Helps For HOSTs: Saddleback Small Groups Dream Now Series

James Browning: me in this limited podcast
series is my fellow cohost, Bradley.

Say hello, Bradley.

Bradley: Hey, I'm Bradley Sunlin, I'm
the engagement pastor at Saddleback

Irvine South, which is, uh, one of
our, campuses in Southern California.

James Browning: We're excited
to be starting this dream.

Now series with you, small group hosts.

It is a call for a generation
to pursue God size dreams.

Whether you are a seasoned host or
you just started leading your small

group for the series or for immerse.

We pray that this resource will
help you feel equipped to make the

most out of your time together.

Start us off, Bradley, why don't you,
tell us about a dream that you've had?

Bradley: A dream that I have
now, and I've had for years,

is to start a diner, actually.

And part of that would encompass small
groups, just bringing people to a place

where they can feel comfortable, they can
feel safe, and get a good meal, and just

In a way, kind of be the hands and feet
of Jesus through serving some good food.

James Browning: So, sort
of a third space type of,

Bradley: yeah, exactly.

That term's been thrown around a lot
this year and, you know, you got your

house, you got your church, but, or
your, you know, wherever you're living,

and then that place where you can just
meet friends, kind of like the, you

know, what they do in Seinfeld, or

James Browning: Yeah.

What are, what are some of the
key pillars of your diner menu?

Bradley: Um, for me it's
always gotta, we, we gotta have

bacon and eggs on every menu.

And, and again, you can do that in so
many different ways, uh, whether it's

like in a sandwich or just by itself.

I'm personally more of a, a salty,
like, more savory flavored person, but,

probably put some pancakes on there
for, uh, the sweet tooths as well.

But yeah, gonna have a good cup of coffee
and just a solid, starchy breakfast.

James Browning: Sounds great.

Yeah.

I think, uh, the older I get, the
more I personally value shared dreams.

So, I'm married, I have kids, like
dreams for things for us as a family.

Uh, I remember Being younger,
being a teenager and having

shared dreams with my friends.

A lot of times those dreams were goofy
or funny or, uh, teenagery, but I

think that all of the biggest, the most
beautiful things, the most valuable

things were usually built together and
not necessarily just by one person.

And I think that that is
true of the Christian life.

Bradley: Yeah, and that's why I
really am excited about this series,

because it's like, hey, DreamNow for
you, yourself, DreamNow, like, as a

couple, if you're married, uh, DreamNow
as your church, and, uh, DreamNow

also just for the community, right?

Like, all these things
are encompassing of that.

Right.

Simple.

James Browning: that we see that
have big dreams and big visions like

Nehemiah, he didn't do that on his own.

He had teams of people working together
to build the walls of Jerusalem.

He did a lot of delegation.

He had support from the King.

He cast a vision, got financial
support, got teams of workers

Bradley: There was so much passion
for that area, and like, there was

hurt, and I think a lot of dreams, the
best dreams are start from like, what

is something that you're passionate
about, or something that just breaks

your heart, that you want to change.

Yeah.

James Browning: Saddleback, of the
campuses he was looking to start, of

the people he was looking to reach,
but Rick didn't do it on his own.

Bradley: No, I mean, , it was, it was
him and Kay, and then also the Bible

group, the Bible study that was meeting
at his apartment for a little bit.

And then from there, it
just continued to flourish.

They would meet in schools for
years, before they finally had,

well, their first official building.

I

James Browning: And all that dreaming
together really is built into the

DNA of Saddleback that we are a
church of Small groups and not

just a church with small groups.

So you and your small group are a key
component of building and sharing our

dreams together with Saddleback this
series, we're going to be going through,

dream now book for your small group.

each week, your small group will
begin with the sermon on the weekend.

And then whenever your small group meets,
for example, mine meets on a Friday.

You will start your small group
series by watching the video that

you'll be able to find it on the dream.

Now, small group page, you'll be able
to find it on the YouTube channel.

Bradley: now that's saddleback.

com slash stream now.

James Browning: Yes.

You'll be able to find it there.

And you'll begin your series
by watching that video.

And after you watch the video
as a small group and discuss the

discussion questions, Then you can
go through the daily devotional.

So for example, my week begins
on Friday for our small group.

Well, the previous weekend we'll
attend, , our campus together.

We'll, hear Andy's sermon that
Thursday or Friday, we will

watch the video discuss together.

And then the following day I
will be in the daily devotional.

So Bradley, any questions on that so far?

Any encouragement for
your small group host?

Bradley: No, I think for me that's
really clear, but I think the

encouragement is, Hey, this isn't just
something that you put on the back

burner and just show up, every week.

Granted, the materials are there, which
you could do, but this is something

that needs to be incorporated into
your everyday life with the reading.

And I mean, honestly, I've liked
this pattern that we've been having

where, It's something that you do
for your daily quiet time, along

with the weekly discussion as well.

James Browning: And I think the
other, help that we want to create

for you all is the weekly email that
goes out to the host and co host.

This email is designed to be helpful
and useful to you as a small group.

Please feel free to share it
with members of your small group.

But if you have any feedback
on that, or if you have stories

of Life change in your group.

If you have thoughts on how we can
improve the email, if you, want to share

your dream with us, just reply to that
email because we love those stories.

Oh,

Bradley: absolutely.

And if anything too,

James Browning: yeah, we might be
excited to share your dream with you.

Bradley: Yeah.

James Browning: So with that, join us
each week as we put out this help for

host podcast for the dream now series.

And once again, I'm James Browning and

Bradley: Um, Bradley,

James Browning: and
we'll see you next week.

Bradley: you next week.