Tuesday, May 19, 2020

How Saddleback Started 3,000 Groups During COVID-19


Rick Warren recently preached a sermon where he mentioned that Saddleback has added 3,000 groups during Covid-19. Saddleback started the year with around 6,000 groups. They now have about 9,000 groups. Wow. (https://saddleback.com/watch/a-faith-that-works-when-life-doesn-t/a-faith-that-makes-tough-choices-easier?autoplay=true)

I did a deep dive into all things Saddleback to see if I could discover how they did it. I listened to all the latest Saddleback podcasts, as well as all the latest Small Group Network podcasts. I read Steve Gladen’s latest book, Planning Small Groups with Purpose: A Field-Tested Guide to Design and Grow Your Ministry and re-listened to the much of Purpose-Driven Church. To top it off, Steve Gladen was willing to conduct a Zoom interview. Here is what I learned.

To quote Bobby Unser, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Saddleback’s story is a picture of that. They have been preparing for this moment for 30 years. When opportunity came, they were ready. Read More

No comments: