small groups | More Than Dodgeball

Josh GriffinMore Posts 4 Reasons Why We Have Small Groups

Writing up a whole new batch of leader training this year for our small group leaders. Here’s some of the “why” I’ve been writing about small groups:

CARE: Small groups make the large group small
We like the anonymity our large group program provides, but love the attention to individuals that small groups give. Instead of being an unknown in a crowd, we help students be known and loved as an individual young man or woman.

COMMUNITY: They are an integral part of our discipleship process
The weekend service is just the beginning – we want to encourage students to take spiritual steps forward in our process. Small groups is that next step, and is the gateway to other parts of the journey like serving and growing deeper in their faith. A breakdown at this level can hinder spiritual growth.

WISDOM: There is power in an adult life intersecting with students’ lives
There are all sorts of influences in a student’s life – we believe that pairing them with a well-trained, loving leader is a powerful way for them to grow spiritually and taste spiritual community. Someone down the path of life a little further can provide impactful insight, encouragement and warnings in the life of a high school student.

ACCOUNTABILITY: In community there is plenty of positive peer pressure and reinforcement
Being in a small group with other committed Christians encourages students to grow together, to make wise decisions, and have present accountability speaking into their lives. We imagine a place where students are encouraged on God’s path and wise decisions are encouraged – and when someone makes a poor choice they are greeted with love and a push back onto God’s path. Small groups provide that environment of attention.

Why do you have small groups?

JG

4 View Comments September 9, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts LIVE Small Groups

Andy has been telling me that The LIVE cirriculum has been doing super well for youth ministries – it was just launched a few weeks ago and is super cool. Thank him for this commercial and check it out!

Youth leaders will experience a bountiful abundance of benefits. (Wasn’t that the name of an old hymn?) Because you’ll have your long-range plans locked down, you can devote more time to equipping your volunteers and building excitement in students about upcoming topics through creative promotions. And of course, you’ll save yourself countless hours of planning.

But wait! There’s more! You know what your small groups will be discussing six months from now, so parents will gain more confidence in your ministry, and along the way, you’ll provide them with resources to spark conversation and dialogue in the home. And if we’re serious about getting families involved in our youth ministries, how can you go wrong with that?

JG

2 View Comments September 3, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts When to Buy Youth Ministry Resources

You’ve got a limited budget for your youth ministry - if you’ve got one at all. Maybe you’ve had some cuts this year, or maybe you’re in the rare group that even got a little budget bump. Here’s when I think are the best times to buy youth ministry resources:

Late Summer – small group material, volunteer training/development
Right now is the best time to check out potential resources for your small groups. Check out curriculum from a few different sources, and be sure to download samples to make sure it fits in your context. Think about building your volunteer team as well, look for good resources to pour into your people and help them become better youth workers.
Some suggestions: LIVE, 99 Thoughts for Youth Workers (ha!), Youth Leader Training on the Go

Fall – personal development books/tools
November and December are slow months for me personally (small groups are going, campaign is over, the big kickoffs and back-to-school launch are done) so during the holidays I like to read. Pick a few books that you’ve been wanting to read, order them and be sure you make the time to read them, too.
Some suggestions: Thriving Youth Groups, Sustainable Youth Ministry, Speaking to Teenagers

Winter – updates to small group curriculum, retreat help
Winter is the time when most youth ministries work hard to carry over the momentum from the fall. The weather has changed, and the “newness” of the year has faded. Take some time to research possible retreat centers or winter camps, then find some resources to help you pull it off. I like to do some mid-year evaluation on our small group materials then, too.
Some suggestions: Camp in a Can, Guy Talk Girl Talk

Spring - summer materials, missions trip stuff
Youth ministry usually changes in the summer, so change up your resources to go with it. Try something new – maybe go for something unexpected. Also, most missions and workcamps happen around Spring Break and summer, so think of what tools will help your missions effort, too.
Some suggestions: Mission Trips from Start to Finish, Prepare Go Live

Sales – everything
Whenever there’s a sale on stuff you’ve been looking to pick up for your youth ministry, pick it up to stretch that dollar even further. Buying many things at once helps to save on shipping from online retailers, too.
Some clearance suggestions: Igniter Videos, Youth Ministry in the 21st Century, Every Young Man’s Battle

When do you buy youth ministry resources?

JG

3 View Comments August 30, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts WINNER! LIVE Online Small Group Curriculum

The big contest over the weekend had a ton of entries in the form of comments – everyone vying to win Simply Youth Ministry’s new LIVE small group curriculum and online leader center. The winner was JR, he will receive a username and password to LIVE and get Year One absolutely free (a $499 value).

There’s been some solid buzz around the new 4-year youth ministry curriculum resource and unique delivery method to volunteers, if you haven’t checked it out you can right here and since you didn’t win (sorry, man), maybe consider picking it up.

Congrats, JR!

JG

3 View Comments August 3, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts CONTEST: LIVE Small Group Giveaway

Have you checked out the LIVE Curriculum yet? Starting this week, Year 1 is live! It is a brand new 4-year small group curriculum and leader website that allows you to communiate with your small group leaders and plan out the small group lessons. Check out the video above or the product detail page for more details.

And I’m giving away right here on the blog! All you have to do is leave a comment on any post in the next 10 days and I’ll select a random winner of this $499 prize next weekend. You in? Leave a comment today! And by the way – if you choose to pre-order LIVE today or tomorrow, they’ll give you a free $50 gift card to SYM, too.

JG

UPDATE: We’ll pick the winner THIS Monday instead!

76 View Comments July 30, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts LIVE Online Small Group Site Launched

I blogged the other day that Simply Youth Ministry’s LIVE 4-year small group curriculum was about to launch, and now they’ve released a mini-site explaining how it works and doling out free samples. Pretty slick stuff – you can deliver all of your small group leader material online and communicate at a central hub with your leaders, too. We’re starting to move HSM in this direction this coming year, putting it through its tests right now.

JG

1 View Comments July 3, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts 5 Must-Have People on Your Team

Talking to a youth worker this week about where to start with a total “do-over” of their youth ministry. The paid youth worker left, and they’re about to basically start over from scratch. As we talked it reminded me of when I first transitioned a ministry toward the purposes. Here’s where I would start – find 5 key volunteers, each who are passionate about a purpose:

EVANGELISM DIRECTOR – I want someone on the team who will passionately seek out after the students who aren’t in our church yet. A volunteer who will lead our ministry’s heartbeat for the lost, and always remind us of who Jesus came to save. This person loves that Jesus came for the world and wants to bring the world inside your church. I love these people, but a quick warning: they usually shake up some senior pastors.

FELLOWSHIP DIRECTOR – I want someone on the team who cares most about fellowship. In our setting, someone who is all about small groups. Someone who bleeds connecting, someone who has experienced community and knows that for students to make it they need to get inside it. A person who will encourage and train our leaders to help students open up and get the gunk of life out on the table.

DISCIPLESHIP DIRECTOR – I want someone on the team who cares deeply about helping students grow on their own. Someone who wants to teach Bible lessons beyond the weekend, someone who wants to find or create resources to help get students into the Word.

MINISTRY DIRECTOR – I want someone on the team who lives to help get students to serve. Who wants to take students that are gifted and help them use their talents for God. Who sees needs and sees the solution in students. Someone who constantly asks, “why isn’t a student doing that?”

WORSHIP DIRECTOR – I want someone on the team that cares deeply about celebrating God’s presence. The person has to think much bigger than music, and create an experience and environment where people who visit feel it, are moved and can’t wait come back.

These people by default will not get along – and your role as a leader is to orchestrate them together. Everyone must work in concert – so that your students will live out biblical purposes in their lives. If you’re the leader, start building this team today.

JG

1 View Comments July 3, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts 4-Year Small Group Plan

This has been a long time coming – I blogged about a 4-year plan that Simply Youth Ministry was developing for small groups forever ago – and here it is! The LIVE cirriculum just went live – check it out!

JG

3 View Comments June 25, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Jessica Torres — Newest Member of the HSM Team

I’m very excited to announce today a new addition to the HSM team here at Saddleback – Jessica Torres is joining us to serve High School students here in Orange County. She blogs less then she Twitters and has a huge heart for volunteers, small groups and students. She’ll fit in great!

JG

3 View Comments June 8, 2009

Josh GriffinMore Posts Small Group Promo Slides

This week at PDYM, Doug Fields taught a point about making sure the next step was clear from the entry-level weekend service to small groups. It hit me – it was happening, but we weren’t doing it super well right now!

We do promo joining a small group from stage from time to time, it is part of a message every month or so – there are even applications to join a small group at the info area. But, we wanted to make sure it showed up visually, too. Here’s what we came up with, rotating in with the announcement/welcome slides. Silly fun.

JG

UPDATE: Added links to HD versions of each promo slide.