Something powerful happens when we shift our focus from creating resources to investing in people. After seven years of developing nine comprehensive small group curriculum packages, we're taking a bold new direction at Crossline Community Church for 2025.

The revelation came through a simple question: What if we redirected the many hours typically spent on writing books, filming videos, and creating materials toward personally investing in each of our small group leaders instead? What if, rather than giving them another fish (curriculum), we taught them how to fish more effectively?

Small groups occupy a strategic position in ministry—meeting in homes, coffee shops, and neighborhoods where people who might never enter a church building are willing to engage. As one person told me bluntly, "I'll never go to church with you, but I will sit with you at a coffee shop and talk about the Bible." This presents an extraordinary opportunity for gospel advancement when leaders are properly equipped and empowered.

Our new approach combines relational investment with practical resources. We're building an online library of concise training videos (7-10 minutes each) addressing specific leadership challenges while prioritizing face-to-face mentoring, encouragement, and prayer with each leader. The theme—"Let's Go Fishing"—calls us back to Jesus' original invitation to become fishers of men.

This isn't about abandoning structure but embracing a higher purpose. When believers move beyond curriculum-following to active disciple-making, exponential kingdom growth becomes possible. Whether you lead a small group at Crossline or elsewhere, I invite you to consider your role in God's grand narrative. How might your group become a beacon of Christ's love in your community? The harvest awaits—let's go fishing together.

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