The Saturday before Christmas is a strange moment in ministry life. As a Small groups teacher, discipleship pastor, education minister, or small-church pastor, you can feel it in the air: - Some people are already traveling. - Some are squeezing in their last holiday errands. - Some are quietly dreading a hard gathering or an empty chair at the holiday table. And yet, when your small group meets . . .

For many of us, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas feel like a swirl of warmth and exhaustion at the same time. The lights go up, music fills the stores, and families plan special traditions. At church, attendance bumps up, guests slip into the back row, and your calendar quietly doubles in size. If you shepherd adults—whether as a Sunday School Teacher or small group leader, Discipleship Pastor, Education Minister, or small-church Pastor—you know something el

It happens every year: in early December, discipleship pastors, education ministers, and small-church pastors all feel the same tension: your people are busier than ever, but they’re also more open than usual. Concerts, school programs, work parties, travel, and family expectations crowd the calendar—yet guests, infrequent attenders, and curious neighbors walk into your church because “it’s Christmas.” In that kind of season, your . . .

December brings its own set of discipleship challenges: Schedules are disrupted. Travel, school events, and church activities make attendance uneven. Emotions run high. Some are energized by the season, others are lonely or grieving. Spiritual openness grows. People who rarely think about God may suddenly find themselves . . .