Synopsis
Group Talk is a podcast centered around strategic ideas for leaders of small groups. Whether you are stuck in your ministry, or you are just looking for practical wisdom to help you in your ministry context, the Small Group Network (SGN) exists to keep you supported, inspired and informed so no small group point person stands alone. #SGNet
Episodes
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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: Christian Essentials w/ John Dickerson
17/02/2021 Duration: 45minSmall Group Network Events ★ Support this podcast ★
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HERE TO THERE: Digital Disciple Making
10/02/2021 Duration: 39minBio: 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 National survey from Disciplship.org and Exponential on the state of discipleship in the U.S: https://discipleship-org.s3.amazonaws.com/text/ebooks/Final+2020_National_Study_Report.pdf?ck_subscriber_id=134266632 Lobby Conference - Feb 23-24 2021 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-lobby-gathering-2021-tickets-130297863417 ★ Support this
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INSIDE SADDLEBACK: 3 Areas for Your Groups to Shine in Today’s Culture
03/02/2021 Duration: 46minAbortion stats Top 10 SGN highlights of 2020 Pastor Rick's Sermon Notes https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/your-small-groups-role-against-racism https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/developing-an-anti-racist-culture-in-your-small-group 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 ★
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Reading Lenz: What Pixar Teaches Us About Small Groups
27/01/2021 Duration: 46minThis month SGN's own Daniel Thomas joins the show to breakdown the book Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Edward Catmull. Edward is the co-founder of Pixar makes of hit movies such as Toy Story, Monster Inc. Finding Nemo and much more. In this episode we will touch on topics of embracing change, seeking the best in your small groups, perfectionism, and the importance of honesty and candor. Next Month's Book: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss ★ Support this podcast ★
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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: Keys To a Better Year
20/01/2021 Duration: 28minBill discusses author and pastor Mel Lawrenz’s newest book and how to have a much better 2021. Virtual Lobby Gathering 2021 - Save 30% by using promo code SAVECASH ★ Support this podcast ★
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HERE TO THERE: How to Engage Your Senior Pastor In Groups w/ Allen White
13/01/2021 Duration: 37minHow engaged is your senior pastor in the small groups ministry? When senior leadership is on board and talking often about groups from the platform, the church is likely to make groups a higher priority and will have more groups, more leaders, and more impact on discipleship. So how do you get your senior pastor more engaged? What are some practical steps you can take to align the groups' ministry with your senior leadership? Allen White has led small group and discipleship ministries for over 30 years. He is a pastor, a ministry consultant, and an author. He has coached over 1,500 churches and is the author of four books including his latest book, Leading Online Small Groups: Embracing the Church's Digital Future. "Should I stay or should I go?" https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-podcast "Five things not to do when coaching small groups" https://grouptalksgn.libsyn.com/top-5-things-not-to-do-when-coaching-small-group-leaders-podcast ★ Support this podcast ★
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INSIDE SADDLEBACK: Current and Future Group Trends w/ Rick Warren
06/01/2021 Duration: 33minRick Warren Part 2 Virtual Lobby 2021 ★ Support this podcast ★
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GROUP TALK UNITED: 12 Silver Linings from 2020
30/12/2020 Duration: 43minVirtual Lobby Gathering Event Don't forget the promo code SAVECASH to save 30% ★ Support this podcast ★
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READING LENZ: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
23/12/2020 Duration: 42minThis month Erin Burton from Downtown Community Church in Jersey City, NJ stops by to breakdown the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Tune in as we share how we can best lead and care for the introverts in our small group communities. Lighting Round Books: The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships Next Month's Book: Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration ★ Support this podcast ★
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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: 10 Commitments for 2021
16/12/2020 Duration: 20minIt’s that time of year when we look forward to new possibilities. Some call them “resolutions.” At some point as 2020 wraps up and we look forward it’s natural to consider how the next year could be different. How can we grow, deepen, and develop? Bill offers “Ten Commitment” that with spur on new personal and professional growth. ★ Support this podcast ★
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HERE TO THERE: Bi-vocational Pastors and Why You Want Them in Your Groups Ministry
09/12/2020 Duration: 36minSince 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. ★ Support this podcast ★
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INSIDE SADDLEBACK: Four 2020 Crisis Fatigue Busters
02/12/2020 Duration: 33minhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-crime-and-justice-doctor/202008/crisis-fatigue-and-the-covid-19-pandemic https://hbr.org/2001/01/the-making-of-a-corporate-athlete ★ Support this podcast ★
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READING LENZ: Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging with Tommy Carreras
25/11/2020 Duration: 44minShow Notes: This month on Reading Lenz we cover Tribe by Sebastian Junger. Join us as we learn how modernity is affecting community. Our guest Tommy Carreras from Mission Ventura will be with us helping break down this fantastic book. Former Shows Referenced: Extreme Ownership Canoeing the Mountain Lighting Round References: Mission's Change Workshop (Michael Dye's recovery content) ► missionventura.com/changeworkshop Unhindered: Aligning the Story of Your Heart ► https://www.amazon.com/Unhindered-Aligning-Story-Your-Heart/dp/1950718743 ★ Support this podcast ★
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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: Dealing with Leadership Challenges in the Covid Era
18/11/2020 Duration: 22minSHOW NOTES: Kids Small Groups ★ Support this podcast ★
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HERE TO THERE: How Do Leaders and Groups Learn Best? w/ Josh Rose, PhD
11/11/2020 Duration: 37minTopic: Here are some questions we address in this episode: What is learning theory and how does it apply to small groups? What needs to be in place for group learning to be effective? How do you tailor curriculum and leadership training to different generations and various types of learners? Guest: Josh Rose, PhD Josh Rose has led small groups for nearly 20 years and has served as a small groups pastor for 15 years. He currently serves as Group Life Pastor at Rush Creek Church, a multi-site church in the DFW area and also serves on Rush Creek’s strategic leadership team. In addition, Josh serves as an adjunct professor of Christian Education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dallas Baptist University, and B.H. Carroll Theological Institute. Recently, Josh began a new part-time role at Southwestern Seminary as Program Director for the new Doctor of Education degree. SHOW NOTES 6 Habits of Groups That Actually Learn ((6) min or less vlogs) https://rushcreek.org/six-habits-of-groups/
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INSIDE SADDLEBACK: 4 Ways to Reset for 2021
04/11/2020 Duration: 35minCourses Conferences Crisis Fatigue Article ★ Support this podcast ★
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READING LENZ: Canoeing the Mountain w/ Kiersten Telzerow
28/10/2020 Duration: 42minThis month on Reading Lenz we cover Canoeing the Mountain by Tod Bolsinger. Join us as we learn how to navigate uncharted territory of small group ministry. To help carry the canoe over the mountain, this week's guest Small Group Network's own Northeast Regional Leader Kiersten Telzerow. Kiersten is also the Groups Director at National Community Church in our nation's capital. ★ Support this podcast ★
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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: The Problem of Discipleship
21/10/2020 Duration: 22minThe leadership journey requires a clear destination, otherwise we aren’t on a journey we’re just wandering around. Small groups have always been portrayed as an integral part of making discipleship. But what does that even mean? We use words like, “disciple” and “discipleship” but most of the time it’s surrounded by haze. It’s cluttered with feeling and impressions but without strong definition. Where did we even get the “D" word? As we explore the development of the term we’ll ask ourselves if this is the best we can do? Small Group Network Events ★ Support this podcast ★
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HERE TO THERE: Mental Health – Can Anyone be in a Small Group?
14/10/2020 Duration: 55minDr. 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 https://www.drdavidcwang.com/about-dr-wang For Dr. Wang's sermons on Lament: https://www.onelifecitychurch.org/sermons Online Small Groups Training ★ Support this podcast ★
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INSIDE SADDLEBACK: 4 Areas Where Change Must Happen
07/10/2020 Duration: 43minNew Online Small Group Course 2021 Training Events Saddleback Small Groups SOCIOLOGIST STUDY: Following the turn of the century, sociologist Chaeyoon Lim, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison, and his associate, political scientist Robert Putnam, Ph.D., Harvard University, demonstrated that religious people are more satisfied with their lives than nonreligious people. Surprisingly however they found that it’s not the relationship with God or spiritual factors, like Bible reading, that makes the devout happier. Instead, the satisfaction boost comes from closer ties to others who are sharing the experience. The social aspect of religion, rather than the theological or spiritual aspects of religion, is what made people more satisfied with their lives, because of their social networks within their faith community. As congregational affiliation [“attendance”] plummeted in the U.S., Lim and Putnam followed up their initial study with another study that went even deeper. The results of that study is report