Great Groups

In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss two types of questions from two recently published articles, one from the Navigators and one from Church Leaders. The first part of the podcast deals with what the Navigators article describes as "Storytelling Questions", defined as questions that allow people to reveal who they are. These questions help build community in groups which also aids in disciple-making. The second part of the podcast deals with good Bible study questions that help dig into both understanding and applying a Biblical passage. All group leaders should understand and use questions frequently because they help engage people in one another's lives and in their walk with Christ. Don't forget, at Brook Hills we produce a weekly Small Group Guide that focuses on Bible study questions. You can find that each week below the sermon at brookhills.org/sermons.Building Relationships in Small Groups, The NavigatorsTwenty Bible Dialogue Questions, Church Leaders Small Group EditionSee all our Great Groups podcasts.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with co-leaders Alan Chappell and Chris Welsh about their group's plan to launch a new group. Their group has become pretty large. You'll hear their reasoning and how they've gone about it. Jay will also share eight compelling reasons for starting new groups. Tune in and consider how your own group might take similar steps toward growth and multiplication.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Caroline and Lily's group hit a week when only one person was present. It was time for a reset to the faithful attendance they had all agreed upon. Listen and hear what they did, and also get ten tips for promoting faithful participation in your group. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Join Jay and Chris as we celebrate 150 Episodes, reveal some fun info about the location of our listeners, share some of our favorite podcasts, and discuss some wandering thoughts like Biblical radicalization & personal ministry. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris share a couple of their book recommendations before playing a recording of "Pastor Matt's Library" from our Fall Small Group Leader Gathering. Listen in for the first time or for a reminder of some good books you may be interested in reading.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris share a couple of their life hacks before playing a recording from our Fall Small Group Leader Gathering where Pastor Matt and Jay share Life Hacks for Small Group Leaders. Listen in for the first time or for a reminder of some life hacks to make your group leadership more easy and effective.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk about getting a strong start to 2026. Listen in and see if you've thought of these ways to start strong.1. Pray for your group: spiritual maturity, life-giving meetings, and new people.2. Plan some catch-up time after the holiday break.3. Remind the group of the mission.     Love Jesus, Grow in Jesus, Make Disciples of Jesus     Group Purposes: Disciple-making, Community & Mission     Long-term: New groups and developing leadership.4. Establish better rhythms as a leader: Prep time, contacting absentees, sharing group prayer requests, personally praying for group members, etc.5. Identify areas of improvement for your group. Then, map out the route with specific plans. Seek input from group members, spouse, other leaders.6. Plan your welcome. Be ready for guests. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Laura Chramer offering color commentary as we all discuss a set of questions used to evaluate your group. Jay discovered the questions in an article by Josh Hunt on the Small Group Network. We added a few from the staff and also asked AI, so the list of questions is immense. Don't feel overwhelmed by this. One comment on the podcast is that you'll have a great group if you teach for transformation, build community, and live on mission as a group. If you'd like to look through the questions as you think about the effectiveness of your group, just click the link below.Small Group Evaluation QuestionsSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Laura Chramer offering color commentary as we all discuss a set of questions used to evaluate your group. Jay discovered the questions in an article by Josh Hunt on the Small Group Network. We added a few from the staff and also asked AI, so the list of questions is immense. Don't feel overwhelmed by this. One comment on the podcast is that you'll have a great group if you teach for transformation, build community, and live on mission as a group. If you'd like to look through the questions as you think about the effectiveness of your group, just click the link below.Small Group Evaluation QuestionsSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In Today’s Episode: Jay and Chris sit down with guests John Mark and Keilah Carter to chat about life, leadership, and what’s happening in their Small Group. It’s always fun to hear from fellow leaders—and maybe even steal a few good ideas!We start by learning about John Mark and Keilah’s backgrounds, work, and hobbies before diving into a rich conversation about their group . Topics include:Their current Bible study and favorite resourcesThe different roles people play in their groupHow they do community nights and global missionsScripture memorization and why it mattersGroup meeting format and use of breakout groupsEvangelism and sharing their faithGroup leadership succession and changesThere’s a lot to unpack in this episode—so come join the conversation and get inspired to your own group well!Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Culture shapes everything we do in Small Groups. It can be defined as the shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and practices of a particular group of people. Each group, to some degree, has it's own individual culture.  We want our groups to reflect Biblical values through their culture. Join us and give some thought to the culture of your small group as we investigate what it is, why it matters, and how leaders can influence it intentionally.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Culture shapes everything we do in Small Groups. It can be defined as the shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and practices of a particular group of people. Each group, to some degree, has it's own individual culture. In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Elisabeth Chramer as a guest co-host to discuss group culture - what we'd like to see in our groups and how to lead toward that. Join us and give some thought to the culture of your small group as we investigate what it is, why it matters, and how leaders can influence it intentionally.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Rick Howerton, a nationally-known and respected leader in Small Group Ministry and Jay's favorite in that category. Rick is a consultant, author, and former groups pastor. His writings include A Different Kind of Tribe, and The Perpetually Growing Church. Tune in and hear discussions on disciple-making, on and off-campus group distinctions, and much more.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris share practical ways to kick off your small group with momentum as a new year begins. They cover essential tips on effective communication, prayer, creating a welcoming atmosphere for new members, casting vision, and encouraging faithful attendance. Plus, they highlight the importance of thoughtful planning—and yes, the power of offering food at that first meeting! Tune in to make sure you’ve checked all the boxes for a strong and meaningful start.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Chris and Emily Self about their Small Group's recent trip to Memphis to serve with Refugee Memphis & Send Relief. Listen and get some ideas about how your group can go on missionlSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Bill Brown joins Jay and Chris to share a unique approach to group meetings—walking through the entire Bible, one book per week. Tune in as they explore how this fast-paced journey can deepen understanding, and how tools like AI and Logos Bible Software can enhance the experience.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss ways to take the stress out of leading. You'll hear some long-term tips as well as some tips to apply when life is coming at you fast. Listen in and learn how you can lead with less stress.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris sit down with Chris Kinsley to explore how his group is leading the way in two key areas: building deep relationships and embracing a  group mission partnership. You'll hear practical insights and fresh inspiration to help you lead your own group more effectively. And if Chris’s voice sounds familiar—it’s because it is! He is our guest and our announcer.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this special anniversary episode, Jay and Chris reflect on five years of podcasting together. They dive into memorable moments, behind-the-scenes bloopers, and a few laughs along the way. But at the heart of the episode is a meaningful celebration: “5 Years, 5 Tips” — their top five insights for leading small groups, lists which they created independently, but reveal live during the recording — no spoilers, just real-time reactions, and candid conversation. Tune in to hear their biggest takeaways, surprises, and the practical wisdom they’ve gained over the years.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay talks with Dawn Stephens, Brook Hills' Women's Minister, about developing leaders. The session is an overview of her breakout session at the Fall 2024 SG Leader Gathering. The complete title was Building a Leadership Team in Your Group: Developing Leaders is a Win-Win. It's a win for you as a leader, and it's a win because the process prepares others to lead.  Listen and hear some ways you can develop leaders.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, we’re revisiting the keynote message from our February Small Group Leader Gathering, featuring John Butterfield. John unpacks how people grow—one small, consistent step at a time—and why helping others take those steps is key to leading well. Tune in to hear practical insights on how we can guide growth in the three core priorities of our church. Small Groups Staff Book Reccomendations:Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, by Will Guidera (John Butterfield)The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation, by Jim Wilder and Michael Hendricks (Ashley Chesnut)Workplace Grace: Becoming a Spiritual Influence at Work, by Bill Peel & Walt Larimore (Jay Gordon)A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church, by Megan Hill (Dawn Stephens)Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Chris Robbins about Leading Group Meetings Well: How to Lead Intentionally and Overcome Common Problems. The session is an overview of the breakout Chris led at our Fall 2024 SG Leader Gathering. Listen and hear three strategies Chris embraces with his group. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Chip and Brooks join Jay and Christ to discuss Ramadan-what it is and why Christ-followers should take note and pray for Muslims across the world during this holiday.  Join in and hear some stories from the field and be inspired to pray during Ramadan.Email for Ramadan Info from Chip ([email protected]).IMB Prayer Page(The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention)Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with John Butterfield as we revisit his breakout session from the Fall Small Group Leader Gathering. His session was entitled "The What and Why of Small Groups: Why We Do Small Groups and What We Seek to Accomplish."See our purpose statements as a church.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Brook Hills' missionaries serve in tough places and they deeply need our support. Groups can have a global impact by building strong, supportive relationships with them. Join Chris and Jay as we talk to a group leader who has led his group well in that area.Suggested Missionary Support Ideas for GroupsSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, we review a recent live class at Brookhills entitled Leading Group Meetings 101: The First Things You Need to Know.  In this episode, Chris joins us to discuss preparation, study and organization of content, asking good questions, staying on track, and much more. Join us to see if reviewing the basics is helpful to you.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, we review a recent live class at Brookhills entitled Leading Group Meetings 101: The First Things You Need to Know.  In this episode, Chris joins us to discuss preparation, study and organization of content, asking good questions, staying on track, and much more. Join us to see if reviewing the basics is helpful to you.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Luke Long fills in for Chris Amaro as we host Parker Snider, Brook Hills' Young Adult Minister in a conversation about hospitality. We're recapping the breakout sessions from our Fall 2024 Leader Gatherng. The official breakout title was "Building Biblical Community & Hospitality: How to Help People Connect with One Another and With Guests." Listen in and gain some tips for connecting members to one another and connecting guests to the group. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

David McKnight and Mike Joiner are our guest for the topic "Leading Your Group Outside the Walls: Serving Together and Individually". This was one of our breakouts at the Fall 2024 Small Group Leader Gathering and we went to bring everyone the content from that session. Visit GreatGroups.org to listen, or better yet, subscribe to The Great Groups Podcast on your favorite podcast app. That way you'll never miss an episode.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss things to pray for your Small Group and for the Small Groups Ministry at Brook Hills or your own church, if different. Listen in and learn some things to pray for your group. Please consider adding the items below to your personal prayer list.List of Things to Pray for Your GroupGreat Groups BuzzSprout WebsiteSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay interviews Ashley Chesnut, Brook Hills' Associate Minister of Young Adults. We are reviewing breakouts from our Fall Small Group Leader Gathering. The full title of Ashley's breakout was Choosing Curriculum for Your Group: Identifying Where Your People Are and Selecting What's Next.  Join us for some thoughts on choosing curriculum for your Small Group.Choosing Curriculum HandoutPsalm 119 Small Group TemplateBrook Hills' Recommended CurriculumBrook Hills Leader ResourcesSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Luke Long, our new Adults & Small Groups Intern at Brook Hills. Join us to get to know Luke and hear his passion for Small Groups that has been passed down from his father and grandfather.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, we begin a series looking back on the breakout sessions from our Fall Small Group Leader Gathering. Those include Evangelism, New Groups, Meetings, Serving, Philosophy of Groups, Curriculum, Biblical Community & Hospitality, Leadership Teams, and Discipe-making. Today, we begin the series with Chris Amaro, both special guest and co-host, who led a breakout session on Starting New Groups & Multiplication. Listen and see how starting groups is like the movie, A Wonderful Life.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss ten thoughts on pursuing the spiritual growth of your group members. Here are the thoughts we'll dive into.1. Pray for the spiritual growth of your group. 2. Expect spiritual growth. Don't be content without it.3. Model spiritual maturity for them.     High Potency + Clear Communication + Close Proximity + God's Hand = Maximum Impact (Maximum Spiritual Growth)4.  Be transparent about your spiritual highs and lows.5.  Help them Build spiritual disciplines.      a. Get them in the Word daily.      b. Get them praying daily.      c. Encourage scripture memory6. Expose them to challenging activities. (Let them stretch their faith.)7. Expose them to examples of spiritual maturity.8. Challenge the group with specific steps they can take.       Hear Chris' reaction to the too-general statement, "Y'all go and be better Christians this week."9.  Once you build a relationship, don't be afraid to ask some probing questions.      a. What are you reading in the Bible?      b. How is God growing you?      c. Would you consider reading a Bible plan with me?10. Consider entering an intentional discipleship relationship with a few people in your group. See the link below.Disciple-making Quick Start GuideSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, we'll hear our Pastor, Matt Mason, as we look back to the Fall 2024 Small Group Leader Gathering. His talk is entitled Three Big "Ones": Encouragement for Ministry and Mission. It includes One Passion: Cultivating our Walk with the Lord, One Posture: Eager Reception of God's Word and Application of It, and One Mission: Gospel Conversations. Listen in to be encouraged by Matt's talk.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Nathan and Blair Sherman about things that are going well in their group. This is a follow-up to their brief discussion on a panel during Brook Hills' recent Faith Family Gathering. There were so many things to dig into that we made it two podcasts. Here is the first.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Nathan and Blair Sherman about things that are going well in their group. This is a follow-up to their brief discussion on a panel during Brook Hills' recent Faith Family Gathering. There were so many things to dig into that we made it two podcasts. Here is the first.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Wade and Joan K to learn about their background and call to missions and hear stories about what God is doing in Slovenia, where they serve. We want to help Small Group Leaders see that some future missionaries may very well be in your Small Group now. Let's keep mission work and missionaries in front of our group members and see what God does.After the podcast, the stories kept rolling. We regret that we couldn't keep recording or make two podcasts out of their stories. God is at work. We heard about the church in Domzale praying the Psalms, about an architect, we said she now believes in Jesus,  about Reformation Day ministry by the church members, and about events that meet the needs of people there.Prayer Points1. For the salvation of many people, particularly U, S, and M to come to Christ this year.2. For the KW's and their kids as they are apart, that the kids would be secure and spiritually healthy, and that God would put people in their lives to minister to them.3. Pray for the health of the church in Domzale and for Goran and Metke Macura, who also lead the church.KW Slovenia Info & Support PageLet's join them on Thursdays at Noon as they meet at 7:00pm there to pray.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In Episode 114, Brennan Strain joins Jay and Chris as they all share ideas for starting the new group year strong following our summer break. We are introducing a new format that we plan to use fairly often - a mix of interview and color commentary. It's just more fun with more people, especially people you haven't heard from yet. Brennan co-leads a young adult group along with his wife, Kasi, and Stephen and Kimberlee Brooks.Suggested document:Brook Hills Small Group Values & Great Conversation  - The first group meeting of the year is a great time to share this with your group. Summer Survey used by Brennan's Group - We just built a sample in a google doc so you wouldn't actually contribute to their survey.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris host Grayson and Lucy to hear stories about how their group has been on mission for Christ. From the very start, the Gayles have been very intentional about equipping and engaging in evangelism as a group. And the group is all in. Join us to get some tips that you can apply in your groupSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Dale Kendrick and Chris Robbins about their Small Group. They use a weekly email to communicate with their group, discussing what they studied last week, looking forward to the coming week, and sometimes giving some homework that links to the upcoming meeting. Listen and hear how they use that and more to build community in their group.Here's the KR (Kendrick-Robbins Small Group) annual survey. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Rus Goodwin, Brook Hills' Pastoral Care Minister and part of our Member Care Team. We take a few minutes to get to know Rus and then discuss the overlap of pastoral care and groups.  Listen and hear how Rus can help you and the members of your group. You can also help Rus coordinate the work of meeting needs.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris react to Small Group Leader responses to our Spring Snapshot. It's an electronic form we use at Brook Hills to check vital signs for our groups and get feedback from our leaders. We specifically discuss the answers to two questions: 1) STRENGTHS: What are some positive things happening in your group? and 2) STRUGGLES: What challenges is your group experiencing? Listen in and hear some feedback and a few tips along the way.Referenced Documents:Spring 2024 Snapshot Online FormSmall Group Values DocumentGreat Conversations DocumentLeader Resources PageSend us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay interviews Parker Snider, Brook Hills' new Young Adult Minister. Listen in to learn about Parker's background, hobbies, spiritual story, small group, and a little about young adult ministry. We'll also discuss spiritual growth catalysts and helping people grow during crisis.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Our recent snapshots (feedback from leaders) indicate many groups are struggling with attendance issues. In this episode, Jay and Chris continue to discuss having the right perspective on these issues. They also share some tips and thoughts on ways to strengthen consistency.Jay referenced the document Small Group Essentials, which mentions faithfulness to attend. One option is to review this document with your group at the start of every ministry year (August).Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

Our recent snapshots (feedback from leaders) indicate many groups are struggling with attendance issues. In this episode, Jay and Chris discuss having the right perspective on these issues, and they also share some tips and thoughts on ways to strengthen consistency.Jay referenced the document Small Group Essentials, which mentions faithfulness to attend. One option is to review this document with your group at the start of every ministry year (August).Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Harry Handlin, one of our Small Group Leaders. We discuss his group, which uses a Bible reading plan together, and Harry then draws his teaching time from the plan. God's word changes lives, so we're interested in teaching plans that encourage people to read the Bible regularly. We included some ideas for groups that may not fully engage in this type of plan.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay reviews a list of 11 things Small Group Leaders should avoid when leading their groups. The list begins with showing up late or unprepared, includes being too guarded, and closes with failing to apply the Scripture to life and to follow up with guests and prayer requests. Listen in to hear the whole list and choose a "sin" to avoid in leading your group.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Christ discuss challenging group members to identify and take some next steps toward growth in Christ. Next steps might be defined as small steps that lead to big change when taken consistently. Jay gets Chris' reaction to a list of ten areas where next steps may be needed. Listen in and get some ideas to help your group members grow spiritually.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills

In this episode, Jay and Chris review Equipping Your Group to Go Strong: Tips for Leaders, a document created with lots of practical ideas for your group. As we are in the final few months of 2Strong, look it over and choose some of the tips to use with your group. You can also reach the document at brookhills.org/leaderresources.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes.We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills.Lifetime Show NotesBrook Hills Pages:The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USASmall Group Leader Resources PageSmall Group Discipleship ResourcesSmall Groups @ Brook Hills