5 March - 30 April  |  Understanding Ancient Foundations

For the first 300 years, the church didn’t have small groups—it was small groups. The core practices of Jesus and His earliest followers demonstrate the vital link between strong community life and the effectiveness of the local church. They modelled and called us to live out one of God’s greatest gifts: men and women living in relationship with Him and also in Christ-like community with one another.
Borrowing on a phrase from the late thought leader Robert Webber, the Ancient-Future Community conference will help you link the core practices of Jesus with the emerging expressions of community life for tomorrow’s culture.
 

Fueling a Future of Possibilities

God’s people are rediscovering community in all its shapes and sizes. From neighbourhood gatherings and house churches to affinity-based small groups and compassion-focused serving groups, authentic, biblical community is being lived out at new levels. That’s a movement of God worth joining and expanding!
The Group Life Conference Webcast: Ancient-Future Community is for all community life leaders—no matter what philosophy of ministry you embrace. Come to strengthen and enhance the community life you have in place, while exploring fresh opportunities to build deeper connections in and through your church.

Learn from leaders and innovators who will guide your team toward practicing authentic community wherever and however you connect in the name of Jesus.
 

Main Sessions (Video)

The Ancient-Future Leader - Bill Donahue, Henry Cloud 
Join Willow Creek's Bill Donahue and author and clinical psychologist Henry Cloud to explore five basic principles every effective group leader should understand.

Recovering Community - Scot McKnight 
Building community life in the church isn’t a new strategy—it’s integral to how God intended us to live. Scot McKnight is a prolific author who is known for his deep insights on the kind of community that Jesus taught and lived. He will connect us back to the life-giving foundations that have steadied God’s people at every age and phase of His Church.

Restoring Community - Will Miller 
Will Miller, speaker, campus minister, and author of the acclaimed Refrigerator Rights, reveals the trends that mitigate against community and offers his unique take on how to meet the unprecedented longing for connection in today’s culture.

Re-Imagining Community - Bill Donahue, Steve Wu, Denise VanEck, Bobby Gruenewald
The foundations of biblical community were built for the future, allowing us to soar on the wings of innovation. In this session, Bill Donahue talks with three church leaders about emerging trends in community life that portend both chaotic change and unprecedented opportunity.

Ageless Influence - Mike Breaux
In this final session Mike Breaux reminds us of the ageless influence we have through relational ministry and that life change is the legacy we leave.
 

Breakouts (Audio)

Building Blocks of Biblical Community - Greg Bowman
While there are no step-by-step instructions for community-building, the gradual introduction of a few core essentials can change your small group for the good. These six building blocks are defined, modeled, and practiced in this interactive session.

Creating Emotionally Healthy Small Group Environments - Beth Leonard
Spiritual growth only comes by the Holy Spirit, but leaders can create environments that foster life-giving and life-changing community. Discover the characteristics of these environments, assess the current health of your small group, and learn the next steps to take toward greater emotional health.

Creating Group Experiences to Enhance Spiritual and Relational Growth - Andrea Minor
There's more to an effective small group than Bible study and coffee. The best small groups contain moments where individuals experience God and others in unique ways. Discover creative ways to keep your group open to these moments by maintaining trust, sustaining safe environments, and laughing together.

Everything is an Experience - Creative Community for Emerging Generations - Heather Zempel
The busy, broken 20-somethings in your church are hard to reach. They're also filled with potential. Discover creative strategies for fostering community among and making disciples of this emerging generation. Examine the unique environment of your church, learn what happens when cultural trends mix with Biblical truth, and discover how to embrace circles of community that already exist.

Finding and Launching New Leaders - Dave Treat
One of the hardest parts of small group ministry is launching new leaders. Discover a leadership assessment tool that will help identify the readiness of each potential leader in your ministry and clarify different training paths to move them toward leadership.

Forming New Groups - Covenants and Cohesion - Beth Leonard
Nothing can prepare your group for the future better than starting well. Small Groups trainer and consultant Beth Leonard uses real-world examples to show you how to prepare a group covenant and create significant relational bonds between group members.

Helping Group Members Through Crisis - Kyndra Singer and Joe Besenjak
While all Christians are called to care for the hurting, the group leader often assumes a pastoral caregiving role. Learn what is expected of you as a caregiver, how to balance an individual's needs with the safety of the group, how to set appropriate boundaries with hurting people, and how to deal with difficult people during times of crisis.

Leading Missional Small Groups - Scott Boren
Is God active in the world around you? And is your group involved with that activity? Missional small groups seek to answer these two questions. Learn the leadership skills needed to discover practical ways your group can live out the incarnation and see the transformation it brings.

Strategies for Equipping Leaders - Mike Hurt
You are ready to start equipping your leaders but—where to start? What kind of training works best? What resources should you use and where do you get them? Is coaching really necessary? You need a plan! This breakout offers equipping ideas and strategy development. Learn some "next steps" to get your equipping program moving.

Thriving as a Small Group Leader - Russ Robinson
Some small group leaders thrive, leaping from adventure to adventure. Others are barely hanging on. The difference between enjoying and enduring has to do with calling.
Learn how to embrace your leadership position by living out your calling in response to each person, every meeting, and every opportunity that presents itself.