Richard Sweatman

Richard Sweatman is the Pastor for Maturity at Hunter Bible Church, Newcastle. Part of his job is overseeing the Growth Group ministry. He is the author of Being a Small Group Leader and Writing a Small Group Study, both published by Matthias Media.

How to pastor irregular growth group members

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 8 June 2017

We’ve all missed growth group now and then for various reasons, but sometimes people seem to be absent as often as present. Pastoring such irregular group members is one of the most common challenges of group leading.

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Are growth group leaders pastors?

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 27 April 2017

If so, should we start calling them pastors? If you’re a growth group leader, how would you feel about being called, or calling yourself, a pastor? If you’re a growth group member, would you call your leader your pastor?

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How to start a group

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 19 January 2017

When the group begins, you and your group members are motivated and keen to make it an excellent year together. This moment is like when you’re about to catch a wave at the beach—if you swim hard just as it’s breaking, you can catch that energy and ride that wave.

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Keeping growth groups on time

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 31 October 2016

Does your group struggle to start and end at the agreed-upon times? Here are some reasons to stay on time, and strategies to help you do it.

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Leading a (very) small group

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 19 August 2016

If your Bible study group is on the small side, it can be tempting to feel discouraged. But as Richard Sweatman explains, although smaller numbers mean certain challenges, they also present certain opportunities too.

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Praying in groups

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 30 May 2016

Praying together is an essential part of meeting in small groups, but it is often difficult to implement during our meeting times. Richard Sweatman offers some encouragement and some practical suggestions on how to pray together better.

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How many people can you fit in a group?

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 28 March 2016

Richard Sweatman ponders the perfect number for the spiritual growth of growth groups.

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How do you tell if someone is growing?

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 26 February 2016

Do you ever feel like group attendance each week is an informal opinion poll on your leadership? You know what I mean: “This week 55% of Richard’s group members felt his group was worth attending. This is the third consecutive poll below 75%, and experts are concerned at this worrying trend.”

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How to change an established group

  • Richard Sweatman
  • 28 September 2015

How do you feel about change? Do you like new and different things, or do you prefer stability? Personally, I’m way down the stability end of the spectrum. If the packaging changes on my cereal box I have a bad week. I like things to be steady and predictable.

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