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Articles by Carter Moss
Could Short-Term Groups Be Right for Your Church?
Image: Isabel Pavia | Getty Could Short-Term Groups Be Right for Your Church? Small-groups based on topic or affinity—and a time limit—are an attractive option for some. Mark Ingmire There are many types of small groups: Bible study, fellowship, support, affinity, life stage, and more. Regardless of focus, though, there are only two types of groups: short-term and long-term. Which type works best for your church? Short-term groups begin with a specific end date.
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Ask the Experts: Small Groups and Sunday School
Ask the Experts: Small Groups and Sunday School Rick Howerton is a church consultant in the south-central region of Kentucky Rick Howerton and Bill Search During challenging days of ministry, I always knew whom to call. Rick Howerton has a warm, kind, indefatigable personality. He’s a pastor to pastors. Many years ago, when I was serving a church in Kentucky and he was working at LifeWay in Nashville, he asked me to participate in a panel discussion about small groups and Sunday school.
How to Deal with Bitterness and Resentment
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Jenny was 92 years old when she died. For the 50 years I knew Jenny, she told the story over and over of a time her sister would not give her the dollar she needed for a pair of shoes. Her details made it seem like the offense had happened just days ago. She'd retold the story so many times she had memorized every tidbit. One message came through loud and clear. She would never forgive her sister for withholding that dollar from her.
By Anne M. Peterson Verified, Gordon Alex MacDonald, Gordon W Macdonald, Carter Moss, Carolyn Arends
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Christianity Today
Verified
Recruiting Without a Church-Wide Campaign
Recruiting Without a Church-Wide Campaign Strategies for identifying and inviting people to lead a small-group Andrew Wheeler, Steven Reames, Carter Moss, Tom Bandy, Stef Coleman, B Roberta Hastenes, John Atkinson, Randall Neighbour Success of a small-group ministry is determined by the qualified pool of potential small-group leaders available. Creating this pool of potentials can be daunting and seem impossible without having a large scale campaign.
What to Look for in New Leaders
What to Look for in New Leaders Understanding biblical character traits—and standards—to identify new leaders for small groups. Andrew Wheeler What to Look for in New Leaders Choosing leaders is an important responsibility, so much so that Paul charged Timothy to appoint overseers for the church at Ephesus, and left Titus on the island of Crete specifically for that purpose. He gave them both guidelines as to what to look for in church leaders (1 Tim. 3:1–12; Titus 1:5–9).
Learn to Listen | Christian Bible Studies
When we are in step with the Spirit, we wait patiently for the other person to communicate. When we are in tune with the Spirit we realize we are not the reason our listener was blessed, refreshed, or encouraged. God is the source, and sometimes we get the privilege of being used in the process. God tells us in James 1:19, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." We apply this verse when we learn to listen well.
How to Increase Regular Commitment to Small Groups
“I can't come tonight?I have to take my daughter to soccer practice.” “We’re out of town this weekend for our son’s travelling baseball team.” “We won’t be there next week?we’re celebrating our anniversary.” And so it goes. Week after week, group members miss due to some conflict?and in any conflict, small group seems to lose out. Life happens, conflicts do arise, and small group is not the only priority for our members.
Personal Wisdom | Small Groups
If you could give any advice to your younger self, what would you say and at which age? Leader note: People can have fun with this question by giving humorous answers, but it can also lead to some deep introspective discussion, so you can decide how you want to use it (I like encouraging both kinds of answers).
Impact | Small Groups
Who has had a profound impact on your life, and why? Leader note: This is a more serious question so it works better with groups that are at a place where they’re sharing more honestly with each other, but it’s a powerful one. It challenges people to think through the different individuals that have made an impact on their lives, so this question works great in a study that’s communicating the importance of investing in others, discipling them, and leaving a legacy with our lives.
Fiction Mirrors Reality
What movie or TV show best describes your life so far? Which one do you hope describes your life moving forward? Leader note: This is a tougher question that will push people to think a bit deeper, so use it after a group has gotten to know each other and is more comfortable being authentic. It can work well for discussions about the trajectory of life, how God wants to be at work in our lives, and discipleship.
Family Traditions
Family TraditionsTake a look back at your childhood. Carter Moss What family tradition from your childhood do you want to carry on in your own life? Leader note: This is a great question to use when you’re talking about legacy, discipleship, or investing in others. It gives people the opportunity to think through their childhood and whether there are things they hope to carry on in their own families (or their own lives if they stay single).
Needs and Passions
If you had the necessary resources and could meet any need in the world, what would it be and why? Leader note: This is a great question to use when you’re discussing calling, missional living, outreach, generosity, or serving others. This one pushes people to think through the variety of good causes in our world to decide the one that they are most passionate about.
Memorable Gifts | Small Groups
What is one of your favorite gifts you’ve ever given to someone else? Why was it so memorable? Leader note: This is a great question to get people to realize that generosity doesn’t have to be some requirement or chore that they dread, but can actually be fun, rewarding, memorable, and life-giving. And it’s a good twist on the “favorite gift you’ve ever received” question, and a question that most people haven’t ever pondered.
Exciting Events | Small Groups
What is your favorite live event you’ve ever attended (e.g., concert, sporting event, musical theater)? Leader note: This is just a fun question that truly helps “break the ice”, so it works well to use early on with new small groups who don’t know each other yet. People don’t have to get too personal and anyone can come up with an answer for it. It tends to spark good, fun discussion because people discover common interests. Plus they may leave group with some great new ideas of fun things to try!
Favorite Team | Small Groups
What’s your favorite group or team you’ve ever been a part of, and why? Leader note: This is a great question to use for communicating the importance and power of community and how God designed us to experience life together, connected to other people. It’s a great question to use with a brand-new group at the first meeting, or any time you’re discussing spiritual community and connectedness.
Famous Mentor | Small Groups
If you could spend one day hanging out with any famous person (living or from the past), who would it be and why? Leader note: This is a great question for new groups or as you start a discussion about discipleship, leadership, or mentoring. This gives some great insights on who people see as “mentors” and would want to learn from, or just would enjoy getting to know. You can decide whether to accept Bible characters as answers or not.
Work History | Small Groups
What was your favorite job, or your most strange or unusual job? Leader note: This is a great icebreaker to use early on in a new life group, for people to get to know each other and get the chance to make each other laugh. Plus when you hear people’s favorite job, you can gain insights as a leader into their passions and talents and what brings them joy. It even helps create some “running jokes” that can carry on in the group, which deepen the sense of connectedness.
Small Group Drudgery
We’ve all been to small-group gatherings where the 90-minute meeting felt like 3 hours. Perhaps it’s the lack of meaningful conversation. Or it’s the numerous, long-winded prayer requests that grab the reins and take off in an exhausting direction. The solution is quite simple: help every group member see themselves as a minister.
Train Your Group in Relational Evangelism
Just the thought of evangelism can send chills down the spine of many Christians, but relational evangelism, bringing the hope of Jesus naturally into your relationships, really isn’t scary. In fact, it can be really simple. Your group members are in relationships every day—with their family members, coworkers, neighbors, and friends—and you can help train them in easy ways to intentionally incorporate the Good News of Jesus into their relationships. They don’t need a tract or a gimmicky method.
Develop Your Team in Four Ways
Note: This article is excerpted from our training tool Develop Your Ministry Team. As we lead our teams of small-group coaches and leaders, it’s always important to keep the idea of “team” at the center. We can choose to let them be just a group of individuals?each carrying out their own tasks and checking in with us as needed?or, we can choose to develop them as a team.
What Does It Mean to Be Spiritually Mature?
Recently I have been drawn to the word deep as a descriptor when I speak of mature Christians. My earliest appreciation for the term came when I read a comment by Richard Foster, "The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people." What does it mean to be a deep Christ-follower today when the unlimited options, noisy distractions, and million versions of truth swamp our soul?
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