Great Groups

Jay Gordon & Chris Amaro
  • 5.0 (13)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A Podcast Designed for Small Group Leaders. Great Groups are small groups that focus on making disciples, building community, serving, and living on mission. You may call your groups Sunday School Life Groups, Community Groups, or a host of other names, but whatever you call it, we want to help your group be a great group. We built the podcast to encourage and equip adult small group leaders at Brook Hills and beyond.

  1. JAN 8

    Six Tips for a Strong Start to 2026 (Episode 147)

    In this episode, Jay and Chris talk about getting a strong start to 2026. Listen in and see if you've thought of these ways to start strong. 1. Pray for your group: spiritual maturity, life-giving meetings, and new people. 2. Plan some catch-up time after the holiday break. 3. Remind the group of the mission.      Love Jesus, Grow in Jesus, Make Disciples of Jesus      Group Purposes: Disciple-making, Community & Mission      Long-term: New groups and developing leadership. 4. Establish better rhythms as a leader: Prep time, contacting absentees, sharing group prayer requests, personally praying for group members, etc. 5. Identify areas of improvement for your group. Then, map out the route with specific plans. Seek input from group members, spouse, other leaders. 6. Plan your welcome. Be ready for guests.  Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    29 min

  2. 11/25/2025

    Evaluating Your Group with Laura Chramer (Episode 146, Part 2)

    In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Laura Chramer offering color commentary as we all discuss a set of questions used to evaluate your group. Jay discovered the questions in an article by Josh Hunt on the Small Group Network. We added a few from the staff and also asked AI, so the list of questions is immense. Don't feel overwhelmed by this. One comment on the podcast is that you'll have a great group if you teach for transformation, build community, and live on mission as a group. If you'd like to look through the questions as you think about the effectiveness of your group, just click the link below. Small Group Evaluation Questions Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    34 min

  3. 11/13/2025

    Evaluating Your Group with Laura Chramer (Episode 145, Part 1)

    In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Laura Chramer offering color commentary as we all discuss a set of questions used to evaluate your group. Jay discovered the questions in an article by Josh Hunt on the Small Group Network. We added a few from the staff and also asked AI, so the list of questions is immense. Don't feel overwhelmed by this. One comment on the podcast is that you'll have a great group if you teach for transformation, build community, and live on mission as a group. If you'd like to look through the questions as you think about the effectiveness of your group, just click the link below. Small Group Evaluation Questions Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    40 min

  4. 10/07/2025

    Group Life with John Mark & Keilah Carter (Episode 144)

    In Today’s Episode: Jay and Chris sit down with guests John Mark and Keilah Carter to chat about life, leadership, and what’s happening in their Small Group. It’s always fun to hear from fellow leaders—and maybe even steal a few good ideas! We start by learning about John Mark and Keilah’s backgrounds, work, and hobbies before diving into a rich conversation about their group . Topics include: Their current Bible study and favorite resourcesThe different roles people play in their groupHow they do community nights and global missionsScripture memorization and why it mattersGroup meeting format and use of breakout groupsEvangelism and sharing their faithGroup leadership succession and changesThere’s a lot to unpack in this episode—so come join the conversation and get inspired to your own group well! Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    44 min

  5. 09/18/2025

    Creating a Great Group Culture, Part 2 (Episode 143)

    Culture shapes everything we do in Small Groups. It can be defined as the shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and practices of a particular group of people. Each group, to some degree, has it's own individual culture.  We want our groups to reflect Biblical values through their culture. Join us and give some thought to the culture of your small group as we investigate what it is, why it matters, and how leaders can influence it intentionally. Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    34 min

  6. 09/04/2025

    Creating A Great Group Culture, Part 1 (Episode 142)

    Culture shapes everything we do in Small Groups. It can be defined as the shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and practices of a particular group of people. Each group, to some degree, has it's own individual culture. In this episode, Jay and Chris are joined by Elisabeth Chramer as a guest co-host to discuss group culture - what we'd like to see in our groups and how to lead toward that. Join us and give some thought to the culture of your small group as we investigate what it is, why it matters, and how leaders can influence it intentionally. Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    35 min

  7. 08/19/2025

    Making Disciples & Random Conversations with Rick Howerton (Episode 141)

    In this episode, Jay and Chris talk with Rick Howerton, a nationally-known and respected leader in Small Group Ministry and Jay's favorite in that category. Rick is a consultant, author, and former groups pastor. His writings include A Different Kind of Tribe, and The Perpetually Growing Church. Tune in and hear discussions on disciple-making, on and off-campus group distinctions, and much more. Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    46 min

  8. 08/05/2025

    Getting a Strong Start to a New Group Year (Episode 140)

    In this episode, Jay and Chris share practical ways to kick off your small group with momentum as a new year begins. They cover essential tips on effective communication, prayer, creating a welcoming atmosphere for new members, casting vision, and encouraging faithful attendance. Plus, they highlight the importance of thoughtful planning—and yes, the power of offering food at that first meeting! Tune in to make sure you’ve checked all the boxes for a strong and meaningful start. Send us a text Thanks for listening to the Great Groups Podcast. Please visit GreatGroups.org for a list of all our episodes. We'd love to hear from you! Click here for our contact form. Jay Gordon is the Small Groups Minister at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Chris Amaro is an IT professional and serves as a Small Group Leader and Elder at Brook Hills. Lifetime Show Notes Brook Hills Pages: The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Small Group Leader Resources Page Small Group Discipleship Resources Small Groups @ Brook Hills

    28 min
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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

A Podcast Designed for Small Group Leaders. Great Groups are small groups that focus on making disciples, building community, serving, and living on mission. You may call your groups Sunday School Life Groups, Community Groups, or a host of other names, but whatever you call it, we want to help your group be a great group. We built the podcast to encourage and equip adult small group leaders at Brook Hills and beyond.

Information

  • Creator
    Jay Gordon & Chris Amaro
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    148
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Great Groups
  • Show Website
    Great Groups