>I recently received the book, Simple Small Groups by Bill Search. Bill Search is the Community Groups Leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY; which is the largest church in Kentucky. This book is a great book for those that want a more systematic approach to small groups. Search gives a well outlined look at what small groups are, why they are important, and what should occur within a small group. It is not the easiest read because of the systematic approach that I feel can drag some of the information. However, the main take-away that I got from the book was how important community is for lasting life-change.
Search sites Alan Deutschman, a business journalist whose research has shown that “people change more consistently and stay changed through relationships!” Search argues that “A new relationship or community of people provides information and hope that change is possible.” Community provides people with the opportunity to look inwardly, yet hear outwardly from people to learn how to go about changing their lives for the better. Community is something that must be lived intentionally. It is not about just saying the correct answers, but discovering the real you and moving towards the you that God wants you to be.
Simple Small Groups is well worth the read for anyone wanting to see the value that community brings to people’s lives, as well as the “nuts-and-bolts” of what community groups should encompass .

>I know it has been a little while since I have posted anything, but things have been busy every since we have gotten back to the United States. Thought I would do a quick post on a book I just finished up.
I just finished reading Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits. This is a great read for anyone wanting to discover more about building Small Groups within a church setting. Stanley and Willits cover what has worked for them at North Point Community Church in Georgia. This is an easy read. The major concepts that I pulled from this book were the questions that the authors give the reader to consider.
First, “What do you want people to become?” They argue that if we don’t have a real idea about what we want people to become then our strategy will not be focused enough to get people into community. Second, “What do you want people to do?” This helps to define what the church and leadership think about spiritual maturity. Finally, “Where do you want people to go?” Stanley and Willits say the answer to this one is to people find relationships within a small group community. Small groups are where they have seen the most life growth in their church body.
I think these questions in themselves and how they are explained are worth the book. This book makes you re-think and re-prioritize what your mission and strategies should be in church.
Great book. A definite read for any church wanting to do small groups or enhance their small group experience.