Small Group Idea Book: Resources to Enrich Community, Worship, Prayer, Nurture, Outreach

by Cindy Bunch

Hundreds of field-tested activities will help leaders develop a healthy small group life that includes worship, outreach, nurture and fun. Edited by Cindy Bunch.

Genres: Christianity, Christian

Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Cindy Bunch is associate publisher and director of editorial at InterVarsity Press, where she has worked for more than thirty years. She acquires and develops for the Formatio line of spiritual formation books. She is the author of Be Kind to Yourself.

Cindy holds an MA in theological studies from Northern Seminary and completed her spiritual direction training at North Park Seminary. She and her husband live in the Chicago suburbs.

Reviews

[Shaun Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I gave the earlier 1996 edition 3 stars, I'm mightily impressed with the improvements made in this revised 2004 edition! Kudos to the authors for the additional material and the editors for a job well done!

My main complaint (that the Chapter 1 "Community Resources" had only 15 good ice breakers and activities); the new edition's collection is vastly expanded. The references to the IVCF (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) were also vastly reduced and so the general audience would not feel as annoyed. I also appreciated while it still exists, many duplicated activities (with only very slight variations) were removed.

This book is targeted at novice and first-time small group leaders. The minefield of ideas and activities would provide a few months' worth. It is also great for planning activities for youth or church camps; some of the ice breakers and activities could be used for secular settings as well, maybe with a bit of tweaking. Maybe because this is an entry level book, the bible study segments are very simple and experienced small group leaders will likely find that it wanting in terms of depth. But using it for its intended purpose, the cell leader would do well to remember to include the occasional relationship-building or relationship-deepening activity when the small group meets. I nevertheless recommend this book!

[Shaun Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially appreciate the inspiration and reminded that the first chapter provided me! It alone was well worth the money I paid for the book! I realised that I had focused too much on faithful bible studying in the small group setting, that I had forgotten to include the occasional relationship-building activity.

I would have appreciated if Chapter One (titled Community Resources) of ice breakers and activities were twice as long, because the better quality suggestions that I had marked out for usewere only about 15. As a former applied drama student in polytechnic, I am inspired to revisit that world and adapt the ice breaker activities for gospel and small group settings.

This book is targeted at novice and first-time small group leaders. More experienced leaders would possibly find that chapters two to four do not offer much new information. The countless references to the IVCF (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) were a distraction, hopefully these would be reduced in the revised edition.

[Michael Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. I had the privilege of writing several of these ideas.