A place where group leaders can gain tips, tools, and insights into leading and discipling their small groups.
Episodes
Friday Sep 29, 2023
Friday Sep 29, 2023
Some of the topics they cover in this episode are:
- What does it mean to branch a group?
- Why is it important?
- What is a good reason to branch a group?
- What is a bad reason?
- How do you navigate the tension between relationship and the mission?
3 Tips to leading a branch effectively:
- Communication
- Talk about it often, vision cast it well, talk about the why
- Consideration
- Make sure every person feels wanted, welcomed, and valued
- Consider the perspective and emotions of everyone in the group
- Celebration
- People aspire to what is celebrated
- It encourages people and makes them feel supported
These 3 things will help you avoid:
- Isolation
- Feelings of being left out, unimportant
- Speculation
- People will make assumptions that are usually not correct or healthy
- Frustration
- Focusing on the negative aspects of the situation
You can download show notes for this episode at the link below:
You can go to the podcast website at the link below:
Here are some more great tools that our leadership has made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
We're excited to present part two of our Worship as Discipleship Podcast. Our host, Chris Short, Executive Pastor at Real Life Ministries, is joined once again by Aaron Short, Worship Pastor at the Post Falls Campus and Jeremy Ellis, Worship Arts Development Pastor.
In this episode, they delve into the topic of worship environments and how they impact our spiritual growth. Today's discussion focuses on the contrasting experiences of large group and small group worship settings. They emphasize the importance of both types of environments for fostering spiritual growth in both individuals and small group members alike.
Join us as we look at the significance of these worship environments and their role in deepening our walk with the Lord, and with others. It's going to be an enlightening conversation that will leave you feeling inspired about your own personal journey in worship, and help you lead your group members to recognize this important aspect of their own journey.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the importance of both large and small gatherings in the Church
- Discover the values and significance of each gathering according to Acts 2:42, 47
- Learn how coming together as a collective group can build and strengthen the church brick by brick
- Understand the benefits of forming deeper relationships within smaller group settings
- Uncover the balance between vertical focus and forming meaningful connections with others
Mentioned in this episode:
Here are some more great tools that our leadership has made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you would like to download the show notes for this episode, click below:
Worship As Discipleship Part 2 Show Notes
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Sunday Jul 30, 2023
Sunday Jul 30, 2023
In this episode of the podcast, our host Chris Short - Real Life Ministries Executive Pastor, speaks with our guests about the role worship plays in discipleship. Today's guests are:
Jeremy Ellis - Worship Arts Development Pastor at the Post Falls Campus
Aaron Short - Worship Leader at the Post Falls Campus
Some of the points covered in this conversation are:
- What is worship? Why does it matter?
- How to grow in spiritual maturity through worship
- Discover how worship goes beyond music and impacts every aspect of your life
- Learn practical ways to cultivate a lifestyle of worship in small groups and as leaders
- Understand the value and priority of worship in your relationship with God - Explore how redefining worship can transform your attitude and perspective
- See the impact of worship on your relationships, including marriages, and the importance of prioritizing it
- Become a true disciple by submitting and obeying in both actions and heart
Discipleship represents the lifelong process of becoming a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. One aspect of discipleship that is often overlooked is worship. Worship, both individually and in community, plays a crucial role in discipleship, shaping our hearts and minds to be more like Christ.
In this episode, we explore the connection between worship and discipleship, highlighting the ways in which worship can transform our lives and deepen our relationships with God and others in every sphere of life.
Worship is not only about music or a Sunday service. It is about giving value, attention, and adoration to something. Worship impacts our lives by stirring up affection towards God and taking it from our heads to our hearts.
As leaders, we have a responsibility to model the importance of worship to those around us. Just as we wouldn't skip a date night with our spouse because we didn't feel like we were getting anything out of it, we should approach worship with the same commitment and obedience.
Ultimately, worship is about our hearts and our relationship with God, and it should be a priority in our lives as disciples.
Some of the resources mentioned in this episode are:
Family Worship by Donald S. Whitney
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Friday Jun 30, 2023
Welcome to Episode 7 of the Groups Leadership Podcast! Today Chris Short – the host of this podcast and Executive Team Leader at Real Life Ministries, is chatting with two of the leaders from our Real Life Hayden Campus:
Wayne Burnham: Associate Pastor/ Real Life Hayden
Jenna Fore: Women’s Discipleship Leader/ Real Life Hayden
The topic today is small group discussions, and how we as leaders can help make a group discussion truly impactful. Doing this requires certain building blocks that promote depth and meaningful exchange. This episode explores these building blocks and provides practical tips on how to create and facilitate an impactful group discussion. By incorporating these elements, you can ensure that your group discussions are productive, engaging, and contribute to the overall relationships and spiritual growth of your group.
What are some of the elements that help create a good discussion?
Group Participation
Create a safe space where group members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Provide opportunity to go deeper
Create a space where individuals are not afraid to express their opinions and are open to receiving feedback from others.
Everyone is heard
Set guidelines for respectful communication and ensure everyone's voice is heard and acknowledged.
People are challenged to grow
Encourage group members to think critically, question assumptions, and consider different viewpoints.
What are some of the things that can derail a good discussion?
- Unsafe environment/lack of confidentiality
- Overtalking/Oversharing
- No “I” statements
- Divisiveness/Gossip
Listed below are some additional things our guests shared about how you as a leader can help create an environment where great discussions can take place.
- Be prepared
- Be intentional
- Remain curious
- Know your people
- Be Prayerful
Remember, the goal of a discussion is not just to cover all the questions, but to create an atmosphere where individuals can experience growth and transformation. Let the Holy Spirit guide the conversation and trust that impactful discussions will occur.
Last of all, remember that personal growth is a lifelong journey, and it may take time to see tangible results in your group. We encourage you to be patient and persevere, and be sure you recognize and celebrate the small steps your group is making along the way.
You can download one of our Basic Group Templates by clicking below:
You can download our Small Group Guidelines by clicking below:
Check out our “Why does my small group need guidelines?” video by clicking below:
Here are some more great tools that our leadership has made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
In today’s episode, our guests represent over 40 Life Groups at our Post Falls Campus – Sara Short and Jesse Hill join host Chris Short to talk about the different stages of a Group. In this conversation they bring up why these stages are needed in a group, how you can determine what stage your group is in, and how to navigate them through that stage. Here are some of highlights of their discussion.
- Where did the idea of group stages come from?
- What are the 5 stages and how can you tell what one your group is in?
- What are some of the indicators you should be looking for?
- The different stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, Ministering and Multiplying.
- How do the stages correlate with Real Life Ministries SCMD process?
- What are some things that can stall group growth?
- Why is the Storming stage important to further growth?
- Why does the Norming stage have the potential to be harmful to a group?
- Where do we see these stages in the Early Church?
Below are two PDF tools you can utilize as you coach and guide your group through these 5 stages.
https://bit.ly/GroupDevelopmentStages
https://bit.ly/GroupStageCards
You can download the pdf of these show notes here: Show Notes
We have some great tools that our leadership have made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Monday May 01, 2023
Monday May 01, 2023
Chris Short is back with another episode of our Podcast. In this episode Chris is again talking with Santha Yinger and Mike Wraith, about recognizing and responding to crisis situations in the lives of your group members. Here are some of the topics they address in this episode:
- How do we define Crisis?
A person is considered to be in crisis when they are no longer able to function at their normal level -It can look different for everyone. We are not necessarily all in crisis over the same things.
There are many things that can cause a person or family to get to that crisis stage. Sometimes even life change can cause a reaction - moving to a new place, a new job, changing schools.
- How can the group support (not fix) each other when one of us is going through a crisis? How can we de-escalate the situation?
Compassion and curiosity - It is important that we understand what is going on before we try to step into it. It is also important to validate and acknowledge people feelings in these situations - that is not to say we agree or condone - it just means we hear that they are struggling.
Active listening means being present and sometimes repeating back what you have heard. We may not have experienced what they are experiencing but we can recognize that they are in pain.
Be sure to give people the space they need to share their experience. Giving them time at the end of their sentence, asking them when they pause “what else is going on” People won’t usually be up front with all of their struggles right away – but they will continue to share if they see we genuinely care and honestly want to hear them.
One of the most important things you can do when someone is in crisis is just giving them the gift of your presence. Active listening means being present and sometimes repeating back what you have heard.
We aren't required to fix things – We need to avoid problem solving in the crisis moments.
- When it comes to a life group - what is an example of a crisis that might need some intervention and/or outside help?
-
- Suicide
- Self-Harm
- Self-Medicating (Not just drugs and alcohol - could be gaming, shopping, binge watching)
- Eating Disorders - Unhealthy relationship with food
This is such an important topic, and we appreciate all of our leaders and your willingness to love your people well! Remember you are not alone - our groups team is here to offer support and resources and a listening ear when you need one!
Some of the resources mentioned in this episode:
Movie: Inside Out (link to trailer)
Real Life Post Falls Classes: https://www.reallifeministries.com/classes
Real Life Mental Health Resources: https://www.reallifeministries.com/mentalhealthresources
Real Life Ministries Counseling & Community Resource Guide:
We also have some great tools that our leadership have made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at: realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Friday Mar 31, 2023
Friday Mar 31, 2023
In this episode Chris Short - Executive Pastor at Real Life Ministries is joined by Santha Yinger: Mental Health & Wellness Ministry Lead, and Mike Wraith: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (and Life Group leader!) and they are talking about the very important topic of promoting mental wellness in your Life Group.
Some of the things they cover are:
Why does our awareness of mental health matter when it comes to leading a life group?
Everyone has the need for Mental Wellness, and every one of us has a Mental Health that God has given us to steward, just as we are responsible for our physical health and well being.
We need to be careful not to label people - there is a stigma when it comes to mental health, but we need to approach it just as we would any physical struggle or illness.
Community is a key factor to Mental Health, but it takes time to build it. Life Groups provide an opportunity for connection, especially when they are places where the members can be transparent and feel safe.
As group leaders, we need to become students of the patterns of the people in the group. If we are able to recognize their patterns we will be able to notice when things are off.
Remember that the responsibility for the people in your group is not all on your shoulders! Encourage relationships and connections to develop between the different members as they spend time together inside and outside of group.
And don't forget that you always have your coaches and campus leaders to turn to if you have questions or needs.
You can download the show notes by clicking below:
The Real Life Groups Leadership Podcast: Season 2 Ep4 part 1 Show Notes
For more resources go to https://realliferesources.org/
Registration is opening soon for our Mental Health Response Basics Class happening at our Post Falls Campus. Gain some basic understanding of recognizing stressors, symptoms of mental distress, some basic responses, wellness practices and de-escalation techniques.
Check it out here: https://www.reallifeministries.com/classes
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Welcome to Episode 3 of our 2nd Season of the Real Life Groups Leadership Podcast! In this episode Chris Short is joined by his wife Sara Short as co-host for our conversation about Mentoring. We have two seasoned Mentors in the room – Randy and Debbi McEnespy. Randy has been an elder at Real Life for many years, and Debbie is a former staff member at Real Life and is now a full-time volunteer here. Both have mentored many people, both individuals and couples, in their walk as disciples of Jesus, and we are excited to share their wisdom with you!
Some of the things they share:
- What is mentoring? How is it different from Discipleship?
- How can being mentored impact someone’s life?
- How does mentoring work in conjunction with a small group?
- Is one-on-one time important?
- Some things are more appropriate to address with a mentor than with a small group.
- How can a lack of mentorship affect our lives?
- How do you go about finding a mentor? Or finding someone to mentor?
- Do you have to be a certain age to be a mentor?
- Is the small group leader responsible to mentor all the members of their group?
- Don’t let fear hold you back!
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- One voice, speaking wisdom, can change the legacy of a family.
Thank you for joining us today! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to us on your favorite pod catcher. And please feel free to share it with others!
We have some great tools that our leadership have made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies) Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
Wednesday Feb 01, 2023
This month on the Real Life Groups Leadership Podcast, our host Chris Short sits down with Fred Bosse' (Groups Team Leader - Post Falls Campus) and Christian Putman (Groups Pastor - CDA Campus) to talk about how often, and why, the Bible refers to leaders as shepherds, and what does that mean to us today?
Some of the points they address include:
What does it mean to be a Shepherd?
- The Bible talks about God being a shepherd, and Jesus says "I am the good shepherd."
- The Bible also refers to people as sheep - is that a compliment?
- Why does the Bible use sheep and shepherds as an analogy so often?
- What did it mean to be a shepherd in Biblical times - was it an honored profession?
- What is God saying in Ezekiel 34 to the leaders of Israel about shepherding?
- Who are the shepherds? Isn't that just the paid staff?
What are some practical aspects of leading like a shepherd?
- You can't feed others if you are not feeding yourself. You don't bypass being a sheep yourself - you are under the care of the Good Shepherd.
- Knowing your people well is so important - know if they are not going to church and why - know the condition of their hearts.
- You may need to pursue your people outside of group to shepherd them well.
- The hired hand flees when danger comes for the sheep - don't lead with the mindset of checking a box.
- Allow God to guide you as a shepherd, seek the Holy Spirit's leading.
- The importance of Break Out Groups - Women need to be led and to lead too. (shepherdess)
There is no secret formula and we don't need to overcomplicate this topic - it is simply loving people well. It may not be easy, but it is simple! Leaders - what you are doing does make a difference!
Thank you for listening to our podcast! Be sure to subscribe - they come out on the first day of the month but we occasionally will publish bonus episodes
Some of the resources they mention in this episode are listed below:
The Way of the Shepherd - Kevin Leman
Lead like a Shepherd - Larry Osborn
Right Now Media - Lead like a Shepherd
We have some great tools that our leadership have made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.
Sunday Jan 01, 2023
Sunday Jan 01, 2023
Welcome to Season 2 of the Real Life Groups Leadership Podcast! We are kicking off this season with an episode about curriculum and resources – what do we have available and how do you choose what is best for your group? Our host Chris Short – Executive Pastor at Real Life Ministries is joined this time by Sharyl Williams – Digital Resource Lead, and Derek and Heather Dalton – Groups Pastor and Women’s Discipleship Lead, all from the Post Falls Campus. We are planning to pack Season 2 of the podcast full of helpful and encouraging content – and this episode is a great start!
Here are some of the things they discuss:
- There are many things you should take into consideration when determining what study or curriculum you should lead your group through.
- What season are you in as a group? (Just starting? Long time relationships?
- Who is in your group? What season of life are they in?
- Remember that the choice of study or topic is secondary to the goal of the group – which is growing in Spiritual maturity.
- God’s Word in any form is living and active and He is going to meet us wherever we are. The things that need to be dealt with will come up.
- When you combine God’s Word with God’s people, God’s Spirit is going to show up.
- Our hearts should be that of: How are we going to help God’s people love God and love others well.
- We need to know our people well enough to be able to determine what they may need, where they need growth.
- Should you follow the sermon series or go with a separate study?
- You group should not be a democracy when it comes time to choose.
- Have separate discussions to find out what people would like, that way they will feel heard and be willing to give honest suggestions rather then being swayed by the most vocal person.
- There will be times when it is important to go with a sermon series or topic that the leadership would like the church to be aligned on.
- Ultimately, as the leader you will be the best one to make a decision as to what would be the best choice for the current season.
- Be sure you take advantage of your leaders and coaches and ask them for suggestions or recommended studies.
- We have some great tools that our leadership have made available for you to use!
- Right Now Media: (The Netflix of Bible Studies)
Real Life has gifted our people with a free membership to this platform! Find out more at this link. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/reallifeministries
- Real Life Resources: This digital library contains over 500 tools and resources to help both you personally and those in your group. Podcasts, videos, books, studies and much more at this link. https://realliferesources.org/
- We also have a page on our main website specifically for our group leaders, with training videos, announcements, and other leader resources at this link.
https://www.reallifeministries.com/lgresources
Thank you so much for joining us on the Real Life Groups Leadership Podcast! If you enjoy this podcast and find value in the content, please help us by subscribing and sharing it with others! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, feel free to email us at realforlife@reallifeministries.com.