Session Descriptions
Conference Prime track (two-day track, Friday and Saturday) – if you have never been to a Saddleback small group conference, or want a refresher.
This is a highly interactive track taught by Saddleback’s small group pastor Steve Gladen. You’ll learn the principles that God has used to create one of the most successful small group ministries in the nation at Saddleback Church, one that has been successfully used in churches around the world of all sizes and virtually all denominations. In six sessions over two days you will go through how your church can start and grow a healthy small group ministry, can’t-miss principles, and how to connect your community and your church for spiritual health. These core sessions have been previous taught as Discovering Your Essentials for Healthy Groups and Determining Your Purpose – Measuring the Health of Your Small Groups, but are now combined into this Prime Track.
The Prime Track ends with an optional 1 1/2 hour session on Saturday from 1:15 - 2:45 pm, providing one-on-one training and help. Bring your questions and we will help you work through issues that are unique to your church.
Conference Advanced Planning Track (two-day track, Friday and Saturday) – if you have been to a Saddleback small group conference, and are implementing the model, but you’d like to develop a 12-18 month small group strategic action plan for your church.
This two-day track taught by working pastors will take you and your leadership team through a facilitated planning exercise that ends up with a 12-18 month action plan for your ministry, tailored to your church and ready to implement. You’ll be coached in doing some initial work before attending, and we encourage you to bring any other members of your team, staff or non-paid, who need to be invested in the ministry plan. There will be plenty of process and debrief time for you and your team to address critical issues that are integral for a successful plan for your church. Embedded in this planning process are the 50 key area learnings at Saddleback that played into the successful model that now has over more people in weekly small groups than in weekend services.
The Advanced Planning Track concludes with an optional 1 1/2 hour session on Saturday from 1:15 - 2:45 pm, providing one-on-one training and help. Bring your questions about mapping out and executing planning for your small group ministry and we will help you work through issues that are unique to your church.
Leader Rally Workshops (Saturday) – these workshops are offered in two sessions on Saturday for leaders of small groups.
Taught by working pastors active in small groups, these workshops provide leaders of small groups with essential tools for encouraging, growing, building, caring for their small group and small group members. Many of the workshops are repeated during the two Workshop sessions, so you can attend your two favorite workshops.
The Workhop Sessions conclude with an optional 1 1/2 hour session on Saturday from 1:15 - 2:45 pm, providing one-on-one training and help from workshop leaders. Bring your questions about caring for your small group and we will help you work through issues that are unique to your group.
Leader Rally workshops vary by location. Please check the blue Hotel and Workshop Information graphic for your preferred location on the Dates and Locations page.