Join us and your fellow small group HOSTs at Saddleback Church as we start the new series, "Dream Now: A Call for a Generation to Pursue God-Sized Dreams". Whether you’re a seasoned host or you just started leading your small group for this series, we pray that this resource will help you feel equipped to make the most out of your time together.
James Browning: Hello everyone.
Welcome to Help for Hosts week one
podcast for the Dream Now series.
Once again, I'm your friend,
James Browning, and I serve as a
small group pastor of development
here at our fair church.
And with me is my other friend, Bradley.
Bradley: Hey guys, I'm Bradley.
I'm uh, the engagement pastor
at the Irvine South community.
James Browning: And we are
so excited for this journey.
Our group hosts will be going on
during the series along with us.
And we are invited together as a church
to dream now and dream beyond what we
would have normally dreamed on our own.
So this week we're going to be talking
about dreaming now for your life.
Bradley, why don't you share one
of your favorite dreamers in the
Bible?
Bradley: Year Plan.
Bradley, do you want to go first?
I think it was, honestly, I mean,
he had all these practical dreams.
Uh, specifically, I'm thinking of,
um, in Genesis 41, where Joseph
interprets, uh, Pharaoh's dreams
about seven years of abundance, but
followed by seven years of famine.
So he was preparing and being
practical and ready for that famine,
and it definitely helped him out.
So that's a very practical dream,
but man, like that story too, just
so much faith, so much trials.
It's something that, hey, I don't
necessarily relate to, uh, having
prophetic dreams like that on a
regular basis, but it's super cool to
see just Joseph's faith, and I relate
James Browning: Maybe it's
because your name is not Joseph.
I mean, Joseph in the New Testament
had dreams explaining that Jesus
was, divinely conceived and
that he should escape to Egypt.
So maybe you just need to be more
Joseph if you want those practical
Bradley: I'll name my future
kid Joseph so that I can get
some of those practical dreams.
James Browning: Hmm.
All right.
Way to avoid famine
Bradley: Yeah.
James Browning: Okay, so,
once again, a reminder of how the books
and resources work each week, we're
going to hear a sermon on the weekend.
And then whenever your small
group typically meets again, mine
meets on Fridays, you go through
the video from pastor Andy.
There's the QR code in the book, or you
can also find it on the YouTube channel
or the dream now, page on soundback.
com slash dream now.
And then after your small group
watches and discusses a video, uh,
feel free to, go through the personal
devotional over the next five days.
Also in that book, you'll find on page
85, there's quick tips under helps
for hosts frequently asked questions,
small group guidelines, circles of
life, and a really useful tool that
I kind of think is underrated is
calendar and roster for host use.
So we wanted to dive into some of
our personal favorite tips for new
groups or even seasoned groups that
are looking to kind of level up,
uh, how to make your time better.
I think that one of the things
we tend to look for as a host is
like, just tell me what to do so
I can tell them how to feel and.
And that doesn't really work well.
What does work well is creating an
environment where that can happen.
This is a relationship.
You can't just tell the other person how
they should feel, how they should grow.
Uh, telling my wife to calm down
has never worked or will ever work.
And the best I can do is make her feel
heard and appreciated and feel calm.
So.
As the host, that's your role is to
create that environment where even though
relationships are messy, people have
a space where they can grow together.
Bradley, why don't you share some
of your tips for setting the stage?
Bradley: Yeah, I think kind of going
along with that, it is very helpful
to just make people feel comfortable.
That is one of my passions, just
as a groups pastor, is just kind
of, hey, let's set the table
so people can feel comfortable.
Just natural, feel at ease, because
they're already coming in a lot of
times, especially if you're joining a
new group, whether it's an on campus
gathering, or at someone's house,
or even just joining a Zoom online.
Shields are up.
Guards are up.
So, I think it is very important to spend
that time, even though it might seem
arbitrary because it doesn't pertain
to the study, to really just have those
icebreaker questions, to get to know
you as like, Hey, what's your name?
You know, what area are you living in?
Um, how long you've been attending
Saddlebacks, just to start, and then
have those fun icebreaker questions.
Um, it can be anything like, have
you seen the latest, uh, movies out?
Or it could be something actually
pertaining to the study, um,
more practical like, Hey, have
you ever been in a group before?
Uh, people want to know about
others, so then, okay, that person
shared, Okay, I feel like I can
mirror that and also share that.
So, it starts there, and then again,
by diving into the study, I think
something it's important to know as a
host, be okay with silence, and also, not
everyone does want to answer right away.
So, for example, I have two people in
my current small group who are autistic
and just talking to them individually.
I found out hey They they're happy
to be there But they only want to
answer maybe one or two questions a
week because it's a lot for them So
every time there's a question or every
time there's an icebreaker I ask hey,
would you like to add anything guys?
And about half the time they'll
respond yes or no and I just have
found and they have told me that
just me asking for participation
and Has really been great, and um,
Something that they've felt included.
So I think even, again, as a host,
remember, Hey, everybody's on different
social skills levels, Other people
are on different comfortability
levels, And be okay with that.
James Browning: I I love that.
Bradley.
I
think that's an excellent point of just
being cognizant of where everyone is at.
Another thing that I have found
to be helpful is, um, setting and
meeting people's expectations.
A lot of times hosts feel as
though the expectation is for
them to have all the answers.
And that's not a.
Substitute Yeah.
Bradley: what your stuff is.
James Browning: Well, I do think
that that's not necessarily true.
You as a host, don't have
to have all the answers.
In fact, I think you as the host
can be better served by creating
the atmosphere of being prepared
Bradley: Yes.
James Browning: and having good questions.
Bradley: Mhm.
James Browning: Uh, one way you can
do this practically is by previewing
the week's video before your small
group meets, writing down any questions
or thoughts that come out from that.
Again, you do not have
to have the answers.
In fact, it's probably even a
little bit of a conversation killer.
If you come in right off the bat
with all of the answers, you give
them an answer and they may stop
thinking or engaging about it.
They're like, got the answer.
Great.
And then tune out.
So come in instead of with the answers,
come in prepared with questions.
Bradley: And I think along with that too,
it is the way how you frame the question.
So, for instance, if we were reading
through Luke and Acts like we just
did as a church, and you said, hey,
so like, during this passage, uh, how
do you think the disciples responded?
And if you answer, you kind
of like, Say it like that.
It's like, oh, Bradley
already knows the answer.
He's wanting us to answer correctly
when it's more like, hey I was reading
guys in the scripture and this question
came up and it's something that I'm even
wrestling with they're thinking about
Is any what was anybody's thoughts kind
of coming in is not the know it all
even if you do know it Just say let's
let's let someone else figure it out.
Even if you do know and I think that
brings it Okay, Bradley doesn't have
all the answers James doesn't have
all the answers We're learning and
discovering together, but he was
prepared because he asked the question
James Browning: Yeah, the goal is to
invite people into a conversation,
not make them feel like they have
to try to guess your riddles.
But yeah, but the other thing you can do,
and this seems so obvious and it seems
like such a churchy answer, but I can't,
I can't stress enough how true it is.
Pray before your meeting,
before your small group meets,
Bradley: Absolutely.
James Browning: pray for God to be
a part of your small group meeting
while you're going through the series,
ask him to help your group members to
dream together, to dream God's dreams.
This is us praying.
To, to be a part of what God is doing, not
just asking God to bless what we're doing.
And when we're doing that, we're
doing things in God's power
when we are aligned with Him.
Bradley: and
I think, I really do think during
this series, you're going to encounter
people with dreams that you might,
stuff they've never shared with other
people, and it could be hard to share.
Like, there could be people
in financial distress.
We were sharing like, hey, like, I
dream to get out of this, and, um,
You have other people who are looking
to maybe make a radical change in
their life, and it's heavy stuff.
So, I I I would be encouraging,
like, hey, leaders, just be
praying for God's discernment.
To, hey, don't just breeze past,
like, okay, c cool dream, dude.
And then go to the next person,
like, hey, maybe it's, this is
a, uh, a time where, hey, we
See what what's the feel like.
Should we camp out on someone's
dream here and discuss it more?
Or maybe something later, God's
giving you a discernment, Hey, I
heard that guy's dreams in my group.
I'm gonna talk with him
one on one and have that
James Browning: I,
love that you bring that up, Bradley.
I think that that honestly is one
of the values of small groups.
Is, it is a safe space where you can
share your dream, but also have some
Bradley: people's perception
world.
Hold my tongue.
I've learned, like, oh wow, like, I'm
glad I stayed quiet because, like,
this person really opened up here.
And there was, like, progress with where
they're moving in their spiritual journey.
And you get the pleasure, as a host,
to walk alongside those people during
that journey, if you so are willing.
Or it potentially to just needs a
little bit of guidance, like, because
sometimes people, it's very broad, right?
It's like, okay, let's,
let's get more specific.
Let's take that next step.
James Browning: And that's the value of
your small group is this is a opportunity
where you can Basically get together with
a think tank for your dream and say, not
Bradley: a counseling
session, though, right?
James Browning: a counseling session,
a think tank that where they can cheer
you on, but also hold you accountable.
Say like, okay, if this is your
dream, what, what are you doing?
If this is something that you
think is from God, what steps
of obedience are you taking?
Bradley: guys have a
great opportunity to really just
set the table for people being
comfortable to share their dreams?
And with that, everybody just
walking on the same journey together.
Different journeys, but parallel paths,
perhaps, of Taking their next steps.
James Browning: So Bradley you
also lead an on campus group.
What are some tips for some of the other
people who lead on campus groups here?
Bradley: Yeah, I, for the record, I lead
an online group and I lead an on campus.
But that to say, I think if you are
someone who is leading an online
group, just be aware that you do,
only one person can speak at a time.
And that is just the unfortunate part
about online, there's no side chatter.
So with that, be very
considerate of people's time.
Be thinking about how to
maximize people's time.
So do more breakout rooms, ideally.
But set the stage of like, making
sure people are prepared before
they go into the breakout room.
Now if you are meeting on campus
though, Um, I do feel like dinners
and, uh, appetizers and snacks really
do make people feel comfortable.
Cause again, in scripture shows, like,
everybody breaks bread and that's where
the community and the conversation just
naturally happens as people are eating.
Um, and then I would also say too, don't
always have to take it too seriously.
Have fun.
If, uh, you spend and camp out
on one question, That's okay.
You don't need to go through all
three or five of the questions to
make sure you completed the series.
That's alright.
So make sure, again, be praying
for that discernment, uh, where's
God gonna work and, uh, guide you
in this series and lean into that.
Don't just be like, okay, I see
God over there, but let me keep
continuing on these questions.
James Browning: All right.
I love that Bradley.
Those are just some great tips, but
again, if you have some great tips,
we would love to hear them, please.
Feel free to reply to the weekly emails
that we send out, or you can also
email us at smallgroupsatsaddleback.
com and share your dream now story.
Honestly, if you and your group record
a question just on your, on your phone
or record a story or anything that
came out from your, uh, small group,
we'd email that to us and we'd love to
actually include it in the next episode.
Again, share a story with us, share one
of the dreams that someone in your small
group had, and the other thing is we
are big, huge fans of Tattletales here.
Bradley: Oh, speak for yourself, James.
James Browning: no, I love them.
I love them because
telltales get a bad rep.
I'll, I'll give you that what we're
actually looking for though, is
for you to tell on something that
you heard God say in someone else.
We most frequently hear God either in
our own quiet time or in our small group.
And so in your small group, you're
going to hear someone say something
that like, Oh, that is a genius idea.
What I'd love for you to do
is pull out your phone, say,
Hey, could you say that again?
Record it in your phone
and email it to us.
And we want to share
it in the next episode.
So, with that, I'm James Browning
Bradley: your
James Browning: we will see you next week.
Bradley: school.
What burden on God's heart
is he asking me to carry?
What would I do for God
if I knew I wouldn't fail?
What's in my hand?