Small Group Pastors Network
If you are a Pastor, Director or a layperson responsible for overseeing your church’s small groups in
- Competence (ministry skills)
- Character (life skills)
- Compassion
To be placed on the VB Small Group Network mailing list, please email your name, address, and phone numbers to
“If a leader demonstrates competency, genuine concern for others, and admirable character, people will follow.”
– T. Richard Chase
“T. Richard Chase distills the basic components that followers look for in a leader. Are they competent? Do they really care for people? Do they possess strong character? Everything else is icing on the cake.
Followers can endure a wide spectrum of differences in their leaders,
but these three elements are non-negotiable.”
– John C. Maxwell
Small Group Pastors Network
You bring your bag lunch and we will provide the drinks and dessert!
Dear Small Group Point Person (Paid Pastors or Volunteer),
If you are interested in having your church experience ACTS 2 COMMUNITY, consider joining our Network of Pastors that has lunch together, shares what is going on in their respective ministries, prays for one another, and focuses on some life skill (character) or ministry skill (competence) needed to do small group ministry.
Those that attended our first meeting agreed to gather together the third Thursday of every other month for the next year (Sept. 17, Nov. 19, Jan. 21, Mar. 18, May 20). We will meet from 12noon to 2:00PM. Everyone will bring their own bag lunch and drinks and dessert will be provided. Virginia Beach Community Chapel will be the host church for these first 6 meetings.
Our first skill training topic that we address on September 17th will be “How to recognize the life stages of a small group”. We will talk about forming, storming, norming, performing, & reforming a small group. Understanding the life cycle or stages of a small group is key to coaching your leaders. Many of the problems that a small group has can be solved in part by recognizing what stage the group is experiencing.
Some other topics that our group wants to explore in the future are:
- How to teach your group to make realistic commitments in their lives
- How to structure for healthy accountability in your group
- How to instill evangelistic values & mobilize group members to actively share their faith
- How to develop a group of motivated learners
- How to disciple new believers in your group
- How to birth a new group
Enjoy your summer! Lord willing, see you in September!
Passionate about our Savior,
Pastor
Rick Leineweber . Pastor of Small Groups .
1261 Laskin Road Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (757) 428-1881 rleineweber@vbcc.us
If you are a
Seminars & Consulting
Seminar List
Eyes for the Harvest Seminar
Description: This Seminar trains church members in relational evangelism. It helps people identify their relational network and sets forth the necessary steps to penetrate their world for Christ. It also deals with how to overcome the emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers that keep people from coming to Christ. (6 hours of instruction)
Foundations for Ministry Seminar 1
Description: This first of three weekend seminars takes a hard look at 10 foundational commands and 8 essential attitudes that are needed to sustain ministry over the long haul. Jesus taught this to the twelve that he selected to “come and be with Him” and prior to sending them out to do ministry on their own. This seminar tackles those character issues that if not dealt with will shipwreck any Christian worker, layman, professional, pastor or missionary. The integrity crisis in leadership is because we allowed competence to exceed our character. (10 hours of instruction) This seminar addresses the following ten Life skills:
- How to handle false accusations – Joyfulness vs. Self-Pity
- How to be a contagious Christian – Winsomeness vs. Apathy
- How to reconcile relationships – Conciliatory vs. Irreconcilable
- How to avoid sexual indiscretion – Moral Purity vs. Immoral
- How to make realistic commitments – Truthfulness vs. Deception
- How to respond to those that hate you – Kindness vs. Revenge
- How to test your ministry motives – Authenticity vs. Hypocrisy
- How to set priorities and overcome anxiety – Faith vs. Anxiety
- How to deal with a judgmental spirit – Discernment vs. Judgmental
- How to walk circumspectly – Wisdom vs. Foolishness
Foundations for Ministry Seminar 2
Description: Jesus said, “If you love Me keep my commandments”. Each of Jesus’ commands addresses a different character building command topic. He knew habitual obedience to these commands if motivated by love for Him would ultimately shape our character into the likeness of Christ. Each “How to” is a verse-by-verse study from a passage of Scripture. Jesus sat the Twelve down to teach the first ten command topics. This second set of ten was taught as different situations in ministry arose. If these command topics are processed in the heart they can transform the servant of God and prepare him to sustain ministry over the long haul. When these areas are neglected Christian workers too often experience shipwreck.
· How to increase your receptivity to God’s Word – Attentiveness vs. Unreceptive
- How to honor aging parents while doing ministry – Respect vs. Disrespect
- How to submit to God’s will in your life – Submission vs. Disobedience
- How to partner in ministry with believers from other churches – Tolerance vs. Prejudice
- How to resolve conflicts with people – Assertive vs. Intimidated
- How to be available for service in the kingdom – Availability vs. Self-Centered
- How to intercede in prayer for others – Persistence vs. Faint-Hearted
- How to invest your resources in light of eternity – Faithful vs. Unfaithful
- How to release those who have offended you – Forgiveness vs. Rejection
- How to use your singleness to advance the kingdom – Undistracted Devotion vs. Distracted Devotion
Foundations for Ministry Seminar 3
Description: This third weekend seminar in this series focuses on the last ten commands of Christ. Jesus said, “If you love Me keep my commandments”. Each of Jesus’ commands addresses a different character building command topic. He knew habitual obedience to these commands if motivated by love for Him would ultimately shape our character into the likeness of Christ. Each “How to” is a verse-by-verse study from a passage of Scripture. This third set of ten commands topics were also taught as different situations in ministry arose. If these command topics are processed in the heart they can transform the servant of God and prepare him to sustain ministry over the long haul. It’s not enough that the work of ministry gets done; these workers must become more like Jesus Christ in the process.
- How to welcome children while doing adult ministry – Tenderness vs. Prohibitive
- How to become a servant leader – Humility vs. Pride
- How to honor government authorities – Honor vs. Dishonor
- How to love God and people – Love vs. Selfishness
- How to work while waiting for the Lord’s return – Readiness vs. Unpreparedness
- How to sacrificially meet the needs of Christians – Selflessness vs. Self-promotion
- How to celebrate the Lord’s Supper – Thankfulness vs. Ingratitude
- How to trust Christ in His absence – Faith vs. Mistrust
- How to validate your identity as a disciple of Christ – Reliance vs. Self-Reliance
- How to become a World Class Leader – Purposeful vs. Unintentional
Small Group Values Seminar
This seminar focuses on 5 core values that are essential to disciple making and church planting. They are: 1) Transformation – Internal vs. External, 2) Relationships – Relational vs. Programmatic, 3) Jesus’ Example – Process vs. Event Driven, 4) Equipping – Development vs. Dependency, 5) Multiplication – Inclusive vs. Exclusive. (5 hours of instruction)
Abilities Needed to Plant Churches
This seminar identifies 14 abilities needed to plant churches. (5 hours of instruction)
Strategy Seminar
This seminar focuses on a chronological study of the life and ministry of Jesus as found in the Harmony of the Gospels. This seminar will reveal how intentional Jesus was about Disciplemaking (6 ½ hours of instruction) in the context of community (a small group).
Network Seminar
This seminar was produced by Bruce Bugbee, Don Cousins, and Bill Hybels. Network is a seminar that helps churches mobilize workers through gift discovery. This seminar values gift based and passion driven ministry. This seminar’s slogan is – “The Right People…In the Right Places…For the Right Reasons.” (8 hours of instruction)
Great Commandment Seminar
This seminar equips believers in how to do eternal C.P.R. – 1) Cultivate the soil, 2) Plant the seed, 3) Reap the soul. This seminar is filled with biblically practical ideas. (4 hours of instruction)
Servant Evangelism Seminar
This seminar will mobilize your church in a low-risk approach to evangelism that will impact your community. (6 Hours of Instruction) Servant Evangelism addresses the following topics:
· Having a Presence in the Community
· Redefining Christianity
· Following Jesus’ Example
· Dealing with Felt Needs so we can Address Real Needs
· Doing the Great Commission in a
· Leading People to Repentance through Acts of Kindness
· Serving our way into People’s Hearts
· Moving People one step closer to Faith in Christ
· Partnering as a Small Group to Show Kindness to Unbelievers
· Doing Low Risk and High Grace Projects
The Seminar ends with an hour of surprise “on-the-job training”.
Share The Vision Seminar
This seminar focuses on a biblical philosophy of small groups. This philosophy is based upon the patterns of Christ’s ministry and the early churches’ application of what they learned from Him. (5 hours of instruction)
Small Group Leadership Training
This seminar focuses on an orientation to small group & 12 skill sets needed to be effective as a leader. This training can be taught in four different tracks. Track I is the “Orientation”; Track II “Basic Skill Training”; Track III “Intermediate Skill Training”; and Track IV “Advanced Skill Training”.
Track I – “Small Group Orientation”
Track II – “Basic Skill Training”
1. How to Fill the Open Chair
2. How to Shepherd A Small Group
3. How to Identify A Rising Apprentice
4. How to Sub-Group for Neighborhood Expansion
Track III – “Intermediate Skill Training”
1. How to do Team Evangelism
2. How to Plan and Conduct a Group Meeting
3. How to Apprentice Leaders in Ministry Skills
4. How to Extend your Impact as a Group
Track IV – “Advanced Skill Training”
1. How to Institute a Group Covenant
2. How to Disciple Group Members
3. How to Apprentice Leaders in Life Skills
4. How to Birth a New Group
Message List
- “The Great Omission” – Matthew 28:16-20
This message challenges the church to take the Great Commission seriously as our marching orders from our resurrected Lord.
- “Fully Devoted Disciples” – Luke 14:25-35
This message looks at 3 marks of a fully devoted disciple of Christ.
- “Heart for the Harvest” – John 4:1-42
This message focuses on Jesus’ approach when doing personal evangelism and casts a vision for reaping a harvest of souls.
- “New Wine Skins” – Leading Your Church through Change – Matthew 9:16-17
This message helps church members see the difference between “function” (absolutes) and “form”(non-absolutes). It encourages church members to be open to change their methods of ministry but not the message.
- “Rubbing Shoulders with Irreligious People” – Matthew 9:9-13
This message shows how the lack of compassion for the lost in the Pharisees resembled the heart of apostate
- “Compassion for the Lost” – Luke 15:1-32
This message explains the central truth taught by the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Each of these parables teaches that lost people matter to God; they deserve an all out search and when they are found it requires a celebration. Special attention is given to the prodigal’s brother who wasn’t thrilled that his lost brother was found.
- “Investing in Light of Eternity” – Luke 16:1-31
This message on stewardship stresses Christ’s command in verse 9 to make friends with lost people by investing in them financially.
- “Availability for Ministry” – Luke 9:57-62
This message stresses that availability is more rare than ability. This message is very practical and confronts the excuses people give for not volunteering to serve our Lord.