May 2026 Update
TL;DR Summary:
- Leader Appreciation: THANK YOU!
- New Chapter in Magnify Church
- Important Dates
- Noteworthy News
- Next Steps and Prayers
Leader Appreciation: THANK YOU!
This past Sunday, May 17, we celebrated Leader Appreciation Day. It was wonderful to connect face-to-face and celebrate how God is moving in your groups. Thank you for linking arms with our church families to help them grow in community and in Christ!
Did we miss you? We still want to connect and share a sweet treat with you! Please reach out to Madi at manderson@magnifychurch.org so we can set up a time to touch base one-on-one.
A New Chapter at Magnify: Fresh Wind, New Leadership
Our church family has navigated over 20 months of upheaval and challenging conversations. Because you chose to fight for unity, stay faithful to your calling, and cover this church in thousands of prayers, we have weathered the storm.
We are seeing those prayers answered as we enter a season of stability under our new Senior Pastor, Steve Welch!
Shaping the Future of Groups
A changing season is the perfect time to look at what we do with fresh eyes. Our leadership team—Trent, Madi Anderson (Groups Admin), and Josh Vajda (Theologian in Residence)—is working with the Lead Team to evaluate how we can better achieve our mission: Always Making Disciples.
Thank you for your feedback in April’s Group Status Survey. Your responses highlighted three core areas we are actively working on:
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Group Alignment: How can we better align our groups with the overall direction of the church?
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Group Commitment: How do we encourage the church to not just join, but stay active in groups?
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Group Discipleship: How can our groups more effectively foster deep discipleship in Christ?
We Need Your “In-the-Trenches” Insight
“So goes the leader, so goes the group.” Without you, groups simply do not happen.
While we try to keep our finger on the pulse, we don’t want to miss anything. As you pray and reflect, please share your honest feedback with us. Let us know how your group is truly doing, or reach out if you just need a listening ear and some encouragement. Together, let’s put some fresh wind in the sails of our groups!
Important Dates
August
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TBD: Launch of “Group Leader Training: Crash Course”
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8/16: Praise in the Park
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8/23: Beach Baptism
September
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Week of 9/13: Fall Leader Gathering (Time/Date TBD)
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9/20: Fall 2026 Group Launch (Rockford Campus)
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9/27: Fall 2026 Group Launch (Northview Campus)
October
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TBD: Launch of Fall 2026 Group Leader Training Class
Noteworthy News
Group Leader Training: GLT Crash Course
To prepare for our Fall Launch, we are launching a 2-session GLT Crash Course in late August and early September. We will host four total classes (two at Rockford, two at Northview) to get returning and new leaders sharpened and on the same page.
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Part 1: Focuses on the big picture and the heart behind why groups matter at Magnify.
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Part 2: Focuses on the practical details of running a successful group and cultivating a healthy group culture.
Keep an eye out for specific dates, times, and locations coming soon!
Next Steps & Prayers
1. Stay Sharp This Summer
Take some time under the hood this summer to grow as a leader. Check out SmallGroups.com/lead for excellent resources on preparing for meetings, leading deeper discussions, and growing your group organically. Pick just one area to focus on before the fall rush.
2. Pray for Newcomers & New Leaders
We are praying big prayers for God to bring hundreds of newcomers into community this fall.
Our target group size is 10–12 people (5–6 couples) per group. If we welcome 200 newcomers (100 couples) this fall, we need 20 new leader couples (40 leaders total). Here is how you can help right now:
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Pray: Ask God to stir the hearts of the exact people who need to step into community or leadership.
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Give a Status Update: If you haven’t yet, let us know how many open spots your group has for the fall so we know our exact capacity.
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Identify Future Leaders: If you know someone in your group who would make a great facilitator, let us know! We would love to personally invite them to take the next step.
