I May Be Wrong (and So Might You)
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
9M ago
What is truth? It’s a vital question because truth is foundational for our faith, our lives, our small groups, and our churches. But I want to approach the question, “What is truth?” by asking it another way: What isn’t truth? Truth is not my opinion (or yours), my stance (or those of my seminary professors or favorite theologians), or my feelings. As we study God’s truth in his Word, we must carefully differentiate actual truth from our particular positions and interpretations. That takes wisdom and diligence in studying Scripture. It takes sound exegesis. It takes integri ..read more
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Delight, Desires, and Decisions
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” —Psalm‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬ ‭English Standard V‬‬version Who wouldn’t want to receive the dreams and desires of their heart? Everyone from life coaches to Oprah to scammers are willing to help you with this. Search the Web for “How to fulfill your dreams” or “How to manifest the life you desire”—actually, don’t!—and you’ll find plenty of “free” advice. People have tried conjuring up genies, searching for hidden treasure, and getting involved in dark forces like witchcraft and sorcery to get what they desire. Folks who would ..read more
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Thanksgiving Discussion Starters
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
As Thanksgiving approaches and on the day itself, people will naturally be thinking about thankfulness, and it can be a great opportunity to share about your thankfulness for Jesus! Pray for people you will see throughout the week. As you talk with fellow group members, other friends, coworkers, or neighbors, or as you get together with family, watch for natural opportunities to ask these simple questions: What are you most thankful for? Whom are you most thankful for? When do you tend to be the most thankful for what you have? Other than at Thanksgiving, do you think you are generally a than ..read more
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Is Your Group Bible Study Biblical? Part 1: Important Questions
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
Thirty years ago, I was working in a large publishing company for a weekly magazine, and I had recently started writing a new column about small groups. One afternoon I was in the men’s room when the publisher, an older guy who had also been a church leader, walked up next to me and started asking me questions about small groups. He was skeptical, and I didn’t exactly feel like talking. But he asked me an interesting question: “What’s to keep these small group Bible studies from becoming just a sharing of ignorance?” People of his generation were used to adult Sunday school where a teacher ins ..read more
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10 Recommended Books for Small Group Coaches
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
I recently asked some of my small group ministry friends for their recommendations for small group coaching books. The first five are their recommendations, followed by five I regularly recommend. Besides that, these are in no particular order. (Note that I am an Amazon Affiliate, and the links below will take you to Amazon where you can purchase any of these.) Becoming Barnabas: A Ministry of Coming Alongside, by Robert E. Logan and Tara Miller (Recommended by Nick Schonlau, groups minister at Third City Christian Church in Grand Island and Broken Bow, Nebraska. Nick noted, “Also, Allen Whi ..read more
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Life to the Full with a Broken Patella
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
One year ago today, October 10, 2021, I fell mountain biking in Brown County Indiana, and fractured my kneecap. To summarize, over the last year, I’ve had three knee surgeries, a severe infection following surgery #1, six weeks of intravenous antibiotics through a PICC line (the first two of which failed), and several ER visits. Along the way, I suffered from Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and ongoing physical therapy. One of my goals was to be riding a mountain bike today, on the first anniversary of the fall. That’s a no-can-do; I haven’t yet reached the necessary bend in the knee to ..read more
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The Power of Authenticity
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
When I was about 10 years old, I made friends with two brothers in my neighborhood, Tim and Jeff Ward. Perhaps because I didn’t have a brother living at home, or just for fun, I told them I had a twin brother named Mark. We would be playing Wiffleball, and I’d go home, change clothes, and come back as Mark. To help the ruse, I batted right-handed as Mike and left-handed as Mark. At first Mike was a better batter, but Mark steadily improved (which is how I became a decent switch-hitter). After several weeks, Tim and Jeff started getting suspicious and asking me questions, like why we rode the s ..read more
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Real Friends, Real Transformation
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
1y ago
I’m blessed to have been part of many authentic small groups over the years that God used to transform my life. The following is one example—the first small group I ever attended. As you read this narrative, see how many examples of authenticity you see. When I first started attending church services at Centerville Christian Church (now called SouthBrook Christian Church) in Dayton, Ohio, I was alone and a brand-new Christ follower. I lived by myself and had no family in the area. My only acquaintances were people I worked with, most of whom were not Christians. I read through the Gospels and ..read more
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Four Reasons Every Lead Pastor Should Be in a Small Group
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
2y ago
Lead pastors who lead a small group create a win-win dynamic. The pastors and the churches they lead both become healthier and grow as a result. Jim Egli, who has served as a senior pastor, associate pastor, missions pastor, and missionary says that regardless of his role, he has always led a group. He offers these four reasons: Small groups are at the heart of church health. Egli says a healthy church lives in authentic, Christ-centered, missional community, and a church that uses healthy groups – the focus being on the word healthy – will increase its health, effectiveness, growth ..read more
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Invite People Into a Journey, Not Just a Relationship
Small Group Leadership
by Michael Mack
3y ago
We often define the Christian life as a relationship. It’s a vital part of our theology and our language. We need a vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationships with others (ref., John 22:37-40; 1 John 1:3). That’s absolutely true, but the Christian life is much more than that, and I believe we’ve inhibited our outreach and discipleship by communicating our faith only in relational terms (and through purely relational ministries). In a January 2020 Christian Standard article, Don Wilson, said when he asks people, especially men, to make a decision to become Christ followers, “I ..read more
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