is the author of Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders and Simple Small Groups. Currently serving as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City.
Heather Lee has served on staff at Crossroads Church in Manteca, California for 12 years and as the Groups Director for the last 4 years. She also serves on the SGN team as the Northern California Regional Leader.
Danny Bias is the Life Groups Champion at Newbreak Church in San Diego since 2014. Currently an blogger/author for the Small Group Network.
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
Most small group ministry leaders would agree that Bible study is a significant part of a small group. Yet, do our groups engage meaningfully with Scripture or are they just bouncing off verses during meetings?
- How well do we train our group leaders on working through a passage of the Bible and helping members interpret and understand God's Word for themselves?
- What can we do to increase our engagement with God's Word in groups?
Rev. Dr. Roberta Hestenes: As a pastor, Fuller seminary professor, Christian college president, international speaker, senior pastor and author, Rev. Dr. Roberta Hestenes has been a pioneering leader in Christian ministry 50+ years. She is the author of numerous books and publications including “Using the Bible in Groups” and a Bible commentary on 2 Corinthians and Galatians. She has lectured at more than 60 universities and seminaries and has received 8 honorary doctoral degrees. During her 15+ years on the theology faculty at Fuller Seminary, she initiated courses on small groups, women in ministry, and how to teach the Bible. She is an an ordained Presbyterian minister who currently serves as a teaching pastor at Bayside Granite Bay Church, near Sacramento.
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
Join ALL ACCESS! Are you ready to unlock your ministry's potential? Our ALL ACCESS plan includes
- courses from Steve Gladen and leading small group pastors from across the country.
- workshops
- quarterly coaching
- premium articles
- live digital events.
All for the price of $49 a month or $490 annually.
You even get half off in person events like the LOBBY and ACCELERATE
And to make it an even better deal, that one low price is a churchwide license. Everyone at your church is included. PLUS your WHOLE team gets half off the events. Meaning with this plan, your church can SAVE money and get your whole team trained and equipped.
Check it out today at https://smallgroupnetwork.com/allaccess ... your community, unlocked!
Do you "want to want to read the Bible?" Do you or your groups struggle to incorporate Bible reading as a regular habit? We talk with Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of the Bible Recap, a short digest of a daily bible reading. With millions of downloads, Tara Leigh has been enormously influential in helping people love to read and understand the Bible. She also believes that the Bible is best understood in the context of community, alongside one another in groups. So Tara-Leigh founded and leads D-Groups to deepen Biblical understanding, community, and accountability, and she shares how these discipleship groups can work in any church or community environment.
Links:
https://www.taraleighcobble.com/
https://www.thebiblerecap.com/
https://www.taraleighcobble.com/d-group
https://www.mydgroup.org/church
And of course, don't forget to check out the Small Group Network at https://smallgroupnetwork.com or join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact
ALIGN + ACCELERATE July 11-13, 2023
ALIGN is the small groups ministry essentials workshop. Perfect for people new to groups or who are considering launching groups at their church.
ACCELERATE is a 2 day intensive workshop for a small group point person who wants to develop an 18 month strategic plan for growth or revitalization.
Your team can attend ALIGN or ACCELERATE or get a discounted rate for attending both. For those attending all 3, lodging and lunches are included in the price! And don't forget, ALL ACCESS members always get 50% off all events.
We'll see you there! https://smallgroupnetwork.com/conferences/
We would all agree that small group leaders need the support, mentoring, and care that a coaching system can provide, but it continues to be an area of ministry that is challenging, and often a source of confusion and frustration. In this exclusive interview, Host Carolyn Taketa talks with Allen White about issues related to coaching, especially the top 5 common mistakes for small group point people to avoid!
Allen White coaches churches in launching exponential groups. In over 25 years of ministry, he has served on staff at two churches: New Life Christian Center in Turlock, CA and Brookwood Church in Simpsonville, SC. He has coached over 1,500 churches across North America. Allen is the author of Exponential Groups: Unleashing Your Church's Potential.
Dr. David Wang is a licensed psychologist and associate professor of psychology and pastoral counseling at the Rosemead School of Psychology, at Biola University. He is the editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology and serves on the editorial board for Spirituality in Clinical Practice (an APA journal). He also leads research funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Foundation investigating the spiritual and character/virtue development of seminary students. Dr. Wang teaches and speaks internationally, maintains a small clinical practice in Fullerton, CA and is the pastor of spiritual formation at One Life City Church
Since evangelism is critical part of discipleship, it is typically a high value for our churches. However, practically speaking, many of our groups do not engage regularly in intentional outreach to nonbelievers. In this episode with Joel Comiskey, we focus on why evangelism helps small groups thrive and how we can empower groups to engage in relational evangelism.
Joel is the founder of Joel Comiskey Group and has written numerous books on cell groups-based churches. Joel consults with churches, coaches pastors in small group ministries around the world, and actively leads a life-giving small group. Joel recently published a book with co-author Jim Egli titled, “Groups that Thrive: 8 Surprising Discoveries About Life Giving Small Groups.”
Pioneer of small groups ministry in the United States, Carl George has been an influential voice in churches for decades. Here, Carl shares his thoughts on the small groups movement over the years including trends, concerns, and the future of small groups ministry in the current cultural context. Carl George, an internationally recognized church consultant, has helped congregations and leaders in over 100 denominations to increase their effectiveness. An experienced Pastor, Church Growth Institute director, and author, Carl has guided small group ministry design in many influential churches. Just click the play button at the top of this post to enjoy this insightful discussion!
Topic: A question we frequently field from our small group leaders is, "What should we study?" There is an overwhelming range of materials and topics to choose from and it is critical to choose curriculum wisely. What a group chooses to study has a significant impact on group dynamics and spiritual growth. On this podcast, we discuss some issues to consider when choosing small group curriculum.
Guest: Chris Surratt
Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than 24 years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Team at Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and Seacoast Church in Charleston, South Carolina, prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Group Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. chrissurratt.com.
Bio:
Since 2017, Bart has been serving at Traders Point Christian Church, a multi-site congregation in Indianapolis, IN with 5 campuses, as their Lead Groups Minister, Campus Pastor for their 2000+ site, and on their Leadership Team. Prior to that, he ministered for 12 years as a Discipleship and Teaching pastor in Northern Indiana. Bart has served in smaller, midsize churches with Sunday school models as well as small groups and is now at a church of 10K+ with 450 small groups. He’s also a certified life coach and trained in 3DM discipleship ministry.
Show Notes:
Traders Point Christian Church Resources
https://tpcc.org/
https://tpcc.org/group-leaders
Since 2014, Peter Clow has served as a bi-vocational Discipleship Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in New Hampshire. He oversees the small groups ministry and also serves on the Senior Leadership Pastoral team, assisting in the teaching and preaching, and in the growth and vision of the church. Peter is an Air Force veteran who works full-time for BAE Systems, a leading defense and aerospace company as a manufacturing supervisor. Since 2018, Peter has been involved with the Small Group Network as a blogger and is currently the SGN NH State Leader.
A lot has changed since Creating Community, by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits was published 16 years ago describing the North Point Church's vision and strategies for group life. New realities, cultural shifts, technological changes, sociological dynamics, and organizational challenges have caused us to reevaluate our assumptions and strategies about small groups ministries. Listen to Bill share North Point's learnings and how we can adapt strategically and creatively for a thriving small groups ministry today.
Guest: Bill Willits is the Executive Director of Adult Ministry Environments for North Point Ministries (NPM). One of the founding staff members of North Point, Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He is also the co-author of the book, Creating Community with Andy Stanley, which was re-released in an updated and expanded edition in July, 2021. He and his team have helped connect thousands of adults into the benefits of group life.
NOTES:
North Point Small Group Resources
Why God Why Podcast
Virtual Lobby
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?
Guests on the Panel:
Bill Search is the author of Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders and Simple Small Groups. Currently serving as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City.
Heather Lee has served on staff at Crossroads Church in Manteca, California for 12 years and as the Groups Director for the last 4 years. She also serves on the SGN team as the Northern California Regional Leader.
Danny Bias is the Life Groups Champion at Newbreak Church in San Diego since 2014. Currently an blogger/author for the Small Group Network.
For more information on Ruth Haley Barton check out her website at https://www.ruthhaleybarton.com/ and learn more about the Transforming Center at https://transformingcenter.org/
Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again
Early Release from IV Press: https://www.ivpress.com/embracing-rhythms-of-work-and-rest
Amazon (Oct 11): https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Rhythms-Work-Rest-Sabbatical/dp/1514002639
This episode really just took a surface level look at Sabbath and barely even introduced the topic of sabbatical. If you want to go deeper, check out Ruth Haley Barton's book, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest by winning a copy from us or by purchasing an early release copy directly from Intervarsity Press. Or you can wait for the regular release in October and buy it from Amazon.
We will be giving out a pair of the books and their are two different ways to enter. We will choose the winners via a random drawing on September 7th. The first method of entering is to leave a review for this podcast on your podcast player of choice. It doesn't even have to be a good review, it can be any review. Just take a screenshot of your review and send it to me at info@lumivoz.com
The second method is to find lumivoz on Facebook and leave a comment on the contest post with your favorite or best sabbath tip.
You can enter both ways and as many times as you link in order to win. Good luck! I can't wait to talk with you on the next 5th Wednesday!
Most small group ministry leaders would agree that Bible study is a significant part of a small group. Yet, do our groups engage meaningfully with Scripture or are they just bouncing off verses during meetings?
- How well do we train our group leaders on working through a passage of the Bible and helping members interpret and understand God's Word for themselves?
- What can we do to increase our engagement with God's Word in groups?
Rev. Dr. Roberta Hestenes: As a pastor, Fuller seminary professor, Christian college president, international speaker, senior pastor and author, Rev. Dr. Roberta Hestenes has been a pioneering leader in Christian ministry 50+ years. She is the author of numerous books and publications including “Using the Bible in Groups” and a Bible commentary on 2 Corinthians and Galatians. She has lectured at more than 60 universities and seminaries and has received 8 honorary doctoral degrees. During her 15+ years on the theology faculty at Fuller Seminary, she initiated courses on small groups, women in ministry, and how to teach the Bible. She is an an ordained Presbyterian minister who currently serves as a teaching pastor at Bayside Granite Bay Church, near Sacramento.
Guest: Dr. Bill Donahue
Dr. Bill Donahue, Ph.D., focuses his work on building transformational leaders, groups and teams. He is a conference speaker, author and strategic voice in areas of leadership development, community-building, and strategic vision. Bill’s work blends his corporate and church experience as he serves clients in both arenas. After 18 years at Willow Creek – at the church and the Association – Bill joined the faculty of Trinity International University and leads the Doctor of Ministry Program there, training over 100 church leaders and pastors. Bill has published or co-authored over a dozen books and training resources for all levels of leadership, including the best-selling Leading Life-changing Small Groups, Coaching Life-Changing Leaders, Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry, the DVD training series Making Small Groups Work, and most recently The Irresistible Community.
https://drbilldonahue.com/
A panel discussion on how to overcome the typical barriers of getting new leaders, and how to identify, invite, and recruit new people to lead groups. Group Talk Podcast Panelists: Bill Search - Author of "Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders" and "Simple Small Groups" and serves as Executive Pastor of Ministries at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City, OK Mark Kendall - Small Groups Pastor at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN and also serves as the North Central Regional Leader for the Small Group Network. Tommy Carreras - Tommy oversees care and community at Mission Church in Ventura, CA and helps to lead the Ventura County Small Group Network "Huddle."
"What unites us is much greater than what divides us." This quote by Pope John XXIII is so applicable to this conversation with Kelly Lippenholz from Church of the Nativity - a dynamic Catholic congregation deeply committed to discipleship and community through small groups.
Kelly shares about the power of a personal invitation from her own story, how Church of the Nativity developed a new culture of community in a Catholic church context, how they executed very successful group launches, and how they integrated groups as the primary pathway for discipleship. Kelly and her small groups team are valuable members of the Small Group Network and you can interact with them on our Facebook page.
Bio:
Kelly Lippenholz began her career in ministry at Church of the Nativity, a parish in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland when she began volunteering with the Youth Ministry program and leading a small group of 6th grade girls. Those girls are now in college and Kelly is in her 10th year of vocational ministry. She spent six years withYouth Ministry - writing curriculum, delivering messages, planning retreats, and training for 200 Next Gen ministers. A few years ago, she transitioned into her current role at Nativity as Director of Adult Discipleship where she oversees several ministries including small groups, member care, missions, and adult ministry.
Links:
https://www.churchnativity.com/groups/
klippenholz@churchnativity.com
We talk with the authors of a compelling new book, "Leading Small Groups that Thrive: Five Shifts to take your group to the next level." Based on extensive research, this book provides insights and practical how-tos on building small groups that are healthy, effective, and transformational.
https://thrivinggroups.com/
Jason Sniff is the pastor of small groups at Eastview Christian church in Normal, Illinois, and a licensed professional counselor with over 15 years of experience in developing group life within the private and public sectors.
Courtney Davis has a PhD in Organizational Communication. She is the Associate Professor of Communication Management at Azusa Pacific University, where she teaches organizational, small group, and professional communication.
What are younger generations looking for from churches, small groups, and leaders? What are some unique markers of this generation? What does it look like for them to deconstruct their faith? Join us for this conversation with Saddleback's Development Pastor Dave Alford, who has worked with younger generations for decades both in ministry and higher education to learn how we can better care for, minister to, and engage young adults in our lives, in our churches, on our staffs, and in our communities.
Bio:
Dave Alford Is Pastor of Leadership Development at Saddleback Church where his team oversees small groups, next steps, interns, and ministries to men, women, and singles. Dave’s background includes experience in business, pastoral ministry, and higher education. Dave also writes, coaches, and speaks about leadership. Dave has a Bachelors degree from UC Davis, an MBA from USC, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University.
Show Notes:
Contact Dave at dalford@saddleback.com
For this topic, Dave recommends: The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt (2018)
Guests: Rex & Andrea Minor
Intro:
How has your marriage been impacted by working at a church? How are you navigating the unique stressors of vocational ministry and its influence on your marriage? What are some ways we can build and sustain a healthy marriage that helps us thrive in ministry? In honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, this episode focuses on how you can maintain and grow a healthy marriage when you work in ministry.
Bios:
Rex Minor: Over the last 30 years, Rex has been involved in various pastoral positions in the areas of discipleship, spiritual formation, small groups, support/recovery groups and as an executive pastor. He has served in senior leadership roles in large churches in several states. Rex is currently on staff at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA in the area of care and support ministries,
Andrea Minor: Andrea has been in vocational ministry for over 25 years in large churches in Illinois, Colorado and California. She has led in the areas of children’s ministries, women’s ministries, creative arts, weekend experiences, and also served as a small groups pastor. Currently she is a minister on the 301 team at Saddleback Church, helping others find and use their spiritual gifts in the life of the church.
Rex and Andrea have been married for 40 lovely years and have three married grown children and four adorable grandchildren.
Do you "want to want to read the Bible?" Do you or your groups struggle to incorporate Bible reading as a regular habit? We talk with Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of the Bible Recap, a short digest of a daily bible reading. With millions of downloads, Tara Leigh has been enormously influential in helping people love to read and understand the Bible. She also believes that the Bible is best understood in the context of community, alongside one another in groups. So Tara-Leigh founded and leads D-Groups to deepen Biblical understanding, community, and accountability, and she shares how these discipleship groups can work in any church or community environment.
Links:
https://www.taraleighcobble.com/
https://www.thebiblerecap.com/
https://www.taraleighcobble.com/d-group
https://www.mydgroup.org/church
And of course, don't forget to check out the Small Group Network at https://smallgroupnetwork.com or join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SGNContact
We're all working hard to progress in our ministries and our personal journeys with Christ. Here's how we can learn from each other as we get from here to there.
Here To There focuses on moving from Here, wherever you are as an individual in your personal life, leadership, or church ministry, to There, the preferred future that God has for us.
Each monthly episode features a conversation with someone in small groups ministry, authors, thought leaders, and pastors. We discuss topics that can be helpful, informative, or even powerful for you the listener.
A monthly podcast by Carolyn Taketa. Here To There releases on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Carolyn Taketa serves as the Executive Director of Small Groups at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California, where she has been on staff since 2005. She oversees all aspects of the small-group ministry, participates in Calvary's senior leadership team, and contributes to planning weekend services. Prior to vocational ministry, Carolyn was a litigation attorney (University of California, Berkeley School of Law).