Planning Small Groups with Purpose: A Field-Tested Guide to Design and Grow Your Ministry

© 2018 by Steve Gladen

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2018

Ebook corrections 12.12.2023

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ISBN 978-1-4934-1414-7

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What the Top Small Group Movement Leaders Are Saying about Planning Small Groups with Purpose

"No single person or book has had more influence on my small group philosophy than Steve Gladen and his first book, Small Groups with Purpose. I am so thankful that Steve has now taken those concepts and given us a practical guide in Planning Small Groups with Purpose for implementing them in our ministries. This is a book that you and your team will return to over and over!"

Chris Surratt, small group and discipleship specialist, LifeWay Christian Resources; author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us

If you’ve ever wanted to take a peek into how Saddleback plans for their successful small group ministry, this is your chance. Gladen sprinkles strategic questions throughout to help the small group point person think and plan for their own ministries based on their church culture. A really helpful resource!

Amy Jackson, associate publisher of SmallGroups.com

Small group leaders and those who support them are faced with a daunting task: how to find the wisdom to deal with problems that differ from group to group and leader to leader. What they wouldn’t give to be at the elbow of a man who is in continual contact with hundreds of small group pastors as they bring their challenges and dilemmas to him! With this book, Steve Gladen, held by many to be the outstanding developer of small groups, invites you to see what he sees as group systems are put together and problems are resolved. For the beginner, he lays out a step-by-step approach. For the advanced leader, he gives a floor plan that allows immediate focusing on one or another aspect of a group’s issues. No small group department should be without copies of this comprehensive and practical guide. This is the tool that can be shared with every level of leader in a small group system.

Carl George, author of Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership

This book provides an exceptionally useful, encouraging, and challenging combination of wisdom, visionary perspective, and lots of practical planning tools. These can help to nourish and develop small group leaders and quality programs, producing healthy, spiritually balanced, vitally focused small groups that are critically important in the life and ministry of any congregation. A much-needed planning and implementation resource for the serious leader in small group ministry.

Rev. Dr. Roberta Hestenes, teaching pastor, Bayside Church, California; former Fuller Seminary faculty member and president of Eastern University

"Do not just read this book. Work it. Implement, measure, assess. Question everything. Repeat. In Planning Small Groups with Purpose, Steve Gladen outlines a process for designing a group model and strategy that are uniquely fitted to your church. If you are just looking for easy answers, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for the right questions to lead you to the most relevant answers, then gather your team, open this book, and grab a pen. Planning Small Groups with Purpose isn’t just a onetime read; it is a manual that will serve you for years to come."

Heather Zempel, discipleship pastor, National Community Church; author of Community Is Messy and Amazed and Confused

I love Steve’s work because it is always rooted in experience, forged in the crucible of real group life with dedicated leaders, and readily used or adapted in other churches. Mine this resource for all you can get!

Dr. Bill Donahue, president of The LeaderSync Group; associate professor, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

This book is chock-full of both practical experience and deep insight. Steve Gladen has been leading small groups at Saddleback for twenty years. He knows what he’s talking about. Yet he repeatedly exhorts the readers to follow principles, not models, and to understand their own cultural context. You’ll find practical steps in each chapter to guide you along your small group journey. The section ‘Saddleback’s Top Ten Small Group Ministry Commitments’ is worth the price of the book. Here’s a taste: ‘I will steer clear of the numbers game,’ ‘I will avoid the comparison trap,’ and ‘It is sinful to feel superior to another church or ministry.’ Get ready to deepen your small group understanding as you read the pages of this very insightful book. Thanks, Steve, for sharing your years of practical, successful small group experience.

Joel Comiskey, PhD, president of Joel Comiskey Group, www.joelcomiskeygroup.com; author of Groups That Thrive

"Once again my friend Steve Gladen has provided another helpful resource for those of us in the trenches of group life. Reading and thoughtfully applying Planning Small Groups with Purpose to your local context might just be the most important things you’ll do this year for your groups ministry."

Bill Willits, executive director of Ministry Environments, North Point Ministries; coauthor of Creating Community

It has been many years since a book arrived that mixed small group foundations with a practical how-to guide. This book will walk you through important decisions as you build a groups ministry full of purpose. Steve is no mere philosopher of groups but a veteran with a proven track record for building one of the most life-changing small group ministries in modern times. If you are leading the charge of community, you must devour this book.

Bill Search, executive pastor of ministries, Crossings Community Church, Oklahoma City; author of The Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders

This is an invaluable resource for all small group point people who want to propel their ministry to the next level. With insightful questions, biblical principles, practical ideas, and actionable content, Steve guides you through a meticulous process of defining, creating, planning, and developing a thriving small group ministry. This is a great tool to use with your ministry team to hone in on the vision, strategy, and tactics for growing a discipleship culture through healthy small groups in your church.

Carolyn Taketa, small groups pastor, Calvary Community Church

"Empowering the people of God to fulfill the great commandment and the Great Commission through small groups is by far the best way to achieve these two biblical mandates. In Planning Small Groups with Purpose, Steve provides a field-tested and practical implementation process that covers every aspect of launching and expanding healthy, missional groups. If your church, lead pastor, and you are ready to become the kind of church that makes disciples who in turn make disciples, this book’s process is a great source of guidance."

Randall G. Neighbour, author of The Naked Truth about Small Group Ministry; president of TOUCH Outreach Ministries, Houston, Texas

Steve once again offers an amazing resource for building small groups, all flowing from his three decades of experience. This book is not just a how-to manual; in true Steve form, it also gives thoughtful insights to assure that your small group model aligns with the heart and purpose of your church’s overall ministry. No matter what small group model you have, this is a vital resource to help you assess what it takes to create, develop, and maintain life-changing groups in your context!

Dave Enns, lead groups pastor, North Coast Church

"Planning Small Groups with Purpose presents the step-by-step process that has shaped small groups for many churches. This book provides a guide to plan for small groups, train leaders, and implement these groups in a congregation. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I have seen it work."

Hamp Greene, associate pastor, Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, Alabama

"It is impossible for any of us to experience spiritual growth without trusted relationships in our lives, and small groups are the best place for each person in our churches to find those relationships. In Planning Small Groups with Purpose, Steve will show you how leveraging your church’s unique culture and structure is the key to making your small groups thrive."

Jeff Galley, central LifeGroups and missions pastor, Life.Church

To the small group point persons,

my heroes, who do not abdicate their responsibility for leading the house-to-house movement.

Thanks for being willing to plan to succeed versus just hoping it will happen.

You are critical to the kingdom. Plan, press ahead, and persevere!

Contents

Cover    1

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Endorsements    5

Dedication    7

Acknowledgments    11

Foreword by Rick Warren    15

Introduction: The Purpose of This Book    17

Part 1:  The Foundation    21

1. Think Churchwide    23

2. Lead as a Team    45

3. Lead Effectively    59

4. Lead with a Vision and Mission    73

Part 2:  The Home    79

5. The Kitchen: Connecting People through Small Groups    81

Q1— How Will You Align Your Ministry with Other Church Leadership and Ministries?    83

Q2— How Will You Communicate the Value of Groups to Your Church?    91

Q3— What Is Your Plan for Connecting People into Groups?    96

Q4— How Will You Measure Your Progress?    117

6. The Family Room: Growing People in Small Groups    123

Q5— How Will You Define and Develop Mature Disciples?    124

Q6— What Outcomes Do You Want from Small Group Life?    129

Q7— How Will You Develop Leaders for Your Ministry?    137

Q8— What Support Resources Will Your Small Group Leaders Need?    147

7. The Study: Investing in God’s Kingdom through Small Groups    159

Q9— How Will You Develop Group Members into Leaders?    160

Q10— How Will Subgrouping Develop People?    168

Q11— How Will You Encourage People to Serve?    172

Q12— How Will You Create Opportunities for Groups to Serve?    176

8. The Front Door: Reaching Others through Small Groups    179

Q13— How Will You Promote Reach and Spiritual Awareness?    180

Q14— How Will You Engage Every Group in Global Outreach?    187

Q15— How Will You Engage Every Group in Local Outreach?    191

Q16— How Will You Involve Every Group in Personal Evangelism?    195

9. The Dining Room: Sustaining Long-Term Success in Small Groups    199

Q17— How Will You Ensure Your Ministry’s Long-Term Success?    201

Q18— How Will You Celebrate Stories of Life Change to Reach Your Vision?    207

Q19— How Will You Remain True to Your Call?    211

Q20— How Will You Help Your Groups Cultivate an Attitude of Worshipful Submission?    215

Part 3:  Conclusion    219

10. Putting It All Together    221

Appendix: Saddleback Church’s Curriculum Pathway    229

Notes    233

About the Author    235

Back Ads    236

Back Cover    241

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to:

The senior pastors who have played a huge role in my life before Saddleback Church: Gene Speich, Paul Currie, George Smith, Charles Blair, Jason Garcia, and Larry DeWitt. Thanks for your role in shaping me for kingdom service.

Rick and Kay Warren, who have poured into me since 1983 without even knowing it. Your constant dedication to ministry, pastoral families, and the health of the church are overwhelming. You are the same in person as you are on the platform. Your sacrifice makes this book possible and the small group ministry of Saddleback Church what it is. I wish everyone could get a glimpse of the pastor I know day in and day out. You are my pastor. Thanks for leading!

Christi Hamilton, your passion for writing and making sense of my senseless thoughts has been the salvation for this book. You read my mind and brought this book to life! Christi, you and your family are a godsend to the Gladen family.

Brian Smith, editor extraordinaire. You encouraged, pushed, challenged, and made this book better! Thanks for all your time and passion and love for small groups.

Chad Allen, boy you put up with a lot from me! Thanks to you and Baker Publishing for believing in me and going on this journey . . . again!

Gina Rikimaru, who has lived this journey more than most by being next to me, making my ministry more effective for his kingdom. Your unseen hours devoted to Saddleback Church, the Small Group Team, and my family are appreciated more than you know.

The Small Group Pastors at all our campuses: Dave Alford, Aaron Amaya, Brandon Bathauer, Corrie Bowman, Larry Cherrison, Julie Chung, Laura Copeland, Jeff Feld, Eduardo Garcia, Jeff Gonzalez, Matt Graybill, Will Guzman, Ryan Hacker, Tom Kang, Jay Kranda, Karo Ku, Kevin Lee, Reagan Miura, Chris Reed, Glenn Reynolds, Aaron Roberts, Beth Schwartz, Brannon Shortt, John Simons, Jim Sonnenburg, Clay Stokes, Santosh Swamidass, Jason Williams, Jacob Wilson, Chris Yi, Sam Yoon, and Steve Yu.

The Small Group Network leadership: Eric Falcinella, Ron Wilbur, Gina Abbas, Jason Banzhoff, Brian Beall, Danny Bias, JT Black, Ryan Brammer, Philip Byers, Andrew Camp, Vinnie Cappetta, Tommy Carreras, Cynthia Considine, Steve Curran, Dennis Funk, Michael Grayston, Manie Groenewald, JW Hilliard, Mark Kendall, Nick Lenzi, Paul Lewis, Andrew Mason, Mark Mehlig, Jon Noto, Derek Olson, Greg Robins, Josh Rose, Carolyn Taketa, Kiersten Telzerow, Daniel Thomas, Dan Tupps, Tracey Ware, Joe Windham, Adam Workman, Matthew Wray, and Ron Youtsey, who make the SGN strong so we are better together!

Those who read the manuscript and gave suggestions that made this book better: Jason Williams, Carolyn Taketa, Barnaby and Alyssa Riedel, and Michael Gerber.

My small group, who has lived this crazy journey with Lisa and me: Dave and Molly Alford, Berto and Ruby Guzman, Todd and Tracy Jones, and Gina and Tyra Rikimaru. Our families are forever knit together.

My parents, Bill and Fern Gladen, who took a risk in their fifties to follow Christ and who are waiting for us in heaven—party on! To my brothers Kurt (in heaven), Greig, Todd (in heaven), Mark, and my brave sister Nita; I love life with you and wish geography wasn’t between us. Thank the Lord for video calls!

Lisa, Erika, and Ethan, who I would die for and who are the reason I get up in the morning. Lisa, you cheer me on and give me grace, more than I deserve. Since 1988 you have believed in me and my ministry. You sacrifice more than anyone knows; you are an amazing mother and wife! I love you! Erika and Ethan, you bring a smile and a