SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

This month's group talk podcast features an insightful discussion regarding the book "The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters" by Priya Parker. Host Carolyn Taketa joins joins special guests Nick Lenzi (Dinner Group Director) & Andrew Camp (Former chef) to discuss the art of gathering.   Andrew Camp is currently the Spiritual Growth Pastor at Mountain Life Church in Park City, UT,...

Topic: A question we frequently field from our small group leaders is, "What should we study?" There is an overwhelming range of materials and topics to choose from and it is critical to choose curriculum wisely. What a group chooses to study has a significant impact on group dynamics and spiritual growth. On this podcast, we discuss some issues to consider when choosing small group curriculum. Gu...

This month, we take a look inside one of the most innovative "teaching churches" in America, National Community Church in Washington DC. They are well-known for establishing "Free market groups," semester-based groups, and effectively reaching millennials in a transitory urban environment. Guest: Laura Holland Bio: Laura Holland has been serving as the small groups pastor for three years at Nation...

Who do you want on your team? And how do you recruit people to join you? Small groups ministry cannot be done by yourself. We all need a team of people with different personalities, gifts, and skills to build a thriving groups ministry. Listen to Steve share the top ten things he considers when he recruits a team.  Guest: Steve Gladen Bio: Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddle...

Since evangelism is critical part of discipleship, it is typically a high value for our churches. However, practically speaking, many of our groups do not engage regularly in intentional outreach to nonbelievers. In this episode with Joel Comiskey, we focus on why evangelism helps small groups thrive and how we can empower groups to engage in relational evangelism. Joel is the founder of Joel Comi...

Pioneer of small groups ministry in the United States, Carl George has been an influential voice in churches for decades. Here, Carl shares his thoughts on the small groups movement over the years including trends, concerns, and the future of small groups ministry in the current cultural context.  Carl George, an internationally recognized church consultant, has helped congregations and leaders in...

The New Group Talk Podcast Welcome to the new "Group Talk Podcast!" In this month's episode you will notice these exciting new updates... An updated intro featuring new music and the new voice of Mike Kozlowski  New Producer Jason Banzhoff highlighting upcoming SGN Events A new outro highlighting the purpose and power of SGN "Huddles" as well as how to connect with the Small Group Network online  ...

Pastor Steve Gladen answers questions submitted from the 2018 SoCal "Lobby Gathering" participants on a variety of small groups ministry issues such as... Leadership development Group leader coaching Creating a small groups church culture Leading up Group multiplication Soul care Future of group life. Guest: Steve has been Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees...

We would all agree that small group leaders need the support, mentoring, and care that a coaching system can provide, but it continues to be an area of ministry that is challenging, and often a source of confusion and frustration. In this exclusive interview, Host Carolyn Taketa talks with Allen White about issues related to coaching, especially the top 5 common mistakes for small group point peop...

Q Do you ever wonder if the issues in your small groups ministry are unique to your environment? Q Are you curious to know if others are dealing with the same challenges? In this podcast, host Carolyn Taketa interviews special guest Amy Jackson where they survey the landscape of small groups ministry by looking at the top issues that arose in 2017 as well as the ongoing popular issues that come up...

Q Do you serve as a Small Group Point Person in your local church? Would you like to learn how to maximize your small group ministry budget for this new year? If your answer is yes, then you've come to the right place! In this exclusive Group Talk Podcast episode, host Carolyn Taketa interviews Pastor Steve Gladen regarding the following topics and more.... The framework to understand before crunc...

Are you dealing with any sticky issues within your small group ministry? If so, you've come to the right place! With more than 20 years of small groups ministry experience, Bill Search has led the discipleship charge in churches from the Midwest to California ranging in size from 1000 to 20,000. He's a frequent contributor to Smallgroups.com and RightNow Media. He has written 2 books: Simple Small...

Have you ever wished that there was a miracle formula for small groups ministry? A silver bullet that would guarantee that everyone in your church would be in a biblical Acts 2 kind of small group where people would grow to love God deeply, where lives would be radically transformed, the marginalized would be served, and non-Christians all around them would come to faith in Christ every day?  As a...

Have you ever wished that there was a miracle formula for small groups ministry? A silver bullet that would guarantee that everyone in your church would be in a biblical Acts 2 kind of small group where people would grow to love God deeply, where lives would be radically transformed, the marginalized would be served, and non-Christians all around them would come to faith in Christ every day?  As a...

Q Do you serve in a local church ministry? Are you a small group point person? Are you doing groups in a multisite context? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, then this Small Group Network podcast is for you as it will encourage and equip you regarding general ministry principles, leadership & groups in a multisite context! Jason Williams is a Texan, born and bred. He earned an M...

If we were to ask you, “what are your top 3 challenges in your small groups ministry?” One of your answers would probably be related to getting new leaders or starting new groups! Whether you are launching a new small groups ministry at your church or growing an existing one, it can only happen when you have new people stepping up to lead or host a group. So what are some practical strategies we c...

Q Are you feeling burnt-out as a ministry leader? Q Do you know other ministry leaders who are on the edge of burn-out? If so, you've come to the right place... The greatest gift you can give those you lead is your own healthy soul. So often, as pastors and Christian leaders, we get weary and depleted behind the scenes even while our ministries are thriving and successful. The statistics on pastor...

"What will our groups study?" This is a common question in groups ministry and one that is critically important in shaping the dynamics and discipleship process of a group. The sermon based model has been increasingly popular over the past decade and can be a valuable tool to helping groups get into Scripture with one another in practical, life-changing ways. In this conversation with Dave Ennes,...

Words are powerful. As small group pastors and directors, a critical part of our role is to use words to shape vision, empower, encourage, and connect with people. But, is the terminology you are using in your ministry inadvertently creating barriers, limiting vision, and miscommunicating expectations? Andrew Mason is the Small Groups Pastor at Real Life Church in Sacramento, CA and the founder of...

What does it take for women to flourish in ministry?  If you or anyone on your team are asking these questions, then you’ve come to the right place! Host Carolyn Taketa interviews Awana CEO and SGN Lobby Conference speaker, Valerie Bell on her insights based on decades of ministry in various leadership settings. This lively conversation addresses a variety of issues concerning women in leadership...

Steve Gladen has served as the Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees the strategic launch and development of over 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. Steve has authored “Small Groups With Purpose,” which has translated into eight languages to date, and “Leading Small Groups With Purpose.” Steve is also the Founder of the Small Group Network (SGN) giv...

Q What are the emerging trends in small group ministry? How are millennials viewing small group ministry? What are wholistic small groups? If you or anyone on your team are asking these questions, then you’ve come to the right place! Mike Mack has been involved in discipleship and small group ministry for more than 25 years, most recently at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He founded...

In this episode, Eric Falcinella asks Steve a very important question while he was sitting alone drinking a coffee at Starbucks. It was a great impromptu conversation. Enjoy!   ★ Support this podcast ★

Three Seasons of Ministry: What I Wish I Had Known Part 3: Sustaining  Steve Gladen has served as the Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees the strategic launch and development of over 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. Steve has authored “Small Groups With Purpose,” which has translated into eight languages to date, and “Leading Small Groups With P...

Three Seasons of Ministry: What I Wish I Had Known Part 2: Stabilizing Steve Gladen has served as the Global Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church since 1998. He oversees the strategic launch and development of over 7,000 adult small groups on multiple campuses. Steve has authored “Small Groups With Purpose,” which has been translated into eight languages to date, and “Leading Small Groups W...