Small Groups Conference

Willow Creek Association

4 Video Tapes 6 Sessions in Total

Session #1 Community With a Cause (0-24:00)

(Featuring Russ Robinson 25 min.)

What is your cause as a small group? Why do you show up to shepherd your group?

Four possible causes:

1. The Cause of Connection all about relational needs
Pauls picture of community:
In (Christ) the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his
Spirit Ephesians 2:21-22.
The body: The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are
many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of
you is a part of it 1 Corinthians 12:12,27.
The bride of Christ: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy,
cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a
radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless
Ephesians 5:25-27.
The goal of Willow Creek to give everyone who calls Willow Creek their home a place in
community.

2. The Cause of Caring all about life-change needs

A core value of Willow Creek: Life-change happens best in small groups.
It must begin with ourselves.

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

3. The Cause of the Church (12:00)

Exodus 18 is one place early on where we see how God cares everyone be touched.
The Five Gs of Willow Creek: Grace, Growth, Group, Gifts & Good Stewardship.
But there needs to be more when the dynamics of community start to break down. Its spoken
about in Jesus prayer in John 17.
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, I am coming to you. Holy
Father, protect them by the power of your name the name you gave me so that they may be
one as we are one John 17:11.

4. The Cause of Christ to meet His longing for a community of oneness

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their
message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you John 17:2021.
These words were spoken for you and I.
The only cause that will last, is the cause of Christ for oneness. If you join this cause, you have
joined Christ and with what He experiences Himself in the Trinity.

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Session #2: Groups that Change Lives

(Featuring Bill Donahue 36 min. begins at 25:00)
Drama the experience of a couple who visit three different kinds of groups (24:00-33:00)
What do you need to do so people walk away from your small group saying this experience of
authentic Christian community doesnt get any better than this?
It doesnt just happen! We have to do something that will help us do that.

Five Pictures of What a Well Functioning Small Group Looks Like

1. Small Groups are a hospital that promotes healing from pain.
They provide a level of care where there can be healing and confession because life is filled with
pain.
Transformation takes place on the edge of suffering.
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our consciences but he shouts to us in our
pain. C.S. Lewis
They are a place for care.
They can promote both the crisis care and the rehabilitation care.
They are a place forconfession.

2. Small Groups are a fitness center that builds people up.

Exercises:
1) Aerobic kneeling
2) Pump Scriptural iron (dont drift from the Word, build each other up with it)
3) Run encouragement drills

3. Small groups are a family gathering where we celebrate Gods activity.

Rejoice! Have a party! Lets have some fun.
We see the joy at family gatherings The image we see in Jesus ministry in the wedding at Cana
was joy. The image in the story of the Prodical son is a celebration when the son comes home.
Dont let your small group be a downer. Dont let it drive you into depression.

4. Small groups are a launching pad for ministry. (44:00)

Small Group Conference Tapes
Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

The power we see in the launching of a rocket is an illustration of human power. The power we
need in our small groups is Holy Spirit power launched through the ministry we have with one
another as we use our gifts and serve one another.
Power to change lives.
Power to restore the POWs. The POOR, the ORPHANS and the WIDOWS.

5. Small groups are a laboratory of life change. (48:00)

Its a place where you get to practice your gifts especially the leadership gift.
We need people who are servants and people who are shepherds. You look for shepherds and
your look for servants when you are looking for leaders.

Here are a few things you can do to be the kind of group described here:
Make a choice to love (not to fix, judge or caretake but to love)
Have the courage to teach
To say words that need to be said, to do actions that need to be done, to live out a life thats
exemplary before others.
To teach is to create a space where the community of truth can be practiced.
Teaching is a daily exercise in vulnerability.
Make a commitment to pray
Call your people out in prayer to God.

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Session #3: A Strategy that Produces Results

(featuring Russ Robinson 44 min.)
Winning for most churches will not come down on the basis of talent. It will come down to how
we execute on the fundamentals.
We have to move beyond the cause and what a small group looks like, we have to talk about
strategies.
The seven deadly sins of small groups (rules or a diagnostic check list):

Sin #1: Our Strategy Become Unclear

A question they asked at Willow was, Are we a church of small groups or with small groups?
It is a question that has to do with strategy.
How can you tell if the strategy is becoming unclear?
1) Groups will become an end in themselves. Not really connected in an overall sense
of direction.
2) Leaders will be a little bit purposeless.
3) If youre intending to become a church of small groups, and have been unclear in
communicating that strategy, it will be hard to sustain momentum.
Suggestion: Become a student of all the strategies so you clearly define the one you select.

Sin #2: We Neglect the Role of a Point Leader

Different options that churches take:

The point leader strategy:

Select a gifted leader to be in charge of small groups
For the smaller church, find your most gifted leader and put them in charge of small
groups

Sin #3: We Lose Focus As We Build The Structure

Key design elements you must tackle:
The inevitable pyramid (regardless of the size) will result. Thats where leaders who are
caring for people and leading groups will need support and coaching.
Once you get to 15 groups or more, you need a coach of those groups.
If youre over 40 groups, you need to think in terms of staffing strategies.
Small Group Conference Tapes
Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

The pyramid needs to be an inverted pyramid where the leader serves (see the book
Community 101 by Dr. B).
Youve got to face span of care issues (no matter how big or small you are)
About 8-12 people are cared for by one person.
The leader who caries too wide of span will experience individual burn out
The people under their care are under cared for and will start to burn out.
You will start to see train wrecks.
Provide leaders shepherds (provide coaching leaders who are looking over the shepherds)
It needs to built in from the start
The Coaches Handbook will help (published by Willow Creek)
You are looking leaders of leaders; equipers of equipers; teachers of teachers people
who will live out 2 Timothy 2:2 Those things you have heard me say, entrust to reliable
men who will also be qualities to teach others
Think about it design it knowing what you destination is

Sin #4: We Neglect Leadership Development

There are several ways to develop leaders:
You have apprentice leaders within your existing groups
You can use whats called Turbo Groups where a whole group is trained during a
period of time who will all go out as group leaders
You can harvest existing leaders (leaders who come in to your church and you appeal
to them to connect with the cause you need to fit them into your system)
You can have 10-12 week small group experiences out of which you develop
leaders
Once you have those leaders in play you need to develop them:
Heart you want every leader owning their responsibility as a shepherd.
Developed through events. The feed-lead equation (lead 20% & feed 80%).
Head you want them to understand who small groups works.
Through classes where they can actually practice (like a flight simulator crash without
doing damage).
Hands you want them to get the day-to-day ministry right.
Its got to be on the job. They will learn by watching someone model it.
The reality it will cost you more than you think!

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Sin #5: We Dont Prioritize Open Groups

Some Ideas:
Look at the size of group to see if you should grow it or birth it. It will depend on how your
groups are going and their size. Use group size to determine what should be your strategies.
We fail to prioritize open groups because we sometimes dont talk about them in the right light.
We fail to speak of open groups as friends making friends and as something natural that can
and should happen.

Sin #6: Our Groups Tend to Concentrate On The 301 Level

Thats groups on the level of 301 which were more concentrated and not geared to entry level,
community and fellowship type groups.
Willow went to a wider offering of groups.
The Three Essential Elements that each group (no matter where they were on the continuum)
needed to have (all built around a leader):
1. The leader facilitates people connecting with one another.
2. There is an environment created for giving and receiving care.
3. It concentrates on taking people just the next step. If you get 2 years with someone, you get
them to the next step.

Sin #7: We Ignore Assimilation

This is about the fishing pond or the medium sized group structure which can become an end in
itself.
The medium sized group does not provide for people a place in community. Whether it be
classes or affinity groups, these groups will not meet peoples need for care and connection.
Churches can use these medium sized groups as ends in themselves and that wont facilitate
community. Their purpose? To flow people into groups.
Watch the flow, not the buckets.

The best way to track this is to track the connection rate.

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Session #4: Leaders Who Are Empowered

(Featuring Jill & Stuart Briscoe 36 min. starts at 44:00)

What does God look for in a leader?

Two Biblical Examples: Jeremiah & Barak
Jeremiah 1:4-9 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the
nations." "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send
you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and
will rescue you," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my
mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth.
1. God looks for CALLING His plan in my life
God looks for someone who above all else will OBEY HIM.
Jeremiah was an ordinary man who was called to obey and he did just.
This is all about the heart. It comes before training and gifting.
2. God looks for CONSECRATION His work in my hand
The call of God comes first, then the task. Our primary calling is obedience; our secondary
calling is task. We do not choose our own job description, God does.
3. God looks for COMMUNICATION His words in my mouth
Jeremiah was called to communicate ALL OF GODS MESSAGE.
4. God looks for COMMONALITY they know how to get along with people.
God took two men, Jeremiah (the weeping prophet or weepy) and Barak (whose name
means happy) and put them together to compliment each other.
God does that in marriage as well as in ministry!
Leaders get along with people and can celebrate the differences!
Understand why others are different.
5. God looks for COMPASSION His tears on my face.
Small Group Conference Tapes
Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Jeremiahs heart was broken for the people who hated him.
6. God looks for COURAGE His peace in my pain.
7. God looks for COMMITMENT People who can follow through.
Jeremiah, after having Gods Word transcribed onto the scrolls and read to the King, saw it
piece by piece, cut up and thrown into the fire. Then God said to Jeremiah after ever bit of
the scroll was burn, God said, Do it again! And Jeremiah did.

Things that Need to Be Given to the Person Who is Empowered

(Featuring stuart Briscoe beginning at 1:00)
1. You must impart to them vision.
To impart a vision you must show it is Biblical and convince them its doable.
2. You must give them direction.
Weve got to know what people can handle and what they cant. It will depend on who they are
and what that particular leader needs. Some need more direction than others. Some need spoonfeeding and others dont.
3. You must give them instruction.
You will need to instruct them on how to be a Christian leader. Look in the Bible for instruction
on how Jesus led (he was a servant leader).
A servant-leader is a person who leads someone into an experience that will serve that persons
ultimate best interests.
Were leading Gods creatures into Gods will, under Gods authority in light of Gods
evaluation.
4. You must give them space.
You must give them the freedom to fail.
He who never made a mistake, never made anything.
If a things worth doing, its worth doing badly.
To do this, you put a safety net under them when they fall and provide damage control around
them so they will damage a minimum number of people.
Small Group Conference Tapes
Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Session #5: A Ministry that Multiplies

(Featuring Mike Slaughter, Pastor of Ginghamsburg Church, Ginghamsburg, Ohio 29 min.)
We are revolutionaries.
The primary question we need to ask isnt about media or technology but its, What is the

business of the church?

To get an answer to that question, we need to go looking for whats lost.
Luke 15 shows the depth and breadth of the human search. If one is lost, all of your resources
go to bring the one who is outside into the inside.
The business of God is not about building programs or mega-churches. Its about building
people.
Jesus was not into building programs. He was into building people.
He focused on 12 people who would take the revolution to the streets.
2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me, infect faithful people who will be able to
infect others.
He did three things when he started: (9:35)
1) He preached the principles of the revolution.
2) He downsized the church (get rid of the fortress activities of the church so you can
get out and do the work of the church).
3) He met with the people whose hearts were strangely warmed and challenged them to
reproduce themselves in others.
11:17 13:20 Video clip with Walter George who touched Daniels life.
What is the revolutionary product of the church? REVOLUATIONARY PEOPLE!
Example of a man whose life was changed by various connections and his part in the Boundaries
Ministry - 15:17 19:10
Factors that connected him to Gods love?
Unconditional militant love
Authenticity
People who have an intimate relationship with God
Revolutionary people demonstrate a servants heart

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Church size or budget has nothing to do with being a revolutionary community. We are nurtured
in loving relationships and is not dependent on technology or size.
Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and
miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything
in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day
they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate
together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And
the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Ginghamsburg does three things as they develop a revolutionary community: (25:00)
1. Celebration or worship the purpose being awe and wonder; it happens when spirit
touches spirit.
2. Cell revolutionary community its the place of transformation. We grow through
unconditional love and support and when we meet with people who hold us accountable to
keep the promises Ive made.
3. Call connecting people to their destiny.

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor

Session #6: Moving From Vision to Reality

(Featuring Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek 37 min.)
Torch bearers are needed to care for the people in our churches. People who can help people
experience true community and the touching of souls.
Theres a difference between friendship and community.
Theres a difference between a head to head relationship and a soul to soul relationship.
Community is the move from independence to interdependence; from invulnerability to
vulnerability; from keeping everything tight to yourself to self-disclosure; from a place where
you are accountable to no one to accountability to others.
Sooner or later, every Christian gets to a place where they want to
Know and be known.
Love and be loved.
Serve and be served.
Celebrate and be celebrated.
I want to do Gods bidding with all my heart but I want to do it in community. -- Bill
The circles I lead will be circles of deep community. -- Bill
Leaders set the temperature for every meeting they lead.
(26:00) Question: With all the emphasis that Willow Creek has put into small group, raising the
banner of community, has it been worth it? (from the Senior Pastors perspective).
Answer: Its been worth it! There is a reminder almost every single weekend. Various stories
that give evidence of that.

-----Notes taken by Cam Taylor, January 20001-----

Small Group Conference Tapes

Natural Church Development - Holistic Small Groups
Review Notes by Cam Taylor