Small Group Leadership Huddle: 12 Great Yearly Topics


Ive found that a great way to have successful monthly small group leadership huddles with all your leaders is to be prepared by planning way in advance.  It's also very helpful to have a huddle planning team made up of some of your creative small group leaders.  Often, it would be easier to have your coaches/CL's plan the huddle, but Ive found that when group leaders are involved in the planning, a lot more group leaders attend.  Plus, it takes a lot of the busy pressure off you and your coaching/CL team. Depending on the size of your team you can choose different venue types for your huddles. Some months you may host them at your church but other months you might have a few coaches lead different venues in homes. Women's Group leaders all at a Women's Coach's home and so on. Men's, Married, & Mixed Group Leaders. One fun idea is to create some competition among your coaches seeing who can get the best attendance at their huddle.  Be sure to give a way a good prize though. My wife has won this numerous times because she not only has all her ladies leaders there, she will have their apprentices and many times other ladies that our considering leadership. She normally blows everyone away, but it's great because it challenges the rest of our coaches to go after it more and more. Back to the topics; these topics can be repeated yearly,  but be sure to give them a new face creatively and title them differently. From time to time I will throw in an additional topic if its something that keeps coming up in a our coaches meetings. I normally write my huddle outline using the Willowcreek Coaching Handbook huddle planning guide template. Its simple, easy, and its not reinventing the wheel every time.

12 Huddle Topics
Jan: Vision
Feb: Shepherding
March: Spiritual Growth Plans
April: Local and Global Outreach Projects
May: Navigating the Summer Successfully
June: Prayer
July: Communication
August: Great Group Meetings
September: Apprenticeship
October: Evangelism
November: Navigating the Holidays
December: Christmas Party for all Small Group Leadership

Recent Church Visits: An Eye for Excellence

I recently visited three churches that definitely have an eye for excellence. Those churches all being in Southern California; Saddleback, North Coast, and Mariners Church. Here's a few of my findings.

Saddleback definitely connects in an excellent way on the everyday life issues. Their most recent being health and fitness, better known as the Daniel Plan.  I had the pleasure of meeting with Dee Eastman, the director of the Daniel Plan. I'll write a future blog on my interview with her.

Next up is North Coast Church and ohhh do they have on campus venues going on. They've got it down to a science. Their mantra is pick the worship service & style that works for you. At the main campus in Vista they offer a variety of different worship service options varying in style, location, and time slot. The worship music styles vary from traditional hymns and choruses to contemporary songs, from Country Gospel bluegrass to THE EDGE, a cutting-edge experience incorporating electric guitars and high energy worship.

Here's a listing:
1) North Coast Live: Full worship band and live teaching.
2) Edge: An edgier atmosphere for worship.
3) Video Cafe: Contemporary gospel worship.
4) Traditions: A mix of classic hymns and old favorites.
5) Country Gospel: Featuring gospel/bluegrass worship.
6) Live @ 12:45: Contemporary worship service with live teaching.
7) Early Bird Cafe: Contemporary worship service with no childcare provided. 730am
8) The Message: Simply the message.
Located in the Corner Cafe.
9) Venue en Español: Live worship and teaching all in Spanish.
10) Last Call: Extended, reflective worship time after the message.
Sunday 5:30pm
11) Sunday Night Encore: Features contemporary worship.
Sunday 5:30pm
12) Encore 4 Singles: A video venue sponsored by our Singles Ministry.
Sunday 5:30pm




Lastly, is Mariners Church. This place will just about ruin any pastor out there when it comes to pride and the campus the Lord has blessed you with. #1 the campus is located smack dab in the middle of Newport Beach. If you haven't been there, picture Beverly Hills with the ocean right down the street. #2 this church's signage, streets, parking lots, buildings, streams and rivers, chapel, and more blow away the highest end malls you've ever been too.
#3 and most importantly, mariners is definitely intentional about ministry. They don't have 200 ministries to be involved with. They've narrowed it down to a few, they're definitely pursuing being a simple church.

Solace


Solace
1 : alleviation of grief or anxiety
2 : a source of relief or consolation

At this moment I'm sitting In Solace. I'm alleviating myself of grief over things, people, and situations that can so easily weigh us down and steal our joy and livelihood. Things like the mental addiction of staying so tethered to the constant information stream through all of my social interactive tools (iPhone, Twitter, email, etc...) I found myself this morning so quickly like a programmed robot checking my email as I got up out of bed. Like it couldn't wait, right? So, finally, as I sit in solace with the Lord this morning, I'm receiving from him relief and consolation. Don't we so need it on a regular basis. Moments of complete alleviation. I'm so thankful that the Lord is my helper, my alleviator. His Word says, "Where does our help come from, it comes from the Lord the maker of Heaven and Earth." Ps. 121:1&2. Thank you Lord for being my comforter, counselor, strength, peace, joy, solitude, my stream to sit by and receive a fresh wind in my sails for today.

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Always Learning!

Years ago as a youth pastor, I came across this leadership saying by Doug Fields, "Leaders are Learners." That phrase has stuck with me over the years. Learning early in ministry that if i want to continue to get better as a leader, I'd better continue learning.

I'm so thankful to have begun this practice at my first full time church position in Athen, OH, back in 1995. Early on, I couldn't wait to listen to my "Injoy" Leadership Tapes by John Maxwell. I would take a ton of notes on the provided note sheets. I also loved to get my monthly Group Magazine subscription. I would read it over and over.  This week, almost 17 years later, Im in California learning. I'm really here for a Small Group Network Regional Leader retreat. But in the midst of the retreat and surrounded by so many great leaders, I'm learning. Listening to so many with so many experiences, I cant help but learn and continue to grow as a leader.

Sermon: Scars

Scars from Joe Windham on Vimeo.

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Sermon: Being God's Best

Being God's Best from Joe Windham on Vimeo.

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The Five Live - Starting Small Groups Right!

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Reflections of Russia

From My Blog

Wow! Already one week since our team returned from Russia. It's so hard sometimes to put into words all that you experience on a mission trip. So many aspects of your life are effected - spirit, soul, and body! I think that's why returning from such an objectively successful missions trip is so difficult. You are completely exhausted spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. But that's the way it should be shouldn't it? Giving your all, being completely poured out for the Lord for His purpose and glory. I better understand more and more why Jesus was so tired at times. It was because he so poured himself out for people and their needs spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

From My Blog

Great missions trips challenge me to live more like this everyday in normal life. Poured out for Christ at home as a husband and father, at work with my co-workers and congregation, in my neighborhood, at the gym, everywhere with all people. So at the end of each day I collapse exhausted from being used of the Lord in the lives of all. Pray for me in this, it's so easy to slip back in the rut of selfishness though, well at least for me!

You know, for as long as I can remember, since way back to 1990 when I gave my life completely to Christ, I have had a special love in my heart for Russia. Somewhere along the way God dropped his love for this very special country in my heart. Maybe it because of the 180 million, less than 2% know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

From My Blog

Our teams objectives for our trip to Belgorod were:
*To be used of God in all ways he wanted to use us
*To partner with Holy Trinity church
*To help them reach the unchurched neighbors of their congregation through kindness evangelism
*To help them with their church building through various projects
*To train the pastors and leaders of the Belgorod and Kursk region in small group ministry

Each of these objectives were successfully accomplished. Enjoy the pictures below of our time in Belgorod. I invite you to consider praying about a trip to Russia with us another time or to consider financial support of our teams as we go each year.

Me leading small group training with the pastors

From My Blog

Our Team

From My Blog

Holy Trinity Pastor and Family

(From left to right: Nadia, Pastor Alexander, Alla, Luba, Andrew)
Please pray for them with me on a regular basis. They have such a wonderful congregation and you can tell the congregation loves them so much. They need so much prayer support though, financial monthly support for their family, and finances to finish their church building.
From My Blog

Some of the Church Congregation and our team at the train station!

From My Blog

Church Building

From My Blog

From My Blog

From My Blog

From My Blog

From My Blog

These two guys will be missionaries one day!
From My Blog

Russian Cuisine

From My Blog

A Russian Small Group Dinner
From My Blog

Praying over the pastor and family
From My Blog

My dear friend and interpreter, Denis
He translated my entire small group training into Russian. See pick below Denis's picture.
From My Blog

From My Blog


Any comments, questions about Russia, or how to financially support feel free to email me, joewindham@gmail.com

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My Russian Home

The Russian hospitality has been wonderful. My missionary friend, Don Buege and I are staying at the home of our host church pastor. His name is Alexander and his wife is Alla. They have three children: Andrew 20, Luba 15, and Nadia9. Each day they take such good care of. 

Yesterday Pastor Alexander took me on a tour of there church which has been under construction for 8 yrs. Finances have caused them to have to build the church slowly.  They have an incredible plan though. The church has a great location in the city. It's located on one of the most busy main streets. 1000's of cars pass it everyday. Last night P Alexander showed me the archetectual plans and what they have left to do to finish it. I'm excited for our church to be able to possibly assist in helping building this great church and partnering with them for the years to come. 

Our team is continuing to have such great ministry times each day. We also concluded our small groups conference. It went very well and all the pastors were greatful for such good training to help there churches. I had a an opportunity to sit with the two bishops that oversee the two regions we are working with. Bishop Alex and Bishop Piotor. They both over see around 50 churches combined. They had so many questions and are equally excited to partner with us for the years to come. 

The day ended with having tea with pastor Alex and his son Andrew. We sat on his patio that over looked their beautiful green garden where they grow cherries, blue berries, pears, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, various spices, and strawberries. After tea we headed off to bed around 10pm. Another great productive day being about the Lords kingdom work.  

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Port O Prince Devastation

The day started early at 7am.  After a night of listening to a barking dog convention, a rooster crow-off, a fireworks demolition at 2am, and a 20 baby synchronized crying contest, I got a little bit o sleep.  Not complaining because it gave me a wonderful real-time experience with Haitian cultural. Had some good coffee and our team headed over to the orphanage. We had breakfast together, prayer, and orientation of our day. Ever since we've been here Ive been trying to work out flying to Port O Prince to visit with another orphanage, so we can take future teams from Grace Family there also. It is only 1 hr north of Port o Prince.  Well, God worked things out for me, and I got to fly to Port O Prince this afternoon. Normally its an 8hr drive over mountains from Ouanaminthe, where Danita's Orphanage is, to Port O Prince, but by plane its only 30 minutes.  Danita was great and arranged a driver to take me to the airport in Cap Haitian. When I got to the smallest airports ive ever seen in my life, we walked in, told them where i wanted to go, and they said i could leave in 5 minutes.  I said sure, and was in the air in 15.  Flight was in a small 14 seater, I could see the pilots as they flew. Anyway, we were in the air about 25 minutes and then landed in Port O Prince. I got off the plane and walked into the airport to be flogged by 50 people wanting drive me wherever I needed to go, but my new orphanage buddy, Gary Walker was on his way to pick me up.  He got there in about 30 minutes and we took a very shocking drive through Port O Prince.  The tv news veils the reality of the situation here completely. There were immediately as you leave the airport 1000's of tents anywhere and everywhere you looked.  Children packing the streets begging for food, water, money, anything! And then the devastation of the pancaked buildings and houses was everywhere.  Huge buildings 5 and 6 stories high lying flat, floor upon floor stacked on each other. Rubble everywhere you looked.  Many of the buildings they have not even gotten to yet.  They sit as a pile of rocks.  They stopped counting the dead after an estimate of 300,000. After Gary took me through town we headed north out of the city and he showed me where just recently 50,000 were buried in a mass grave.  They were taken there by 100's of dump trucks. The only thing that sat near the grave was a parked bull dozer. It was unbelievable.  Tomorrow morning I will fly back to Cap Haitian and then be picked up and driven back to Ouanaminthe to rejoin our team. We will then drive back to Santiago, Dominican Republic, where we will spend the night and then fly back to Tampa Friday afternoon.  Its been a quick trip.  We will need at least 7-8 days next time.  Pray for our safety tomorrow.  Joe

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