How do you keep the ministry PEOPLE focused verse PROGRAM focus
From SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups by Steve Gladen | Lumivoz
April 1, 2026 · 27 min · Episode 270
About this episode
Steve Gladen and Derek Olson discuss maintaining a people-focused approach in small group ministry over program focus.
People Over Programs: One-to-One Leadership That Keeps Small Groups Relational Pastor Steve Gladen and Derek Olson discuss how small group ministry can drift from being people-focused to program-focused, and argue the most important question is how to keep relationships central. Steve emphasizes the power of one-to-one connection and offers practical ways to reach people beyond email, including texting, calling (with a heads-up text), being present to connect in person at church, sending notes, and even doing brief “pop-bys” with a small gift to create face-to-face contact. Once connected, he shares the SPEAK acrostic for knowing someone personally:Story, Passions, Encouragement (including love languages and key dates), Abilities (including the Benjamin Franklin effect), and Knowledge. He also introduces the “four helpful lists” for improving ministry: what’s working, what’s wrong, what’s confusing, and what’s missing. They close by promoting the May Lobby Gathering event for small group leaders. https://smallgroupnetwork.com 00:00 Welcome to SG Squared 01:11 Episode Preview 02:05 People Over Programs 03:01 Power of One to One 05:17 How to Reach People 06:29 Lobby Lurker and Pop…
People in this episode
Host: Steve Gladen
Guest: Derek Olson
Topics covered
- small group ministry
- people-focused leadership
- one-to-one connection
- relationship building
- practical ministry tips
Keywords
- small groups
- leadership
- relationships
- SPEAK acrostic
- ministry improvement
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Small Group Network
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