Small Groups with Purpose: How to Create Healthy Communities

by Steve M. Gladen

Over the past fifteen years, small groups have become a vital way to build community in large churches. Nowhere has this been more apparent than at Saddleback Church. Now Steve Gladen, pastor of small groups at Saddleback, shares the secrets of that ministry's incredible success in creating small groups with purpose.This practical book walks church leaders through the questions they need to answer to develop their own intentional small group strategy. Built around the most commonly asked questions, Small Groups with Purpose outlines the step-by-step process of creating a successful small group ministry. Because it is built upon principles and not methods, this plan can be implemented in any size church. Each chapter ends with a list of questions for readers to answer to help them assess their current situation and their desires for the future. Personal stories, Scripture, and examples ground the discussion and show the system in action.Pastors and small group leaders will find this book instrumental in making small groups work in their churches.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Ralph Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for those involved in leading a small group ministry. Should be required for pastoral staff and board members.

[Yitbarek Yigezu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to develop disciples in a small group.

[Josiah Durfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Saddleback Church. I oversee our Growth Groups, some call them Community Groups, great ideas, super helpful.

[Skylar · Rating 2 out of 5]

good introduction but if you're looking into things more this is for their HOSTS but not for someone going into ministry. (good for me and most people though)

[Thomas Kinsfather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gladen knows a ton about groups and offers up many general principles. His book is unfortunately weighed down with a lot of Saddleback jargon and charts that don't help one develop a better understanding of small groups. Potential it could be useful as a source for training small group leaders. I feel this book could have been edited down quiet a bit and been more to the point.

[Gerson Vázquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buen libro para conocer el ministerio de los grupos de hogar, hay muchas cosas que obviamente no se pueden aplicar en el entorno mexicano pero los principios que expone el autor son universales.

Además de la información contenida en el libro da enlaces a sitios web donde es posible acceder a otros recursos. Lectura indicada para iniciar el ministerio de los grupos de hogar.

[Bob T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical help in implementing small groups

Although the principles discussed in this book were practical, them seemed to apply mostly to a large church setting. However, the section on pitfalls of leading a small group was good and could be used in a church of any size.

[Daniel Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource

Thorough and actionable. It's based on ministry in the trenches not theory. Steve has a gift for transmitting passion and vision for small groups.