How you're doing is how your small group ministry is doing. After 40-plus years in ministry, Steve Gladen gets asked one question more than almost any other: how did you last? In this episode he and Derek Olson walk through three areas to check in yourself once the fall launch settles down, and Steve is clear that he's aiming every point at himself first.

1. Check your vital signs
Four warning signs that your soul is running low:

• Apathy: you've grown callous about miracles
• Arrogance: you've grown casual about sin
• Divisiveness: you've grown cynical about staff and leadership
• Laziness: you've grown careless about the disciplines

2. Be battle ready
Four giants that pull you off center, and what answers each one:

• Busyness, answered by prayer you keep up before the crisis comes
• Materialism, answered by giving
• Isolation, answered by living in the community you're asking others to join
• Ignorance, answered by time in God's Word, even if you start with one verse

3. Build your rhythms

• Divert daily: time alone with God
• Withdraw weekly: Sabbath
• Abandon annually: a retreat away from your ministry bubble

A line worth keeping: "Nobody gets into a spiritual hole with a backhoe. It's always with a spoon."

In this episode

• 0:16 Welcome
• 3:26 Why your longevity sets the pace for your ministry
• 6:21 Area 1: Check your vital signs
• 14:52 Area 2: Be battle ready
• 23:27 Area 3: Build your rhythms
• 27:22 Wrap-up

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Attendance, Metrics, and Health: Measuring Discipleship in Small Group Ministry

Pastor Steve Gladen and host Derek open the fall season of SG Squared by discussing how small group leaders should think about attendance, metrics, and health without letting numbers define their identity. Steve argues that numbers are not bad but are indicators connected to souls and stories, and that quality and quantity are not enemies. He cautions that attendance alone can be a false positive and emphasizes measuring discipleship through individual and group health assessments. Drawing from Saddleback’s approach, he describes an individual health assessment (35 questions) and a shorter group assessment (10 questions) built around worship, fellowship, discipleship, serving, and evangelism, with follow-through steps involving goals, partners, curriculum, and activities. He notes that early assessments showed over 85% self-identified weakness in evangelism and points listeners to his books and Small Group Network resources.

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:26 Fall Football Banter
01:58 Culture Shock in Mississippi
03:30 Episode Setup Souls and Identity
07:52 Why Numbers Matter
10:29 Data as Ministry Indicator
11:59 Measuring Discipleship Success
15:43 Attendance Versus Health
17:53 Building Health Assessments
25:01 Books Membership and Wrap Up

Ron Kelleher on Kingdom Leadership, Workplace Ministry, and Integrating Faith in the Marketplace

Pastor Steve Gladen records a special SG Squared episode at the Lobby Gathering with Ron Kelleher, first sharing an update that Ron has been diagnosed with colon cancer and requesting prayers for him and his family. Ron describes his 40-year marriage to Barbara, their two adopted children (including a special-needs son), and how Saddleback became their church home through its special-needs ministry. He recounts a 36-year career at Procter & Gamble spanning sales and multicultural marketing, then early retirement in 2009, seminary at Talbot, and a renewed calling to workplace ministry. Ron has written 701 weekly blog articles at www.ronkelleher.com and discusses his book, Kingdom Leadership: Embodying Christ in the Marketplace (https://a.co/d/0fodzIlS), built around 12 biblical leadership characteristics, highlighting stewardship and prayerful leadership. Steve offers six free autographed copies via email, and Ron shares contact info at [email protected].

00:00 Prayer Update for Ron
00:45 Show Intro at Lobby Gathering
01:59 Meet Ron and Family
03:23 Career at Procter and Gamble
06:38 Finding a Church Home
09:11 Early Retirement and Calling
13:33 Writing and Online Resources
14:54 Kingdom Leadership Book Overview
17:40 Key Traits Stewardship and Prayer
25:11 Next Book Faith Driven Leadership
26:59 Book Giveaway and Contact Info
28:32 Final Encouragement and Outro

Bill Donahue on Leading Life-Changing Small Groups (Plus Signed Book Giveaway)

Recorded at the Lobby Gathering, Pastor Steve Gladen interviews Dr. Bill Donahue about his updated book, How to Lead Life-Changing Small Groups, and offers a giveaway of six signed copies to the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 11th people who email [email protected] with an address. Donahue shares personal background about his wife Gail, their 38-year marriage, their two adult children, and formative experiences that shaped his views of what is “healthy” and “good.” The conversation highlights key helps for small group leaders: preparation that aims to be personal rather than perfect, shared ownership and participation, and learning to give and receive feedback. Donahue discusses measuring group health beyond attendance and numbers by evaluating relationships, culture, conflict navigation, experiencing Christ’s presence, and the group’s impact outside the circle, including online group considerations, and closes by emphasizing love as the central leadership focus.

00:00 Welcome and Giveaway Tease
01:09 Meet Bill Donahue
02:32 Family and Gail’s Ministry
05:59 How They Met and Ministry Beginnings
08:10 Early Small Group Failures to Growth
10:39 Growing Up and Performance Pressure
14:48 Kids, Parenting, and Real Life
18:33 New Book Focus and Leader Challenges
21:07 Book Tools Overview
21:32 Conflict Chapter Deep Dive
22:28 Online Groups Pros Cons
23:40 Coaching New Leaders
23:54 Preparation And Ownership
26:31 Measuring Real Progress
28:23 Feedback Triggers Explained
31:18 Healthy Metrics Inside Outside
34:19 Book Giveaway And Thanks
35:55 Closing Focus On Love
39:12 Final Wrap And Signoff

1. Groups that primarily Disciple
• Primary engagement is spiritual growth
• What their felt need is, Spiritual Void.
• Team responsible—Spiritual Formation Team

2. Groups that primarily Connect
• Primary engagement is Serving.
• What their felt need is, Value.
• Team responsible—First Impressions or Serving Teams

3. Groups that primarily Send
• Primary engagement is causation.
• What the felt need is, Make a Difference
• Team Responsible—Mission Team

4. Groups that primarily Care
• Primary engagement is support.
• What their felt need is, Vitalization.
• Team responsible—Care & Recovery Team

To see the diagram from today's episode, download it HERE. 

10 Building Blocks to Engineer a Dynamic Small Group Ministry

Steve Gladen and Derek discuss a summer “diagnostic check” for small group ministries by reviewing 10 building blocks to keep groups healthy, scalable, and disciple-making heading into fall. They emphasize first defining what success is for small group leaders, then aligning ministry structures to that outcome through leader training (for members, leaders, and coaches), providing practical tools (including individual and group health assessments and idea resources), and creating a strategic curriculum pathway that addresses weaknesses rather than simply filling time. They also highlight collecting both hard and soft data to support relational shepherding, building a scalable coaching/community-leader structure (often volunteer-based), and defining a group maturity pathway from early fellowship to balanced engagement with the Great Commission/Great Commandment. Finally, they outline three connection strategies—adult Sunday school alignment, a connection strategy when a pastor isn’t fully on board, and church-wide campaigns when leadership is aligned—encouraging leaders to regularly reassess and shore up guardrails using the show-notes diagram and related books.

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
01:22 Why Summer Is Ideal
04:16 Building Block One Success
06:52 Building Block Two Training
09:37 Building Block Three Tools
12:52 Building Block Four Curriculum
15:44 Building Block Five Data
18:41 Building Block Six Coaches
21:48 Building Block Seven Pathway
24:30 Building Blocks Eight To Ten
29:42 Final Encouragement Outro

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 By
10:43 SPEAK Acrostic
12:47 Encouragement and Dates
14:57 Abilities and Franklin Effect
19:23 Four Helpful List
23:14 Final Challenge and Wrap
25:18 Lobby Gathering Invite
26:59 Subscribe and Resources

The Real Question Small Group Leaders Should Be Asking: What Kind of Disciple Are You Producing?

Join all access at the Small Group Network 

In this episode of SG Squared, Pastor Steve Gladen and Derek discuss how small group point people can get distracted by urgent tasks and connection metrics while missing the most important question: what kind of disciple the church is trying to produce. Steve explains that every small group model includes a connection process, but the strategy must also include a clear discipleship and spiritual formation pathway that goes beyond slogans and cognitive learning to lived obedience. He argues that the small group point person must seek clarity on the church’s discipleship strategy—whether they own it or partner with others—so training, coaching, curriculum, and tools align with the intended outcomes. Listeners are invited to join Small Group Network All Access for resources and updates, including a coaching platform planned for October 2026.

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:28 Weather and Relativity
02:47 The Real Question
04:29 Why Connection Matters
06:13 Seven Group Models
09:32 Discipleship Second Half
11:18 Who Owns Discipleship
14:06 Point Person Responsibility
19:25 Avoid Model Hopping
20:51 Wrap Up and Resources

Subscribe and Connect with the Small Group Network

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. For more resources and to join the small group community, visit smallgroupnetwork.com. 

THE MENDOZA STORY
130 schools said no.
He led the losingest program in college football history to a national championship anyway.
Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit from Miami.

He tried to walk on at his hometown school. They passed.
So did FIU.
So did FAU.
So did everyone else.

At 17, he was sitting in his bedroom, crying over a silent recruiting inbox—after driving to 18 camps with his dad and sending highlights to more than 100 programs.
Not one FBS offer.
His only option? Yale. No scholarship. No NFL path.

Everyone told him to be “realistic.”
“Know your place.”
“Be grateful.”
He didn’t listen.
Because Mendoza understood something most people miss:
The worst outcome isn’t failing.
It’s never getting the chance to try.

Two weeks before signing day in 2022, his phone rang.
Cal needed a body. One offer. Out of 134 schools.
He took it.
He arrived as the third-string quarterback.
Spent a year on the scout team.
Lost his first four starts.
Got sacked 41 times behind a broken offensive line.

Still got up. Every time.
Then Cal brought in a transfer instead of building around him.
So Mendoza left the only school that had ever said yes.
He transferred to Indiana—the losingest program in college football history.

People laughed.
“Career suicide.”
“Graveyard program.”
“Nobody wins there.”
One coach told him something different:
“I’m going to make you the best Fernando Mendoza possible.”
That was enough.
Mendoza wasn’t just playing for football.
His mother has battled multiple sclerosis for 18 years.

Before every snap, he thought of her.
“My mother is my why.”
Indiana went 16–0.
Beat six Top-10 teams.
Won their first Big Ten title since 1945.
Mendoza threw 41 touchdowns.
Won the Heisman—first in school history.
First Cuban-American to ever do it.

Then came the title game.
Miami. Near his hometown.
Fourth-and-4. Season on the line.
Quarterback draw.
The kid 134 schools rejected spun through defenders and dove into the end zone.

Game over.
Indiana—national champions.
The losingest program became the best team in America.
All because a 17-year-old refused to believe “no” was the end.

Rankings don’t decide your ceiling.
Gatekeepers don’t write your ending.
Being overlooked isn’t a verdict—it’s a starting point.

Sometimes all you need is one shot…
and the courage to bet on yourself when nobody else will.
Don’t quit.

00:00 Thank You for Listening!
18:31 Subscribe for More Content
18:35 Join the Small Group Network
18:43 See You Next Time!

5 Small Group Strategies for 2026

Welcome to SG Squared with Pastor Steve Gladen, who brings over 25 years of small group ministry experience to provide practical advice and encouragement for leading small groups. In this episode, despite battling the flu, Steve and Derek discuss the importance of leading with purpose, building trust, developing people, celebrating wins, and clarifying roles and next steps. These five key strategies are designed to help you lead small groups more effectively and foster stronger engagement. Whether you're leading in ministry, at work, or at home, these transferable principles will equip you to be a better leader. Don't miss out on this insightful masterclass!

Check out
Small Groups With Purpose by Steve Gladen
and
Planning Small Groups With Purpose by Steve Gladen

00:00 Welcome to SG Squared
00:23 Catching Up and Health Updates
02:21 Five Ways to Lead Effectively
05:00 1. Lead with Purpose
06:35 2. Build Trust
09:10 3. Develop Your People
12:41 4. Celebrate the Wins
15:13 5. Clarify Roles and Next Steps
17:12 Recap and Closing Thoughts
18:02 Subscribe and Stay Connected

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve & co-host Derek talk about Evangelism Made Easy for Small Groups.

The 6 Fs