“Make my heart leap.”

With those words, Pastor Rick smiled and ushered me out of his office. I walked down the hall knowing that—one way or the other—I was about to engage in another defining moment in my life. I wondered if God might be ushering me into another faith move…and if I was ready for it.

***

The first few years of small groups ministry were a blur. When I was hired, five seminary classes made up the extent of my formal ministry training. About half of our church staff at that time had seminary degrees, and the other half of us had prepared for ministry through practical training in different ministries of our church. I had an understanding with our leadership team that I would return to school to finish my formal traini...

Please subscribe to keep reading.