venture church Archives - Allen White Consulting

Celebrating Our First Year!

by Allen White | Oct 4, 2016 | Small Group Strategy

By Allen White

Photo by Andor Bujdoso

One year ago after following a nudge from the Holy Spirit, which felt move like a shove, my wife and I formed our own coaching organization. It was a big step. After working for two churches and then two stints at Lifetogether Ministries with Brett Eastman, it was time to go out on our own. And, what a year it’s been!
Exponential Groups, my first book on small groups, will be released on February 1, 2017 from Hendrickson Publishers. Writing this book was something I just felt compelled to do, even if my mom is the only one who reads it. It’s the stories and best practices from the over 1,500 churches I’ve coached and the two churches I served on staff. Why Exponential Groups? When we recruit individual leaders, we grow by addition. When we train apprentices and “birth” new groups, we grow by multiplication. When we engage our entire congregation in the Great Commission, we grow exponentially. You can preorder Exponential Groups at Christianbook.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online outlets. Hint: The book is $5 cheaper at Christianbook.com (my publisher owns it). (Download the first chapter Here). But, this isn’t the best part.
I have the privilege of coaching some of the great churches across North American and helping them grow their groups exponentially. Here is a partial list of churches I’ve worked with in the last 12 months in various ways.

Coaching Groups — 19 Churches including:

C4 Church, Ajax, Ontario
Christ Tabernacle, Queens, NY
Discovery Church, Orlando, FL
Eastlake Church, Chula Vista, CA
Manna Church (ARC), Fayetteville, NC
Next Level Church (ARC). Ft Myers, FL
Peninsula Covenant Church, Redwood City, CA
St. Johns Lutheran Church (LCMS), Orange, CA
The Branch Church (COC), Dallas, TX
Victory Worship Church (AG), Tuscon, AZ
Ward Church (EPC), Northville, MI

Onsite Assessments

Bayside Community Church (ARC), Bradenton-Sarasota, FL
LifeBridge Christian Church (ICC), Longmont, CO
St. Matthew Catholic Church, Charlotte, NC

Individual Coaching

Allison Park Church (AG), Pittsburg, PA
Bethesda Pentecostal Church, St. Johns, Newfoundland
Mariners Church, Huntington Beach, CA
The Rooted Network, Mariners Church, Irvine, CA
Venture Church, Los Gatos, CA

Online Courses including:

Love of Christ Church (ARC), Bear, DE
Overlake Christian Church, Redmond, WA
Salem Lutheran Church (LCMS), Tomball, TX
The Life Church, San Angelo, TX

Speaking: Keynote, Retreats, Workshops, Conferences

Thousand Hills Church (AG), Corinth, TX (Leader Retreat)
Georgia District Council (AG), Macon, GA (Pastors’ Conference)

Video Curriculum Production

Chip Ingram and Living on the Edge (multiple projects)
Doug Fields and Intentional Parenting (Discussion Guide)
Lutheran Church of the Atonement (ECLA), Barrington, IL
Kingdom Life Church, Baltimore, MD
Wow, when I stop and look at the list, I realize it truly has been an amazing first year. I also serve churches in some low cost ways:
My Blog: allenwhite.org
An Hour with Allen
We’ve had a great first year and have seen great progress in the churches we have served. My hope in the coming year is not only to help more churches grow their small groups, but also to help more churches grow their people. In the Great Commission, Jesus charges every believer with the responsibility to “Go and make disciples…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The word we are keying in on for 2017 is “obey.” Jesus didn’t tell his disciples (including us) to “teach them…everything.” He commanded us to “teach them to obey everything.” An obedient church is a growing churches. Priorities will change. Chains will fall off. Communities will be transformed. Believes will be empowered. New leaders will come out of the woodwork. Without building another building or hiring another staff member, we can change the world.
Thanks to all of you who’ve allowed me to play in your sandbox and have taken this work seriously. You and your church will never be the same.
God bless,
Allen

Why You Won’t Reach Your Goals in 2016

by Allen White | Dec 29, 2015 | Small Group Strategy

By Allen White
We have a little downtime this week. Well, I don’t. I’m writing a book and starting a coaching group in two weeks. There’s not much downtime for me. But, in between my busyness or your possible downtime is a little time to dream about the new year. How many groups will you launch next year? Will this be the year to create your own curriculum? Maybe this will be the year to get your coaching structure started or tuned up? But, as you set goals and make plans, you must consider that the possibilities are limited.
Immediately, we go to limitations like: “You’re right, my senior pastor isn’t on board,” or “Our church has too many competing values, so I can get people into groups,” or “I don’t have the budget like the worship department…they don’t care about groups,” or “It’s hard to recruit group leaders.” Whaa.

If you don’t think it’s possible, it isn’t.

What are you telling yourself?

If you’re saying things like, “This year I’m going to double my number of groups.” Are you imagining the possibility or the impossibility of doubling your groups? I’m not talking about visualizing things, but I am talking about what you’re thinking, what you’re praying about, and what you’re planning for.
If you want to double your groups this next year, then you need to prepare. How many coaches do you need to recruit to support your new leaders? What new strategy do you need to recruit these new group leaders? (If your previous strategy was effective, then you would have all of the leaders already. They said “No” to that invitation, so now you need to give them something to say “Yes” to.)
So, if you want to double your groups, this is what you need to think about: “Twice as many people will be connected and discipled. Twice as many people will grow spiritually by leading others. Twice as many coaches will give help and support. When I have over 1,000 people in groups, then I also need to recruit a small group team to help serve the coaches. I will need to become less involved with group leaders and more involved with leaders of leaders, or even leaders of leaders of leaders.”
What changed from the list of complaints above? The change is in your thinking, not in your circumstance.

You have the small group ministry you have envisioned.

Some of that envisioning was negative, so guess what you ended up with? The greatest limitations in your life are in your thoughts. This year take responsibility for your groups. Own it. Take responsibility for yourself. Stop playing the victim of your senior pastor, your budget, or your inadequate strategies.
I know I’m being tough on you today, because I’ve spent most of the last year being tough on myself. I had to overcome thoughts like “I have to keep working for someone else because churches won’t want to work with me on my own.” Then, I got my first client, Chip Ingram and Venture Church, and more churches have been lining up ever since. I had to overcome, “I would like to write a book, but I can’t find a publisher, and I don’t know who will read it.” Well, I started writing and put out one chapter for a free download. Over 1,000 people have read that chapter and have asked for more. And, I have a publisher now.
What changed for me was not luck. I don’t believe in luck. The change came in my own thinking. Now, going into my fourth month, my bills are paid, my kids are fed, and churches are launching ridiculous numbers of groups. I hate to think what life would be like if I hadn’t changed what I thought about and what I dreamed was possible.
Make this next year your year. If you need help, then connect with me, or Mark Howell, or Chris Surratt, and get some help and encouragement for your small group ministry. Imagine what is possible. God is ready to work in your church. Stop limiting what God can do.