Small Group Ministry Training in Alberta

Small Group Ministry Training in Alberta
Edmonton (October 4-5, 2014) 
Calgary (October 18-19, 2014)

Join Dr. Randy Wollf, Director of MinistryLift and Assistant Professor at MBBS-ACTS Seminaries, in Edmonton (Oct. 4-5, 2014) or Calgary (Oct. 18-19) as he does two weekend training sessions on small group ministry. With over 25 years of experience in small group ministry as a participant, leader and small groups pastor, Randy believes that healthy small groups can have a huge impact.

The entire weekend of training will focus on essential skills for leading small groups that have a big impact. Participants will learn and practice skills that will help them prepare, lead, shepherd and engage in multiplying outreach more effectively. Registration is at 8:30 am on the Saturday with training sessions running from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm each day. The location for the Edmonton training is the Best Western Plus Westwood Inn (18035 Stony Plain Road NW) on the Saturday and FantasyLand Hotel (17700 87 Avenue) on the Sunday. The Calgary training will be held at the Glenmore Inn (2720 Glenmore Trail SE).

Early bird registration is $85 until September 20 for Edmonton and October 4 for Calgary ($95 after those dates). If you can only attend one day, include a note to that effect when you register and we will reimburse you half of your registration fee. We will record all of the sessions so that you can watch any sessions that you miss.

Training Schedule for Both Weekends

Day One – Saturday

Morning – Overview of Training and Preparation Skills

This session will start with an overview of the entire small group ministry training weekend. A recent research study on small groups entitled, Small Groups, Big Impact: Connecting People to God and One Another in Thriving Groups, discovered that groups that see people accept Christ, increase in size, and multiply into additional groups have four things in common. They have small group leaders who grow their groups by modelling and facilitating prayer, outreach, care and the empowerment of group members. The training weekend is built around these four characteristics plus a session on skills for leading a small group meeting. On Saturday morning, we will look at prayer and how small group leaders can develop as godly and skilled leaders. In the afternoon, we will look at skills for leading a small group meeting. On Sunday morning, we will unpack the care dimension by looking at shepherding skills. Finally on Sunday afternoon, we will focus on outreach and equipping when we explore some essential outreach and multiplying skills.

Here are the four preparation skills we will unpack in the first session:

Preparation Skill #1 - Growing as a Small Group Leader - We will look at the biblical character Nehemiah and how his example gives us a framework for growing in our capacity to serve as small group leaders. The particular skills we will examine are: 1) growing in our relationship with God, 2) developing Christ-like character, 3)  understanding and living out our God-given calling, 4) building a strong sense of community, 5) helping groups function effectively and 6) acquiring knowledge and skills necessary to live out our calling.

Preparation Skill #2 - Discernment – The skill of observing and understanding ourselves, the individuals in our groups, and our culture.

Preparation - Skill #3 - Biblical Understanding – The skill of being able to study a passage of Scripture and to understand its intent and how it might apply to our lives today.

Preparation - Skill #4 - Making the Most of Curriculum – The skill of being able use Bible Study guides, videos and other materials to help group members understand and apply biblical truth.

Afternoon – Skills for Leading a Small Group Meeting

Leading Skill #1 - Breaking the Ice – The skill of helping group members feel comfortable with one another so that they are more likely to engage in deeper levels of sharing.

Leading Skill #2 - Establishing a Flexible Structure for the Meeting Times – The skill of creating a meeting format that accomplishes the purposes of the small group while being flexible enough to shift as the Spirit moves.

Leading Skill #3 – Using Non-verbal Cues Effectively – The skill of being able to effectively use the room environment and body language to support the goals of your small group.

Leading Skill #4 – Engaging in Active Listening – The skill of hearing what people are actually saying. 

Leading Skill #5 – Guiding a Discussion – The skill of being able to launch and guide a discussion in a direction which is profitable for the group.

Day Two – Sunday

Morning – Shepherding Skills

We will start with a devotional on biblical community and then move on to discuss the following shepherding skills:

Shepherding Skill #1 - Making Disciples – The skill of helping individuals take the necessary steps to grow in their relationship with God and others, develop Christ-like character and to increasingly live out God’s call on their lives with passion and excellence.

Shepherding Skill #2 - Building a Healthy Group Culture – The skill of developing a safe, non-judgmental place where people can care for one another.

Shepherding Skill #3 - Investing Time in Building Community – The skill of facilitating interactions both during and between official meeting times that draw people closer to each other.

Shepherding Skill #4 - Extending Forgiveness – The skill of helping the group experience and extend grace and forgiveness to others.

Shepherding Skill #5 - Providing Support – The skill of hearing and confirming a person’s emotional reality while humbly and lovingly helping them to assess the situation more objectively.

Shepherding Skill #6 - Processing Grief Together – The skill of helping people express their pain and to journey with them as they go through the various cycles of grief.

Shepherding Skill #7 - Providing a Place of Healing – The skill of providing comfort while empowering individuals to take appropriate next steps.

Shepherding Skill #8 - Practicing Loving Confrontation – The skill of engaging in conflict in a healthy way that can lead to transformed lives and relationships.

Shepherding Skill #9 – Mentoring Others – The skill of asking good questions and providing timely counsel that spurs another person on to love God more deeply and serve Him more effectively.

Afternoon – Outreach and Multiplying Skills

Outreach and Multiplying Skill #1 - Mobilizing and Equipping People to Serve – The skill of discerning peoples’ strengths and encouraging them to use them in meaningful ways.

Outreach and Multiplying Skill #2 - Encouraging Group Members to be Missional – The skill of modelling a life committed to reaching lost people for Christ and encouraging others to do the same.

Outreach and Multiplying Skill #3 - Adding Members to Your Group – The skill of facilitating small group meetings and other informal small group activities where newcomers feel welcome.

Outreach and Multiplying Skill #4 - Giving Birth to a New Group – The skill of preparing a group to start another group and then actually helping to launch that group.

Outreach and Multiplying Skill #5 – Processing the Birthing of a New Group – The skill of helping people process a natural sense of loss when people leave to start another group.

Presenter Information

Dr. Randy Wollf is the Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Leadership Studies at ACTS Seminaries and Director of MinistryLift.  Randy served as a pastor (including several years overseeing small groups), church planter and missionary for 20 years before taking up his current position. In addition, Randy has been involved in small groups of various kinds for 25 years including helping to start missional communities as part of a house church network.