8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

Fellowship

Grow

Prepare

Mentor

Contact

Invite

Pray

Dream
Ideal Week Worksheet
Actual Week Worksheet

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
TOTAL

19
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

DREAM

Fellowship

Grow

Prepare

Mentor

Contact

Invite

Pray

Dream
of Leading a Healthy, Growing and Multiplying Group.

The value of Having a Dream:

 Having a Dream Increases _______________________

Monday
 Having a Dream Aids ___________________________
 Having a Dream _______________ Direction & Channel _____________
 Having a Dream Increases the _______________ of the Group


Tuesday
Having a Dream Positively Predicts the __________________
 Having a Dream Motivates Leaders to Keep on _____________________

Three (3) Dreams of a Highly Effective Cell Group

Wednesday
1. GROUP HEALTH
 BARRIERS OF A HEALTHY CELL GROUP
P ________________

Thursday
S ________________
Unresolved _____________________

2. GROUP GROWTH IN NUMBERS

Friday
Limited ___________________
Lack of ____________________
Lack of intentional ________________

Saturday
Failure to maintain ____________________________
No social activities to ____________________________
Failure of the leader to ____________________________

Sunday
3. GROUP MULTIPLICATION
 BARRIERS OF A MULTIPLYING CELL GROUP
Failure to have a __________________apprentice

TOTAL
Failure to plan to _______________________

1 18
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

The small Group Leader’s Personal Dream of

Group Health, Growth and Multiplication
1. Pray about your dream as a small group leader.
Weekly Goal Sheet (Sample)
Putting it all together
DAILY WEEKLY 2. Write out your dream in your own words and / or use the statements below.
The highly effective small group
Dream leader plans the eight habits
5 minutes 5 hours or 30 minutes  I have the dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying small group
into his or her schedule.
Pray 30 minutes 2.5 hours or 150 minutes  I will learn the habits needed to make this dream come true.
Invite .5 hours or 30 minutes  By God’s grace, I will live the habits needed to make this dream come true.
Contact 1.5 hours or 90 minutes ____________________________________________________________
Mentor 1 hour or 60 minutes ____________________________________________________________
Prepare 1.5 hours or 90 minutes
Grow 30 minutes 3.5 hours or 210 minutes 3. Sign and date this commitment.
Fellowship 1 hour or 60 minutes Name: ______________________________
TOTAL 1.5 hours 12 hours Date: _______________________________

4. Read the statement of your dream regularly and make it an ongoing focus for
prayer, learning and effort.
Weekly Goal Sheet
DAILY WEEKLY 5. If you are already leading a small group, dream of the best strategy and date
Dream for multiplying your group. Discuss it with your overseer. Write it below.

Pray
________________________________________________________________
Invite
Contact 6. Plan various ways that you can continually share the dream of being a healthy,
Mentor growing, multiplying group with your group.

Prepare ________________________________________________________________
Grow
Fellowship 7. Plan various ways to regularly share the date and method of multiplying with
TOTAL your group members.

________________________________________________________________
17 2
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

PRAY
10.Put what you learn into __________________.

for Group Members Daily

REASONS EFFECTIVE CELL LEADERS PRAY FOR THEIR MEMBER’S DAILY

Sample Growth Goals
 Prayer is the most important _______________________ of a leader.
Grow mentally by:
 Prayer saves _______________________  Reading a ________________ a ___________________
 Listening to _______________ tape(s) _________________
 Prayer is omnipresent and _______________________
Develop spiritual fitness by:
 Prayer makes everything _______________________
 Reading the Bible ______ minutes daily or ______ chapters daily.
 Prayer gives needed _______________________  Praying ______ minutes daily.
 Journaling ______ minutes daily.
 Prayer is our greatest spiritual _______________________
 Leading family devotions ______ minutes a day, ______ days a week.
 God blesses us when we _______________________ for others  Fasting ______ days a month.

Increasing physical fitness by:

 Exercising ______ minutes ______ days a week.
TIPS FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PRAYER
 Sleeping ______ hours a night.
 Eating less __________________ and more ____________________.
 Have a set and amount of _______________ for prayer

 Have a usual _______________ for prayer Investing in relationships with:

 Spouse ______ minutes a days / hours a week.
 Have a _______________ for prayer  Children ______ minutes a days / hours a week.
 Have a place for recording __________________ and __________________  ApprenticeMental Spiritual
______ minutes a days / hours a week.Physical Social
Day  Other ______ minutes a days / hours a week.
Family
 Ask God to direct you to appropriate ___________________ Book Tape/Disc Prayer Bible Exercise Devotion
Spouse

 Season your intercession with thanksgiving for each __________________ Monday Sample Personal Growth Plan
 Mix fasting with prayer for greater __________________ Tuesday

 Pray through all possible elements of the small group meeting ____________ Wednesday
to the meeting time
Thursday
 Pray for your apprentice and future groups to grow out of your
__________________________ Friday

 Pray for God’s ________________ to help you live all eight habits, especially Saturday
this one.
Sunday

3 16
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
5. Get a team of people to own the gatherings or maybe ask different individuals to own
each one. Let them take the ball and run with it.
Practical advice before you start fasting:
Possible Social Gatherings and Fellowship Activities You Can Use 1. Determine what and how long you plan to fast an what you plan to abstain from.

GROW
2. Set some objectives for your fast.
3. Prepare yourself spiritually by repenting of each and every possible sin.
Be Committed to Personal Growth 4. Prepare yourself physically by cutting down to smaller meals a few days prior.
5. Plan to be less busy during the period you will be fasting.
Insights into Personal Growth 6. Set aside ample time to spend with God.
 Personal growth is _______________of us by God. 7. Consider the effect fasting may have on prescription medications.
 Personal growth is the ____________of group change and growth.
 Personal growth _______________decline. The Small Group Leader Personal Prayer Chart
 Personal growth is something you must do _________________.
 Personal growth is the _________________to staying sharp and effective. My daily prayer time _________________________
 Personal growth is a life-long__________________, not a short-term
commitment. The amount of time is ____________ minutes a day.
 Personal growth should be occurring in four key areas of ______________.
 Personal growth is the _______________ of daily habits. I have a place to record answers and requests:
Yes: ________ No.: ________
The Ten Commandments of Personal Growth
1. Make the ______________to be an ever-growing person. My place for prayer is ___________________________________________
2. Focus your activities and set some __________________. _____________________________________________________________
S____________________
_____________________________________________________________
M____________________
A____________________ _____________________________________________________________
R____________________
T____________________ _____________________________________________________________
3. Gather any needed _________________.
_____________________________________________________________
4. Develop a ________________that fits you.
5. Schedule the needed __________________. _____________________________________________________________
6. Sow before you hope to ________________. _____________________________________________________________
7. Make yourself _____________________.
8. Share what you __________________with others. _____________________________________________________________
9. Associate with growing __________________. _____________________________________________________________
15 4
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

INVITE
4. Plan a tentative schedule with an average of one event per month. Have a
combination of simple activities and more involved ones.
new people to visit the group weekly 1. Have a group picnic 34. Mow and clean up a retired man’s
REASONS WHY INVITING IS ESSENTIAL 2. Go to a baseball game lawn
3. Clean a widow’s house 35. Put a roof on a disabled man’s house
 People must _____________ with you before they can connect with God.
4. Sere in the church nursery 36. Take Christmas dinner and gifts to a
 If your group has no _________________it will experience no growth.
5. Play softball needy family
 If you invite them, they will ________________.
6. Go for a bike ride 37. Watch a group member perform in a
 Inviting stops declining ___________________.
7. Camp together concert or play
 Numerical growth builds excitement and __________________. 8. Have a cookout 38. Visit and hold a worship service in a
 Inviting builds spiritual _____________________ of the group. 9. Go bowling nursing home
10. Play volleyball 39. Serve food to the poor and homeless
MISTAKES TO AVOID IN INVITING
11. Pass out Bibles door-to-door in a soup kitchen
 Failing to ________________ the situation in prayer
12. Play soccer 40. Serve as church greeters and
 Failure to keep them saying ___________________
13. Go shopping parking lot attendants for church on
 Giving up too ________________
14. Go for a hike a Sunday
 Failing to understand the principle of ____________________________ 15. Play board games 41. Have a married couple’s date night.
 Failing to pray for and capitalize on _________________________ 16. Have a birthday party 42. Have a theme party and dress
 Failing to win the three ______________________ 17. Have a scavenger hunt accordingly
 Trying to be a solo _________________ 18. Help a group member move 43. Have a party the first half of the
 Failing to capitalize on the _________________ of the soul 19. Watch a special TV program group meeting
 Using inappropriate levels of ________________ 20. Have a holiday party 44. Have a house warming or dedication
21. Visit a museum. party
Suggestions for what to say and when to say it;
22. Play basketball 45. Serve as counselors or sponsors at
Comments that will whet their appetite. 23. Play Frisbee golf a youth activity
 We have a wonderful group
24. Bake cookies 46. Serve in children’s church together
 God is answering our prayers
 People in our group really love each other 25. Go to a concert 47. Attend the funeral for the family
 Almost everyone in our group [is single, has young children, is newly married, etc.] just like you. 26. Run an obstacle course member of a group member
 We could use [a sharp thinker, a person with good sense of humor, etc.] like you. 27. Play paintball 48. Have an all-night prayer meeting
 We would love to have you join us. 28. Have a pool party 49. Have an international dinner with a
Statements that plant the seed 29. Go on a prayer walk missionary
 You will like it 30. Go Christmas caroling 50. Visit a group member in the hospital
 You will fit right in 31. Take a short-term missions trip 51. Have a theme party and dress
 We will love to see you walk in the door
32. Got out to eat at a nice restaurant accordingly
Questions that drop the bait 33. Attend Christian conference or 52. Watch a group member perform in a
 Do you have a group you meet with weekly to study the Bible? seminar concert or play
 Our group meets at such and such a place at such and such a time. Why don't you come?

5 14
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
The amount of time is _________ minutes a week.
The place is __________________________________________________________
The step of mentoring I need to be working on with them is _____________________
____________________________________________________________________
FELLOWSHIP
Plan Group Fellowship Activities
The Power of Social Gatherings for Fellowship
 Social Gatherings _____________ excitement, interest, and involvement.
 Social Gatherings _____________ new people.
 Social Gatherings _____________ more opportunities to practice real fellowship.
 Social Gatherings can ____________ opportunities to obey the ‘one another’
commands of the New Testament.
 Social Gatherings create opportunities for further ___________________.
 Social Gatherings help _____________ new people to the group and the church.
Suggestions for Effectively Using Social Gatherings and Fellowship Activities
 Think ‘_________________’.
 Use __________________
 Use the power of ___________________
 Do not do all the work yourself; _____________________.
 _______________ ahead.
 Combine activities with ________________ meetings
 Relax, have fun, and __________________ each other.
The Small Group Leaders Fellowship
Activity Planning Chart
1. Read the list of 52 possible fellowship activities. Circle several that sound fun to you.
2. Plan the first one and carry it off successfully.
3. Before the second one, read the list to the group. Ask the group if they have any
ideas for any others they would like to try.
13
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
 Let me personally invite you to come. We would love to have you join us. Can you come?
Declaration that show the power of the group.
 We have been praying for your [grandmother, job, operation, son, etc.]
 When people visit once they almost always like it and come back.
 Once people get hooked on our group, they don't ever seem to want to leave.
Answer to their concerns:


You don't have to know anything about the Bible to come.
You don't have to read aloud unless you want to.
 You don't have to pray aloud unless you want to.
 You don't have to sing unless you want to.
 You don't have to dress up. No one else does. I usually wear jeans.
 All kids [meet in another room, meet with us]. My kids will be there. They really love it.
 If you come and really don't like it, we wont make you come back every week.
 It’s singles group, but people are there to meet God, not just find dates.
 It’s okay if you come in a little late, we eat and drink coffee the first ten minutes.
The Cell Leader Personal Inviting Chart
My weekly inviting time ___________________
The amount of time is __________ minutes a week
People I can invite:
 Family: ____________________________________________
 Friends: ____________________________________________
 Neighbors: ____________________________________________
 Co-workers or School Friends:
__________________________________________________________
 Church members who are not connected to a group.
__________________________________________________________
 Guests to Sunday Worship services:
__________________________________________________________
 The person I want focus on this week is;
__________________________________________________________
My plan is ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
6
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
____________________________________________________________ A - ____________________

CONTACT
I - ____________________
T - ____________________
group members regularly H - ____________________
3. Competency
3. __________________ your relationship with potential leaders.
REASONS FOR CONTACTING CELL MEMBERS REGULARLY Two of the best ways to deepen relationships:
 Contacting _____________ your group grow 1. Pray together
 Contacting _____________ your average weekly _______________. 2. Play together
 Contacting helps a ________________ know the state of his or her __________. 4. __________________ the vision.
 Contacting communicates ________________.
5. __________________ the commitment to be made
6. __________________ them.
7. __________________ them.
SUGGESTIONS THAT MAKE CONTACTING POWERFUL
 Ask them, “How may I pray for you?’ Three(3) ways to birth a new group:
 Ask them, “What do you want God to do about this?” 1. Multiply: two group of equal size multiply from a parent group.
2. Launch: A core from a parent launches a new group.
 Say, “Let’s pray right now,” Then pray for them right then, aloud
3. Plant: One person from a parent group plants a new group while others remain as a
 Ask, “Do you want to pray?’ part of the parent group.

SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT TO TALK ABOUT Mentoring Suggestions

 Never do a ministry alone.
AS PART OF A REGULAR CONTACT  Take full advantage of all the training opportunities your church offers.
 What are you up to this week?  Be constantly on the look out for new leaders.
 How are your kids doing?  Talk of leadership as a privilege, not a burden.
 Do like your job?  Don’t put yourself on a pedestal or good people will shy away from leadership.
 On a scale of one to ten, how stressful was your week?  Give responsibilities before you ask someone to consider being a leader.
 Where did you grow up?  Always consult with those above you before you give any titles.
 How were you saved?  Realize that failing to mentor will always mean failing to multiply.
 When were you baptized?  Do not release leaders until they have a good chance of success.
 What do you like most about our church?  Have your ministry role decrease and your apprentice’s role increase.
 Give lavish affirmation and encouragement to apprentices each step of the way.
 What do you like best about our small group?
 What in your life would you like to be different five or ten years from now? Multiplying Suggestions
 What area do you think God wants you to grow in this month?  Talk about multiplying early and often.
 What are the things everyone says you are really good at?  Talk about multiplying in positive terms.
 Have you ever thought of leading a group?  Talk about multiplying in terms of the big picture.
 Pray about the best method and the best timing for multiplying.
THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME TO MAKE CONTACT  Set a date for multiplying & Celebrate the new birth.

 Soon after a _________ visit to your cell group.

The Cell Leader Personal Mentoring Chart
 ________ for the first few weeks.
The person(s) I am mentoring as an apprentice to lead future groups is (are)
 After an ______________ ____________________________________________________________________
 After they have shared in the group that they are going through a ___________. Our weekly mentoring time(s) is (are) ______________________________________
7 12
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
 Pray for each other  Pray for people we are inviting to group of church  After a tense ____________ in the group.
 Plan to contact absentees  Plan next social activity
 Promotion of church activities  Prayer for church and church leaders THE SECRETS USED BY HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CONTACTORS

MENTOR
 View the time you spend contacting as prime ______________ time.
apprentice Leader  Pray for _____________ direction as to what to say.
 Don’t miss the ______________ time mentioned earlier in this chapter.
Mentoring is:  ____________ about who God wants you to contact that week.
 Cooperating with God in raising up an ___________ to become a highly effective
 Be _______________ about who God, your church, and your cell group.
small group leader.
 Following the ______________ of Jesus and Paul.  Be _______________ of their time and schedule. If they are busy, be brief.
 A great way to _____________ others.  Be _______________ of their mood. If they are willing to talk, take the time to listen. If
 The means of ______________ yourself. not, don’t push them.
 The way one ordinary person can ______________ thousand.  Have a place to _______________ your contacts.
 The _____________ of disciple making.  Keep things that are shared in ________________ confidential.
 A way to maintain ________________.  Be _____________. Try to see that everyone is contacted ____________.
 Letting go of ministry in order to let others _________________.  If they have shared a need with you, close the contact by ___________ for them.
 Saying , “No” to the urgent in order to say, “Yes” to the _______ of the important.
 ______ your apprentices and small group members to share the contacting load.
 The most _______________ part of the small group leadership.
 Have a ______________ time schedule each week to do your contacting.

SEVEN STEPS FOR RAISING UP MULTIPLYING LEADERS

AND REPRODUCING REPRODUCERS The Effective Cell Leader Contacting Plan
1. _____________ what you hope to reproduce. My primary weekly contacting time(s):
Personal Inventory of the Eight Habits: ______________________________________________________________
1. I have the dream of and a target date of multiplying my group. ______________________________________________________________
2. I spend quality and quantity time in prayer daily.
3. I set aside time to invite new people to my group.
The goal for the amount of time is __________ minutes a week.
4. I contact the members of my group regularly.
5. I spend time each week preparing for our group meeting.
6. I have an apprentice who I am mentoring to become an effective leader. I have a place to record contact made weekly. Yes: No:
7. I lead my group to have regular social gatherings.
8. I follow a plan fro personal growth and fitness. My primary means of contacting is: (phone, home visit, e-mail, other)
______________________________________________________________
2. __________________ potentials leaders.
Three(3) C’s to know the potential leaders: The questions I will ask most frequently this week are
1. Compatibility ______________________________________________________________
2. Character ______________________________________________________________
Essential elements of character:
F - ____________________
______________________________________________________________

11 8
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders
______________________________________________________________  Determine connecting points with your group members
______________________________________________________________  Develop appropriate introduction, discussion and application questions.

PREPARE for the Group Meeting SUGGESTION FOR ENHANCING PREP TIME
 Prepare with your __________________.
Why Prepare?  _____________ on the day you prepare.
 Preparation gives God _______________ to work.  Have an established _______________ and amount of time for preparation.
 Preparation increases ______________ and faith.  Make use of the same ___________________.
 Preparation builds __________________.
 Preparation increases ___________________. SECRETS TO SHORTEN PREP TIME
 Preparation reinforces the _______________ of group life.  ___________ and use your apprentice(s) and other members to lead meeting
 Preparing today is the secret of ________________ tomorrow. elements, especially the ice breaker and the prayer time.
 ______________ a plan.
What to prepare?  ______________ Word Discussion Prep Time by Following Pre-written Plan.
1. Prepare ____________________  Using ________________ provided by your church.
 Do I have sin I need to confess?  Use already ___________________ lesson guides.
 Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to be dominant to be dominant in my life?
 Do I Have the heart grateful for the opportunity to lead a group and all the people in it? The Cell Leader Personal Preparation Chart
 Am I willing to apply the Word in my daily life?
My weekly preparation time is ________________________
 Are there any relationships I need to make right?
The amount of time is ________ minutes a week
2. Prepare ___________________________. The place I will prepare is ___________________________
 The PLACE, the MUSIC and the SNACK.
Heart Preparation Questions:
3. Prepare the _________________for the meeting.  Do I have any sin I need to confess?
 Welcome: 10-25 minutes  Is the Holy Spirit being allowed to be the dominant personality in my life?
 Worship: 10-15 minutes  Do I have a grateful heart for the opportunity to lead a group and all the people in my group?
 Word: 30-45 minutes  Am I willing to live the Bible lesson in my daily life?
 Witness: 10-30 minutes  Are their any relationship I need to make right?

4. Prepare the Bible__________________. Meeting Agenda Preparation:

 Pray over the Scripture.  Place
 Study the Scripture.  Welcome - Snack, Greeting, Icebreaker
 ________________________: What does the passage say?  Worship - Singing, Thanksgiving, Praise prayers
 ________________________: What does it mean?  Word - Introduction, Interaction discussion and Application (Questions)
 ________________________: How do we apply this to my life?  Witness

9 10
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

Student’s Guide
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

This 8 Habits Manual was compiled by the United Christian Church, 2F Pilar Arcade
Panilao Pilar Bataan, from book (8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders)
of Dr. Dave Earley. Cell group ResourcesTM a division of TOUCH®
Outreach Ministries Houston Texas USA

Special Thanks to Bishop Oriel Ballano,

Founder & Senior Pastor of the Doulos for Christ World Harvest Ministy
and G12 Coordinator for the Philippines
_____________________________________________ for giving us the 8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders Book.
This book belongs to
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

Student’s Guide
8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders 8 Habits of effective Small Group Leaders

Student’s Guide