Hey friends! Welcome back to another great season of Group Answers! On today's episode we invited former long time cohost of Group Answers, Chris Surrat. Chris Surratt currently serves as the Executive Pastor of Discipleship and Groups at Harvest Church in Southern California. Prior to Harvest, he was the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist fo…

Hey friends! We are excited to start a new season of Group Answers starting next week! You are not going to want to miss the incredible conversations with guests J.T. English, Jen Wilkin, Coleman Ford, and so many more! If you have caught up on last season, we encourage you to go do that now! Join us back next week to kick off a season you're not g…

In this episode of the Group Answers podcast, Mary Wiley and Ashley Gorman discuss the value of reading lists and their approach to curating and consuming books. They explore the impact of reading on discipleship, leadership, and group ministry, as well as the role of reading in forming relationships and fostering curiosity. The conversation delves…

Host of His Glory, Her Good, Amanda Mejias, joins Haley Malone and Brian Daniel to discuss a much needed topic! Amanda discusses the significance of relationships in discipleship, the challenges and needs of teen girls, and the evolving role of women in ministry. It also delves into the impact of technology on youth and the importance of creating s…

On today's show we are diving into the intersection of creativyt and discipleship! Brain Daniel and Haley. Malone are joined by Heather Zemple to cover a range of topics including leadership, discipleship, creativity, and generational dynamics within the church. Heather Zemple is passionate about making disciples, cultivating community, and curatin…

Hosts Brian Daniel and Haley Malone sit down with Dr. Katie McCoy to discuss her new book, 'To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond'. Katie provides insights on engaging in conversations about gender confusion and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the issue and the individual. Katie McCoy s…

On today's episode of Group Answers, Daniel Im discusses the changing landscape of the church in a post-everything world. He highlights the increased hunger for spiritual things and the recognition that the world's promises don't deliver. Daniel emphasizes the need to move beyond assumptions and focus on the interested individuals in our churches a…

Our theology can never be divorced from biblical theology! On today's show Brian Daniel and Haley Malone discuss the importance of theology in group life with guest and theologian Mary Wiley. Mary Wiley is the author of Everyday Theology, an eight-week Bible study exploring essential doctrines and why they matter in our everyday lives. She holds an…

Have you ever asked your spouse a simple question, like, "whats for dinner?" and all of a sudden they're making a snarky comment back to you? Have you ever found yourself responding out of irritation and frustration when your spouse or kids simply ask you a question? On today's show we're highlighting an episode from The Glass House Podcast where N…

On today's show, groups expert Ken Braddy joins Haley and Brian on a great conversation about groups ministry! As Ken travels all over the country to support churches and their groups ministry, he shares with us the positive and negative trends churches across the nation are experiencing. Ken also shares how we can do groups better than ever despit…

Hey friends! Filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick have an incredible discussion with Brian Daniel about their latest movie, The Forge. This film focuses on discipleship and following Jesus, and Alex and Stephen share their hearts behind making this film. They emphasize the importance of having a strong foundation in Christ and prioritizing Him abov…

Have you ever been talking to a teenager and find yourself in a situation where you don't know what to say? Sometimes it can feel like there is a huge wall between you and the teens in your life. Today on Group Answers Zac Workun and Brian Daniel dive into how we can effectively engage with the next generation in small groups. Zac currently serves …

Hey friends! Welcome back to another great season of Group Answers! We have soem incredible guests lined up for this season and we can't wait to dive into all things students, adults, women, and men, small groups! Today on the show Josh Smith joins Joel and Brian to discuss his ministry to men and the importance of investing in men in the church. J…

We are wrapping up another great season of Group Answers with Brian Daniel. If you haven't listened to the entire season, we encourage you to go back and check out the amazing guests we've had on the show! On today's show Brian and Haley discuss the attributes of compelling community with Jared Osselaer. Jared is the Pastor of Story City Church in …

Hy friends! Welcome to another great episode of Group Answers! Discipleship can play out in a variety of ways in depending on the context: big churches vs. small churches, or rural areas vs. urban areas. On today's show Rebi Varghese, Community Groups Pastor at Church of the City in New York, shares his passion for discipleship and the challenges a…

Churches all over the world will be embarking on Vacation Bible School this summer! Besides it being a fun-filled week for kids, VBS has an amazing potential for discipling the next generation and reaching families. On today's show Melita Thomas shares with us the history of VBS, the "how", and the "why"! Melita Thomas serves as Lifeway’s VBS and K…

Jesus' parting words were to "go and make disciples," yet the Church tends to plan thier programming like those words were more of a suggestion than a commission. On today's show Brian Daniels, along with Haley Malone and Scott Sullivan, discuss what discipleship is and isn't and what Scott sees is and isn't working for churches. Scott is married t…

Each episode we cover the different complexities, trends, methods and resources for group life in churches all over the world. On today's show, Brian Daniel and Haley Malone discuss women's ministry with Kelly King. Kelly is the Women's Minister at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK. Recently, she served as the manager of Magazines/D…

Welcome back to another great episode on Group Answers with Brian Daniels. Today Brian discusses how to manage group time with Haley Malone. Haley Malone is the managing Director of Adult Groups at First Baptist Church of Orlando in Florida. She grew up in South Florida and attended Florida State University. After a few years in Tallahassee, Haley …

Welcome back to another episode of Group Answers with Brian Daniel. Today on the show we have Joel Polk and Aram Babasin to discuss how to overcome culture in order to disciple. Aram Babasin is the small groups pastor of Crossroads Community Church in the Portland Metro Area. Aram has a history of working in a variety of church settings. He is skil…

Welcome back to another episode of Group Answers with Brian Daniel. Today on the show we have Jana Magruder and Chuck Peters to talk about next generation ministry. Jana Magruder serves as the Strategic Initiatives Director of Lifeway Kids. With a background in education, publishing, and ministry, she loves championing the local church to help fami…

Most Americans tend to open their garage, drive in, close the garage, and never see their neighbors. Does the "cocooning" nature of our society have an impact on biblical community? How can we care for those around us, our neighbors, coworkers, church members, etc. if we aren't being interntional in our interactions? On today's show Darryl Wilson s…

In a world where men are looking for self-improvement and coaching, is the church the place where they can find that? On today's show Brian and Joel discuss this topic with John Simons. John Simons was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Orange County, California. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at California Bap…

On today’s show, Brian Daniel and Joel Polk discuss resources, cultural challenges, and encouragement Jeremiah Johnston is seeing in his corner of the country. Jeremiah Johnston is a New Testament scholar who serves as president of Christian Thinkers Society. Jeremiah loves the local church and serves as the pastor of apologetics and culture engage…

On today’s show, Brian Daniel discusses change, innovation, ministry, and what discipleship is in the small group context, with Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, Ken Braddy. Ken Braddy is an author, blogger, and speaker. Ken travels all over the country training church leaders in growing in discipleship. Ken also hosts his podcast, Disciple-maki…

Today on the show, Brian Daniel chats with Lifeway's own, Zac Workun about trends in Student Discipleship. Zac Workun serves as the Student Ministry Training Specialist for Lifeway. Zac is one of the co-founders of Youth Ministry Booster, Lifeway Students’ collaboration and training network. He has served the local church in various youth ministry …

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Haley Malone, the Groups Director at First Baptist Church Orlando. Bio: Haley Malone grew up in South Florida and attended Florida State University earning a degree in mathematics education. For her this was a way of intentionally connecting with the next generation. Her time […] The post Gr…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk about what it takes to launch groups in the fall, and how recent national trends of lagging engagement in groups should make us think differently about how we approach discipleship. The post Group Answers Episode 257: Launching Into the Fall appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answ…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk about Brian’s recent trip to Portland, and how a conversation with a local church about how they do discipleship changed some of this thinking on the topic. The post Group Answers Episode 256: What Every New Leader Needs to Know appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey an…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Pastor Ryan James, from LongHollow Baptist Church, about how they integrate new people into their Life Groups and Discipleship Groups. The post Group Answers Episode 255: Ryan James on Integrating New People into Groups appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Ente…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris welcome Rob Tims back to the podcast to discuss the pros and cons of on-campus and off-campus groups. The post Group Answers Episode 254: On-campus vs Off-campus Groups appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Ken Braddy about group trends, including the migration of people around the country and what that means for churches. The post Group Answers Episode 253: Group Opportunities Through Migration appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HE…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Dr. PJ Dunn about discipleship and groups in the south, and specifically, how to create better disciple-making environments in churches. Dr. PJ Dunn serves as a Discipleship Consultant with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board after 15 years of serving in the local church. He […] The post Group…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris interview author and pastor, Dr. Tony Merida, about his new book: Gather: Loving Your Church As You Celebrate Christ Together. The post Group Answers Episode 251: Tony Merida on Gather: Loving Your Church As You Celebrate Christ Together appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Surve…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris identify five types of leaders to look for, including visionary leaders who have a clear vision and inspire others, relational leaders who build community, organizational leaders who keep things running smoothly, discipler leaders who guide others in their spiritual growth, and innovative leaders wh…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Reid Patton about the brand new Bible study series, Storyteller. The post Group Answers Episode 249: The Storyteller Series appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.De către Lifeway Podcast Network

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris discuss why this is a great time to work on your groups ministry, and not just in it. In this discussion, we provide four key steps to guide you through the process of assessing and improving your small groups ministry. These include assessing the current state […] The post Group Answers Episode 248…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris discuss the “Final Four” of small groups systems. The post Group Answers Episode 247: The Final Four of Groups Systems appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.De către Lifeway Podcast Network

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris discuss the benefits and dangers of using an AI tool, like ChatGPT, to help with leading groups. The post Group Answers Episode 246: Should We Use ChatGPT With Groups? appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk about the four questions to always ask when planning for the future. The post Group Answers Episode 245: 4 Questions for Planning appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.De către Lifeway Podcast Network

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk to authors Matt and Allison Willis about their updated version of the classic Bible Study, MasterLife. Matt and Allison Willis have written and edited published works during their years of full-time ministry. Matt co-authored Learning to Soar: How to Grow Through Transitions and Trials (NavPres…

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk about five things to consider as you wrap up your small group campaign. The post Group Answers Episode 243: How to Follow Up Your Campaign appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.De către Lifeway Podcast Network

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris play “Agree or Disagree” with statements about current group trends. The post Group Answers Episode 242: Agree or Disagree With Group Trends appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.De către Lifeway Podcast Network

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk to Dr. Richard Blackaby about the legacy of the best selling Bible Study, Experiencing God, and what groups can expect from the revised and updated version that was just released. Dr. Richard Blackaby is the president of Blackaby Ministries International and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. […] The p…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Rob Tims about why we should think about scope and sequence with curriculum, and the pros and cons of digital studies. The post Group Answers Episode 240: Why Scope and Sequence Matters with Curriculum appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG g…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris talk to Bill Willits about the update to his book, Creating Community, and few thoughts about the Atlanta Braves winning it all last season. Bill Willits is the Executive Director of Ministry Environments for North Point Ministries (NPM) and one of the founding staff members. Bill […] The post Group…

On this episode of Group Answers, Brian and Chris discuss what discipleship and groups could look like in post-Christian world. The post Group Answers Episode 238: Discipleship in a Post-Christian World appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.…

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris and Brian talk to Joel Polk about the exciting future for how groups can access Bible Studies. The post Group Answers Episode 237: The Future of the Bible Study with Joel Polk appeared first on Adult Ministry. Take the Group Answers Survey and Enter to win the BIG giveaway HERE.…

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Ken Braddy about what he sees coming for Bible study groups. Ken is Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School, an author, blogger, and someone who has led group ministry in churches for 30 years. The post Group Answers Episode 236: Ken Braddy on Future Trends in Groups appeared first on Adult Ministry. Tak…

On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church. He […] The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen o…