Today is another guest post by Derek Irvin. Derek is the Small Group Pastor at Northview Christian Life Church in Carmel, Indiana. They are a church of about 3300with roughly 200 small groups. Derek is a brilliant strategist and has a great ability to intuitively see how things fit together. I have a ton of respect for him as a leader and think all of you should know who he is. Today he’s writing about a group he’d like to form of small group pastors from around the country. If you’re interested in talking to Derek about being a part of this group, contact him. At the very least, you might think about starting a networking group like this yourself.
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I am all for creating original ideas ….they just don’t have to originate with me. I often find the most significant ideas I have gained over the years have not come from a conference or a book, but from sharing ideas with peers. Learning what is and is not working in other church’s Small Group ministries has been invaluable to me over the years.
Therefore, I would like to put together a group of like-minded Small Group point leaders who are working in a similar environment to connect on-line once a month to share ideas.
General Overview
- Monthly meetings – 1 1/2 hours once a month (Web based)
- Networking group formally meets for 18 months
- Limit size of group to 10 churches
This network is for pastors who are in similar circumstances, so the preference is that group members meet the following profile:
- Church of 2000 or more
- Seventy-five small groups or more
- Church is pursuing “church of small groups” model
- Desire to be an active participant in sharing ideas and experiences
Purpose
- Share ideas & best practices
- Encourage & Support each other
Format
- Web based – video-conference tool such as WebEx
- Each month will focus in on a particular topic (ie. Training, Curriculum, Group Health, etc.)
- Possibly include special guest speakers in areas of expertise as a part of the call, including Q & A
- Membership fee of $120 for 18 months to cover the cost of connection tools
For more information, contact me at derek.irvin@northviewchurch.us
(www.northviewchurch.us)