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Small group leaders, pastors, and more discussing strategies for growth and community in church groups. The Small Group Network is an international ministry that equips churches to engage in deeper discipleship and community.
Louisa: Hello!
And welcome to S G Squared.
Pastor Steve Gladen pulls from over 25
years of small group ministry experience
to encourage and equip listeners like
you to lead small group ministry.
So let's listen, and learn, together.
Derek Olson: Welcome to SG squared.
Steve Gladden on small groups.
Derek here with the man,
Steve, how are you doing, man?
Steve Gladen: Dude sounds like I'm
doing a little bit better than you.
I mean, I know you're battling something
right there, or you've got that
puberty blocker hitting you strong.
Derek Olson: Yeah, you know
I'm coming off a weird summer
sickness, but I'm on the mend.
So I apologize everybody for my, my
voice there, but, um, you might be
feeling better than me, Steve, but
if you're watching this on video like
I am, I mean, what do you, you still
living outta your car, homeless man?
What's going on?
Steve Gladen: Nicely played.
Nicely played.
Yeah.
So my house is still not done.
We've been going through this since
March one, and so getting ready to
do the podcast all settled in and
all of a sudden a compressor kicks in
and it's just like, okay, back to my.
Office on Wheels, baby.
I tell you, it's just like such a
stinking inconvenience, but not a home.
Don't have a office to go to anymore.
I guess I could go homeless over
to the Saddleback campus and
say, Hey, someone take me in.
But
Derek Olson: Well, at least
you got a nice vehicle.
What's that?
What is that?
A Tesla cyber truck you're in.
Steve Gladen: yeah.
I bought three of 'em,
you know, going off staff.
I thought I might as
well splurge my money.
I got a red, white, and a blue one.
Just, you know, to stay all patriotic.
So
Derek Olson: Wow.
Well, um, you know, I took a
gander at your, your cup there.
You're drinking out of, um, I'm
drinking some coffee as well
and I'm kind of embarrassed.
Steve Gladen: Let's,
let's, let's pull that up.
Baby.
Derek Olson: I'm kind of
embarrassed by the cup.
By the cup I grabbed.
Steve Gladen: Now here, here's mine.
The, the world famous
defending national champions.
you've got, is that a teabag
Derek Olson: I am actually
drinking tea out of a flower cup.
Uh, this Thank you Julie.
This is the quickest cup I could
grab off the cup hanger thing.
Steve Gladen: Dude, I love it.
I'm gonna have a, I have
a drink in honor of you.
Derek Olson: The Ohio State, you know.
I know, I know.
You're proud.
You guys are the national championship
winners coming off the season.
It was, but I know you, you weren't
too happy about that Michigan News.
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
You know, well, my Michigan brethren,
you know, still found guilty, but not,
not quite the penalties that, that
Jesus would've wanted to put on them.
So it's a good thing we're
living in the New Testament.
If we were living in the Old
Testament baby, there'd been a, there
would've been a hammer this time.
It was just a little, was a flower
coffee cup that they got hit with.
Derek Olson: Well, I as much as, uh.
I'm not an Ohio State fan 'cause
I'm a Washington Huskies fan.
I still have to honor you for
taking down the venomous Organ Ducks
last year, so thank you for that.
And, uh, any final words you wanna
say about that before we move on?
Steve Gladen: Uh, no, I just, uh,
you guys, Derek and I have such a
relationship off the show that we're,
we're sending, I'm sending him great,
uh, Oregon interviews post that
game still a almost a year later.
So I.
I'm helping you relive the hate
you hate have for you, that team.
So yeah, our rivals are never fun to
watch them win or do anything, so when
they lose, it's, it's a great thing.
Kinda like when the devil loses,
Derek Olson: Right.
Steve Gladen: we love it.
Derek Olson: Yeah.
Your,
Steve Gladen: Oh
Derek Olson: discuss from Michigan
is, is what I feel with Oregon.
So you can, you can, you can get me right.
But, uh, we're gonna ha talk about
an important SGN update in this
episode, and then we're gonna launch
into 10 things that could be part.
Of your small group guidelines.
So Steve, there's exciting all kinds
of new changes happening with the
SG and the small group network.
For those who may have just, uh, beamed
in from Mars and don't know anything
at all, kind of give us the latest.
Steve Gladen: I was gonna say living
under a rock, but yeah, living on Mars
might be the next thing with that.
Yeah, there's a lot of things that
are in our 5 0 1 C3 has been, uh,
submitted into the government.
It's on, you could pray that
that's answered within three
months, not nine months.
So they give you three to nine
months before you get the paper.
We can still take donations.
We just can't take 'em
from, uh, you know, a fund.
Uh, a lot of co a lot of people
distribute through, uh, fidelity
or through other funds and they
need to see the actual paperwork.
So pray that comes in in three months, not
nine months, which is a, a piece of it.
But the other thing too is we're
well underway for some great things
that are gonna launch in January.
Uh, you know, with Bible engagement
and then also being able to.
You know, just see some
coaching networks come alive.
Uh, that'll be for people in all access.
But another cool thing that's
happening is that we've been,
uh, recruiting state reps.
And one of the things that we want
to do just high level, really quick,
we're still focus, focusing on
a lot of the same things we did.
We want to connect relationally,
we wanna resource strategically,
we wanna impact globally, but with
that, in connecting relationship.
Connecting relationally.
We are taking serious this loneliness
epidemic and we're wanting to end
it for pastors that are out there by
themselves and and lonely with that, with
their churches that are not connecting
people the way they should into groups.
And then just for people in general.
Loneliness is a huge epidemic, and
you'll see it in tragedy after tragedy.
It's people who are ostracized.
And not finding community.
So across the 400,000 churches across
America, we are recruiting state reps
that can help us get the resources out to
those churches so that that can happen.
We wanna resource strategically.
And with that, we are hot on Bible
engagement and we're getting ready
to release some fun stuff in the new
year regarding that with curriculum
that your church can be able to use.
But the Bible wasn't meant to be read in.
Isolation is meant to be read in
community and we, it's not that, uh.
Isolation is bad.
But when you read the Bible in community,
I can't help but remind people that when
my sister went to a small group, the
leader knew the Lord less than 90 days.
All she had was the Gospel
of John to read through.
And through reading that
and asking questions, my
sister came to know the Lord.
And that was the, the toppling over so
many dominoes that led my whole family.
To Jesus.
And so we wanna get Bible engagement
into a reality right there.
But with all that, to be able to connect
relationally and resource strategically.
We're really hot on trying
to get these state reps.
So happen to have in my car
a little piece of paper right here.
I got 15 states that are
still holding out on me.
If you're one of these states.
I want you to know this is
how you can impact globally
because we are not a container.
We are a conduit and everything we get,
we give out so much about the Dead Sea.
You know when the Sea of Galilee, it's
flowing, it's got life and everything,
the Dead Sea, it's a container.
It's just stagnant with that.
But if you are in the state of
Colorado, in Delaware, in Idaho.
Kansas, Kentucky or Maine or Mississippi,
New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island,
Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming, or
there's two other states, Derek and,
and how ironic that these two states
aren't a part of being a state rep.
Michigan and Oregon, you
know, how could that be?
How could that be that the people, the
godly states are definitely just hanging
Derek Olson: Yeah.
Steve Gladen: and, and
doing what Jesus is calling.
But so if you're one of those 15 states,
I just wanna encourage you just to,
you know, send me an email, Steve, at.
small group network.com.
Had to think through my email
address, you know, leaving staff.
It's like, whoa.
Or just call me up.
My cell number is, is on social media.
You can have it right there.
But, uh, (949) 836-6052.
Hey, just call me, let me know that
you wanna represent one of your
states, but super excited to have
over 70 people from multiple states.
I mean, people in multiple states.
That are just excited to be able to say,
I wanna help, uh, be a state rep and
push this small group network forward.
So we're excited for what's happening
and also excited for all the groups
that are probably launching and
starting happening this fall.
Derek and I have put together a
little bit of a show to be able
to help you understand, uh, what a
covenant or a group guideline is.
So that, Derek, you wanna kick us off and.
uh, set us up.
Derek Olson: Great update there on
the SGN, and just, I gotta answer your
one question there of why Oregon and
Washington, why are these the two states
where people aren't stepping up to serve?
Steve Gladen: Michigan,
Derek Olson: I'm sorry,
Michigan and Oregon, right?
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
Don't
Derek Olson: did I say Washington?
Well, Washington's a
pretty dark state too,
Steve Gladen: drugs.
The drugs you're on, baby.
Derek Olson: but Michigan
and Oregon, it's because.
They are, um, you know, playing with fire
and having these evil teams there that,
you know, it just, the darkness spreads.
No, I'm kidding everybody.
If you live there, I'm sorry.
But, uh, that one,
Steve Gladen: We, we love you.
Derek Olson: so let's talk about
10 things that could be part
of your small group guidelines.
And this is perfect timing because
you, as you just said, Steve.
This is like a small
group world kickoff time.
Football's starting, small
groups are starting, they're
launching everyone's excited.
Small group point.
People are, um, given their
all to launch this year.
And so we wanna give you these 10
tips that could really, um, kind
of be that final button up on
everything you've worked so hard on.
So.
I'm gonna read off these 10 things and
then Steve will give the breakdown.
Are you ready, Steve?
Steve Gladen: Oh, I'll just,
I'll, I'll kick him off, man.
Let me, let me, 'cause one of the
things that's, you know, as I've.
When I deal with group issues, and
this is important for setting this
up, 'cause what we're talking about is
some people call it a group covenant.
Some people call it a group guidelines.
But when I talk to groups that are going
through any type of issues, I always go
back and said, did you guys, you know,
settle in on your group guidelines?
Did you settle in on a group covenant?
And what happens is, is that.
Most people don't do a group guideline.
And why this is so critical
is it sets the expectations.
So what we wanna talk to you
about are what are 10 things
that you could put in there?
You don't have to, but this could
be a starting point for you, saying,
if I'm gonna set up my churches.
guidelines, would every group, the
guidelines that should guide them
in their group, what should they be?
So with that, let me kind of
kick us off on number one.
And Derek, I don't know.
I know you're feeling bad buddy, but.
We can maybe go, uh, I can go
with these and then you can team
me up so I can stay on track in
Derek Olson: Yeah.
Steve Gladen: I'm not driving, by the way,
people, no seatbelt, so I'm not driving.
First thing though, of the things
I wanna encourage you to do, one
of the possibilities in a group
guideline is the first thing
is just having a clear purpose.
one of the things I loved about
Saddleback and with Rick and said
the purpose was clear, was to balance
the five purposes in your heart.
And in your group.
And so one of the things is if there
is a success that your group is gonna
have, make sure that's the guideline.
Make sure that's what they're coveting to.
They may not do it perfectly, but
the thing is you want them to coven
to say, this is what I hope to do.
And one of 'em could be a clear purpose.
Number two,
Derek Olson: Number two.
Steve Gladen: again, give it to me or
Derek Olson: No.
Number two, I got it for you.
It is group attendance.
Steve Gladen: All right, so this
is the other thing you gotta do.
What I found in my group, my group's been
going for over 20 years, one of the things
that can happen, one of the, the pros of
groups that this kind of work out their
own schedule and everything and kind of
just aren't on a semester based thing.
One of the pros is, is that you, you get
more life on life, you get more memories,
you get a a little bit more ability for.
my opinion, discipleship
to happen with individuals.
One of the cons is, is you get so
familiar with yourself, you can
start to very easily 'cause you're
seeing each other throughout the
week and through different times.
You can say, ah, I saw you a couple times.
You know, let me just, you know,
take you a different way and you
know, I've gotta do something else.
And what can happen is, is you have
the formal and informal time and what
can happen is, is your formal time
that your group is meeting is it can
slip and people can get sloppy on it.
So one of the things that you've
gotta put into your covenant is that
your group attendance, that you're
gonna commit to saying as best we
can in my group as best we can.
Thursdays at seven 30 or right now
actually we've moved up to six.
We're doing dinner together all the time
now, but we say we wanna meet together.
Are there times we don't meet?
Sure.
But by and large, we have coveted together
to say, one of the important things
we wanna do is make sure we have group
attendance where we're formally getting
together and looking through God's word.
Derek Olson: And Steve, really
quick, how long have you been
in your SAM group together now?
How many years?
Steve Gladen: I, I always go by
when the third kid was born and
some of our group members, so
it's probably been 22, 22 years.
It's crazy.
Derek Olson: That is crazy.
Awesome.
So if Steve can do it for 20 plus
years, uh, we can commit to getting
together in our groups for a eight week
period, which seems like, you know.
Okay.
That was number two.
Number three, safe environment.
Steve Gladen: I think this should
go without saying, but one of the
things is that so often in our
culture we try to one up each other.
Derek says a story about something.
I've gotta come up with a story
that's about something too.
Just had a dude walk by my
car and just kind of look in.
I'm like going, dude,
don't, I didn't do it.
Don't have a gun.
Safe talk about safe environment.
I did not feel very safe with
this guy looking in my my car.
But one of the things that you wanna
do with your group is to provide
a place where you can be yourself.
It's a come as you are type of thing.
And whether you're having a good time or
a bad time, that you can be safe to know.
If I share something good, people
won't think I'm lording it over 'em.
Or if I share something bad, I
don't have to worry about, oh,
what are they gonna think of me?
So you wanna create that
environment where each other is,
you know, you can be yourself.
And there's that safety.
It's kinda like when, when I'm talking to
my son, he doesn't have to ask me, am I
gonna get grounded or something like that.
He feels safe with me to share anything,
and that's what we're talking about here.
Derek Olson: Really good and very key
for, like you're saying, just that small
group where people feel safe and free
to share and keep things confidential.
Uh, it's so good to have that.
Especially if you're new coming into a
group maybe that has people that know
each other and you don't know what you
know, and so you're just taking a lot of
uncertainty as the group leader right out
of, out of the group if you're able to
say, Hey, here's our, our, uh, guidelines.
All right, number five, four
Steve Gladen: Four.
Derek Olson: B,
Steve Gladen: Dude, you're
on some serious drugs.
Yeah, well the only thing that's
gonna give a safe environment is if
there's confidentiality, and part
of that obviously is know your state
requirements and your state laws.
But generally, uh, most states, if
you're gonna harm yourself or if
you're gonna harm somebody else,
you are not confidential anymore.
If someone has done anything to
a minor, is no confidentiality.
You got a report.
there's some things that you, you, by
and large, you wanna be confidential, but
there's some things that you gotta know.
Your state guidelines, it's important
if you're a small group point
person and you're lead helping lead
the groups charge of your church.
It's important for you to know,
because in your trainings you gotta
say you wanna have confidentiality,
but you gotta report these things.
The other thing with that though is when
there's confidentiality and no one's
gossiping outside of your group, people
will feel more safe to share things.
And I know, uh, as our group is getting
older, you tend to talk about more things.
Breaking in your bodies.
Well, not everybody wants everyone to know
you know what they're getting treated for.
They might be going in for this
surgery or that, let alone people
who may be sharing a struggle that
they're having or something like that.
The more confidentiality that
you can keep, the more safe
the environment's gonna feel.
So these first four are all kind of
nestling and fitting together beautifully.
Derek Olson: Fitting it together
like a beautiful puzzle.
Okay, number five, conflict resolution.
Tell us about that.
Steve Gladen: Well, whenever
confidentiality is broke, is gonna
be conflict that's happening.
And there's some people that
it's always flight or fight.
Sometimes people, when they're
hurt and there's con conflict,
they're just gonna leave the group
or they're gonna quit coming.
Some people are gonna, you know, hunker
down and they're gonna come to the group.
Guns a blazing.
The main thing you wanna be thinking
through is Matthew 18, and just
thinking through when Jesus talked about
relationships, he says, if you have
a problem with somebody, go to them.
If you still have the problem,
bring somebody else along.
And if you still have the problem putting
the church along, and it's gonna be
super important that you understand that.
Human nature when it is, when it
is hurt, it tends to want to tell
everybody, but the person that hurt them.
And as a group leader, it's important in
this section on conflict resolution to
make sure people, if there's a problem,
if you're talking bad about somebody.
the group and they're not there.
Your job as the group leader is gotta say,
Hey, this is part of our guidelines, guys.
We're not gonna do this.
We're gonna make sure that
you're talking to that person.
So, hey, before next group time,
could you talk to that person?
if you don't feel safe, then
we can bring somebody along.
But the point is, is that you
wanna make sure people are
handing conflict appropriately.
so the best way to do that is if
they have talked to the person.
Offer to go along with them and try
to resolve it, but if they haven't,
make sure you hold them accountable
to go back and talk to them.
And so this, and then, like I said,
if you have to bring the church
into it, so for us, one of those
things where if you're still having
a problem, bring your group leader.
you've gone to 'em, you go to the
group leader, not the group leader.
Bring the small group pastor along and
that will help resolve things and bring.
Res resolution to a very
conflicted type of a, a thing
that you may be going through.
Derek Olson: Well said, that's number
five, conflict resolution, uh, which is
followed by number six, spiritual health.
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
And one of the things that we wanna
covenant to is that we wanna have health
in us, in our families, with our church.
Everyone divide defines
spiritual health differently.
But part of what we wanna do,
it kind of goes in with number
one on being able to state.
is our purpose, but what we wanna do in
this part of our covenant on spiritual
health is saying we wanna give some
teeth, some accountability to it.
And so whether it, for us, it, it used
to be, you know, being able to say
you could do a health assessment, a
personal one, or a group assessment
on this, on the health metrics.
You wanna be able to get in there and be
able to say, we're not only gonna say.
This is what we wanna achieve.
I wanna give you permission to talk
to me and help me get to that point.
And so part of it is, it doesn't
happen overnight, but what you
wanna do is work with people to
be able to walk through them.
And the more relationship you have,
the more trust you build, the more
trust you build, the better off
you can speak truth to people.
And so it's the whole thing.
Spend time with people.
So you become a trusted resource so
that you can then speak the truth.
And the only way people are gonna get
healthier their lives, both physically,
emotionally, spiritually, mentally, is
if you build that, that relationship.
So you can speak the trust into 'em.
But it starts with coveting in
the very beginning, saying not
only do I wanna have a goal.
That our group does balance the purposes
and that our people do balance the
purposes, but we wanna give permission
to say, I want to get to the place where
I have some accountability with it.
Derek Olson: Spiritual health now,
number seven's a little enigmatic.
It's a phrase that might
sound a little surprising.
It says, limit our freedom.
What does that mean, Steve?
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
so for us in as a church, we, we
have said that, hey, one of the, the
things is, this was more sp talking
about more alcohol or other issues,
but we wanna be sensitive to people.
And keep the Bible and keep Jesus at
the forefront of the formal group times.
Doesn't mean at a social event you
couldn't have wine or anything like that,
but what we're trying to say is we wanna
limit our freedoms with people around have
no idea what people have gone through.
there's been different ways.
I've been in ministry since
1984, long before Derek was born.
And, and it's one of those things
where I've seen things come and go.
There is a time where it was cool
in the church world just to cuss.
It blew my mind.
But sometimes you don't
know what triggers people.
Also, alcohol's another big
one or you know, there's, uh,
different things you can do.
There's the thing is.
is you want, get to know
the people well enough.
So by limiting your freedoms,
you're putting Christ first and the
other people in your group first
so that you can be willing to say,
let's, let's grow closer to God.
And so practically for us, we
just ask, Hey, at a formal group
time, let's not serve alcohol.
And what's interesting is that
in all the church discipline
I've done in small groups.
It's interesting that no one came to
groups, said, Hey, let's do something
stupid, you get a little alcohol in
you and it's amazing how you can do
things that you wouldn't normally do.
And so it's not that it's, uh, bad.
Jesus even says, you know, in
scripture, uh, alcohol's not bad,
but getting drunk is, the problem is
people tend not to know their limits.
So be safe.
Don't be sorry.
Derek Olson: And another
example on that would be.
Uh, again, yeah, Jesus had
some wine in the Bible.
It's, we're not saying that alcohol is
evil, um, but limiting your freedom.
I think here in the context, Steve is
like, it might not be the best idea to
bring a six pack to, uh, group night.
You know?
'cause you might have
somebody there who just.
In alcohol rehab or just as coming
off of, um, that stuff, and you
wouldn't wanna make them slip back
into their, their, uh, cycle, correct.
Steve Gladen: Yeah, and like you
don't know where people are from.
So like if I say, Hey, it's bad to
cheat, and don't be a cheater in life
and stuff like that, when, oh, I didn't
know you were from the state of Michigan.
I didn't wanna feel bad about that.
I wanna be, I wanna limit
my freedom in what I say.
So sometimes the tongue
can be just as divisive.
Derek Olson: Got it.
Limit our freedom.
Number eight, welcome newcomers.
That sounds really obvious, but
uh, it sounds like we actually
need to be reminded about this.
Steve Gladen: Yeah, and it's
more, it's more of a heart
piece inside of your group.
And what, what we like to say at
Saddleback is that every group is open,
but philosophically it may be different.
For some groups, they may say,
Hey, I'm open to anybody who
can just wander into our group.
And they may wanna say, I'm
open to anybody on the website.
So open my group.
Uh, for some, like in our group,
we would say, Hey, we're open, but
we're gonna fill our own group.
part of it is you wanna empower
people to where they're at, and
we wanna teach our group leaders
to know, you know, what's best.
If you're going through a tough time
with some people in your group and you,
you're dealing with some sensitive issues,
then you might wanna close your group.
If you're, uh, open to other new people
and, and your group has gotten a little
bit more, uh, insulated and they don't
have new people, you may say, Hey,
I'm open to people on the internet.
If your group is more one life oriented
and you're always looking for people
who don't know Jesus to get closer
or people in your church to get
connected, then they'll figure it out.
But the point is, is it starts
with saying, I care about people.
Now how you fulfill that might be a
little bit of a different strategy, but it
starts with back in the beginning saying,
this is what our group cares about.
Derek Olson: Another, uh, little note
to take this welcoming newcomer's
point a little further is whenever
a group is launching, you know, you,
you're gonna have some people, maybe
it's the small group post, they're
gonna know one or two people that
they're just buddy buddies with.
But you can't forget, and I'm
passionate about this, you're always
having people that are joining a
group for the very first time in their
lives, and they are scared to death.
And so it's incumbent.
On the group leader and anybody
that's spiritually mature to have
their eyes open and you know you
are there at the door, we ready to
welcome these people in, introduce
'em and connect them with others.
You know, just because it can be so
scary for somebody stepping into a
stranger's house, you don't know anybody,
and you open the door and find that
they're kind of all just buddies and
no one's really reaching out to you.
So something else.
Steve Gladen: couple, couple tangents
with that, just strategy wise is
that a lot of times a centralized
small group on your campus.
Is the best way for people to get into
group life because it's an environment.
They know it's a place they know,
it's probably a room that they know.
So that might be easier.
Or if you're gonna do a decentralized in
the home or something like that, invite
new people more towards a social event
inside your group that's happening.
So if it's a dinner or
something like that.
So there's a lot of ways to strategize
around it, but the, the main thing
is have the heart towards doing it.
Derek Olson: Well said.
Okay, two left.
Number nine, building relationships.
Break that down, Steve.
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
And this is, uh, you're, you're moving
authentic community a little bit deeper
inside your group, and part of this I've
found is that you're, what the covenant
and what your guidelines are saying are.
gonna build deeper relationships
with people where I'm able to confess
temptation before I have to confess sin.
Well, you don't get there on the first
night, but how you can get there is by
subgrouping, by genders, and starting
to build relationships with people.
So understanding that the only way.
That people are gonna feel
comfortable sharing and being
transparent and coming as they are.
Like we, we say we want to have happen
is, you gotta say at the very beginning,
I'm gonna covenant with you to grow a
deeper relationship with other people.
So part of that is just saying,
Hey, I wanna get to the place
where I get to know somebody.
And when I, when we
subgroup by same gender.
What that does is it builds
conversation a little bit deeper.
'cause there's things that ladies
like to talk about and guys like
to talk about that can kind of keep
things on the same up and up and build
a, have an opportunity to do that.
But again, it starts in the very
beginning of group life, being able to
say, this is what we want a covenant to.
Derek Olson: Well said.
All right.
That brings us to the last point
here, number 10, one word team.
Break it down.
Steve Gladen: Yeah, and this is what
we wanna talk about too, is that we
wanna cove that we wanna build a team.
Now the question is, what are
you building a team towards?
Now, for us it was, it's framed
around our, our, our five
biblical purposes in the great
commission and great commandment.
But that I, I wanna have some people
that are working on the fellowship team.
People that are building parties
and celebrations with that.
Some people are more wild for bi
bible study, so they're there.
Our teaching team, and there's a couple
people in our group that handle that.
the thing about serving opportunities,
uh, we wanna make sure that there's.
People that help people find their
giftedness if they want to, or in the
area of mission, local mission, to do
a serving project every once in a while
that the church is calling us to are
people that are more reflective, that
may wanna take a group meeting and
help us take worship a little deeper.
is, is that you wanna build a team.
I don't know how your
church is structured.
Uh, but the team building should be
in direct correlation to spiritual
health that we talked about, and in
correlation to what your purpose is.
three things should all align, but
the point is, is that you want people
involved, and when people are involved
in their gifting that they have.
They feel much more, uh, a critical part
of the group by being a part of a team.
And so you wanna build your
attendance better, make sure
everybody feels they have a role.
Something that they're
bringing to the group.
You can start it out light early
on in group life by saying, who's
bringing a sweet, who's bringing a
salty, who's bringing, uh, drinks,
who's bringing, you know, something
fresh to eat or something like that.
But you wanna give everybody something
to bring so they feel like they, oh,
I'm part of this team, this small group
team that's meeting at at our house.
you can hopefully grow it beyond that.
To where they're operating in their
spiritual giftedness, which builds
spiritual health, which builds the
purpose of happening and not just being
something written on a piece of paper.
Derek Olson: So there are your
10 things that could be a part
of your small group guidance.
Lines this fall.
That was quite a list, Steve.
We made it through all 10 in record time.
Any, uh, closing thoughts on
this episode before we call it?
Steve Gladen: Yeah.
Yeah.
And this isn't, uh, inclusive or
the only things that could be a
part of your group guidelines.
The main thing I would say is first off.
Have a group guideline and make it
customized to who your church is.
You can use other guidelines and
covenants that are printed out there
and on the internet to help you
kind of have a working template.
But then what makes it
powerful is two things.
One is when it aligns with what your
church is trying to do in small groups.
Number two.
it is practiced and used early
on in the groups, if you're in a
semester base, do it early in your
semester saying, Hey, let's set the
expectations for our small group.
Or if you're, if you're a lifelong group
like we are periodically, just remind
them, dig it out, read it, and remind
each other why you're a part of this.
Derek Olson: So good, so good.
Well, Steve.
Out of sportsmanship.
I'd like to wish you good luck on
your college football season and
uh, I just pray that by the time,
uh, I think it's game four rolls
around, that's when Ohio State comes
to play the Washington Huskies.
Steve Gladen: And it's a
tough stadium, brother.
It's a tough stadium.
Well, the point is it's sometime in four
weeks from now, one of us will be happy.
US will be just a little bit sadder,
so it may be a very somber show.
So, or maybe just one of
us will be doing the show.
Derek Olson: Yeah.
Yeah.
I might be so depressed if it doesn't
go my way that I'll refuse to come on.
So
Steve Gladen: First off, get better.
Get better.
Take your little flour coffee
cup and go have some more
Derek Olson: I'm going to,
well, Steve, any other parting
words before we, uh, sign off?
Steve Gladen: No.
If you're one of those, uh, 15 states I
mentioned early on in the podcast, me.
Let me know that you wanna not be
on the sidelines, but you wanna be
a part of the on the game field.
So we'll go
Derek Olson: Well, and Steve,
let me just ask you this.
For people that might be considering this
in, uh, 30 seconds, what would be like
the job description of a state leader?
Steve Gladen: Yeah, a great question.
Uh, one of the things, uh,
is I sent an email out in the
network, uh, last Monday, so.
be sometime in late August or something
like that, that I sent it out, that
kind of list out the description.
But the main thing is there's a
proactive and a reactive side to it.
reactive side of a state
leader is if somebody pings
you and saying, I need help.
You wanna be able to give them help if
you can, or broker them off to somebody
else in the network who can help them.
But the main thing is, is we
want to be there for people to
pray for them and walk with them.
other thing too, is more proactive and we
have people that are in the network that.
We have done a terrible job engaging
with them, and what we wanna do is
build back that relational capital.
So we wanna have you calling into them
to pray with them, getting to know
them, their story, their family, and
just building a relationship with them.
We have thousands upon thousands of people
that we need to build a relationship with.
Now that I'm into this full-time, and it's
not all of our night jobs, but we wanna
work that out so there's more of a PR.
Reactive and a proactive
side to the job description.
It really is everyone's
taking at their own speed.
Some people have more time than others,
but if you love people, if you love
being a pastor, if you love being a
shepherd, uh, this is a role for you.
I.
Derek Olson: Awesome.
Awesome.
Will we hope that this episode encouraged
and equips all of you watching and
listening to lead better small groups.
And until next time, keep, uh,
serving the Lord and keep, uh,
serving people in your group.
See you later.
Steve Gladen: All right.
See you later, Roman.
Louisa: Thank you for listening!
And don't forget to subscribe
wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you'd like to go deeper and get
more resources or join the small
group network, just head over
to small group network dot com.
We'll see you next time!