Group Training Aug 2010

We had a last minute Community Group Leader training last Saturday. Two of the groups gurus from North Point Community Church came to help us train our group leaders and Host Team. For those of you who were able to make it, it was great. Great information, great learnings and key insights into how to make groups work. For those who were unable, here is the handout and some key thoughts I wrote down from the training.

7 Key Learnings that Make Community Groups Great & Long Lasting

1. Everything rise and falls on leadership
   - We need to train leaders well, North Point gets them together 5x a year for training and 3x a year 1-on-1 meetings with their groups  director
   - Equip Leaders
   - Trust Leaders
   - Leaders Must be PASSIONATE about their groups
   - The church must POUR into the Leaders
2. Keep relationships a priority
   -  Leaders must decide that “I may disagree with you, but our relationship is more important than being right”
3. Celebrate the small wins along the way
   - More often than not you will experience hundreds of SMALL WINS and not very many or any BIG WINS
   - Share EVERY WIN, no matter what size with the church staff and your group because these stories motivate us to apply God’s word and encourages others to share their wins – it creates momentum
4. Whenever possible ask questions rather than make statements, everyone learns more than way
   - Ask questions to get to the bottom of this
   - “Why do you think that?”
   - “Why do you feel that way?”
5. Share the group facilitation, it allows others in your group to stretch themselves and grow
   - Identify potential group leaders within your small group because one day you will need to multiply your group
   - Allow newer believers to lead a week because they will spend MORE TIME IN THE WORD that week than ANYBODY else…they don’t want to look like they don’t know what they’re talking about AND it will start to teach them to feed him or herself instead of relying on others to provide spiritual food
6. Care opportunities are difficult at times but can be major catalysts for growth
   - If someone has a difficult personality and it hard to handle in the group, make sure he/she doesn’t poison the group – love them, meet them where they are at, but don’t let them dominate the group with their negativity
7. End well, talk about it early and often
   - Groups are broken down like this: first 8 week is a dating period, if things aren’t clicking people can switch. After 8 weeks the group becomes closed to new people (unless everyone in the group agrees to open it up to someone). That group will stay closed until it multiplies. Multiplication needs to happen in the 18-24 month mark.
   - If groups stay together past 30 months, typically they dissolve because the group has reached it’s relational and spiritual stagnation point

Other Learnings:

*as a leader you are responsible for what is said, theologically, in your groups

*community group leadership is an art, not a science

*community group leadership challenges how much you lean on God because people will come with real questions and hurts and you need to rely on the Holy Spirit to give you the right words to say

Curriculum can be chosen and ordered from this website: groupcurriculum.org

Questions? Email us.

Training: Active Listening Skills

Many of us have problems really listening to people. Often times we find ourselves waiting for the other one to finish so that we can begin talking. And if this is not a problem we face personally, it is very likely that our groups struggle when it come to really listening to what the other members are saying. Fran Lamattina a staff member of the Groups Department at North Point Community Church and professional consultant, answers these questions and more as she helps us understand the importance of really learning to listen to people in our Community Groups.

Download the study guide here.

The Grieving Process

Here at New Vintage Church we are committed to closing the back door of our church. That includes a large emphasis on community groups. Periodically we will be posting training material on this blog to help create the best community group experience possible. Thank you for your service.

There are always going to be times when our community groups need to step up and help people in your groups. Watch this video to help learn how and when we should step in to help. Click to download page 1 and page 2 of the corresponding notes.

One of the most difficult things to deal with as a group leader is when a group member experiences a major loss in their life. Helping people through the grieving process can be a very difficult and trying time for a group, but it can also be a time when some of the most significant ministry happens. In this video, Judy Wolfe, a professional counselor, helps us better understand what to expect when someone experiences a major loss and how to best help them through it. It is very helpful information that will help you lead your group in some of the most difficult times you face together.

more about “Groups Training: The Grieving Process…“, posted with vodpod