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Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level
Nearly every church is trying to help their congregants build relationships with others, grow as disciples, and/or engage in meaningful service through small groups. Many have argued that these small groups are the preferred vehicle for relationship building, disciple making, and membership assimilation in the local church, especially in large, multisite churches. Leading Small Groups That Thrive shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply highly effective, transformational, healthy small group experiences where people grow spiritually together. Based on a large-scale research study of small group pastors, leaders, and members, Leading Small Groups That Thrive gives church leaders both what they want--practical, straightforward, actual small group member voices and experiences, and compelling guidance on how to build transformational groups complemented with real-life examples and data of successful small groups--and what they need--substantial, challenging insights and a data-driven model grounded in the latest research on church small groups.
272 pages, Paperback
Published August 11, 2020
50 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Ryan T. Hartwig
6 books2 followersRyan T. Hartwig, PhD (University of Colorado Boulder), is a higher education leader, communication professor, author, speaker, and consultant. Bringing a unique perspective as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner, he seeks to equip leadership teams and groups to thrive.
Currently, Ryan serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Vanguard University. Prior to his appointment at Vanguard University, he served as a professor and in various roles as a dean, department chair, and associate dean at Colorado Christian University and Azusa Pacific University. For over two decades, he has taught courses in group, organizational, and leadership communication, and has led, trained, and developed teams focusing on community development, discipleship, missions, leadership development, academic excellence, fundraising and marketing for over twenty years in universities and churches.
Ryan’s latest book, The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Build an Unbreakable Team (InterVarsity, 2023), seeks to inspire and equip teams to move from floundering to flourishing through a series of 40 practical steps. Ryan’s first book, Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership (InterVarsity, 2015), helps leadership teams grow stronger, healthier, and more productive. His second book, Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Zondervan, 2020) shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply healthy, transformational small group experiences where people grow spiritually together.
His academic scholarship has been published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Southern Communication Journal, and Group Facilitation, and the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication, and recognized with several awards from the National Communication Association.
He frequently speaks to, trains, and consults with church and non-profit leaders at numerous universities, churches, seminaries, and nonprofit organizations, and writes for practitioner-oriented publications.
Ryan journeys through life with his wife and four children. They enjoy a full family life, replete with lots of pool time in the summer and skiing in the winter, and hanging out with family and friends. He loves the Broncos, fishing, shooting hoops, playing card and board games, and eating great food with friends!
Currently, Ryan serves as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Vanguard University. Prior to his appointment at Vanguard University, he served as a professor and in various roles as a dean, department chair, and associate dean at Colorado Christian University and Azusa Pacific University. For over two decades, he has taught courses in group, organizational, and leadership communication, and has led, trained, and developed teams focusing on community development, discipleship, missions, leadership development, academic excellence, fundraising and marketing for over twenty years in universities and churches.
Ryan’s latest book, The Resilience Factor: A Step-by-Step Guide to Build an Unbreakable Team (InterVarsity, 2023), seeks to inspire and equip teams to move from floundering to flourishing through a series of 40 practical steps. Ryan’s first book, Teams That Thrive: Five Disciplines of Collaborative Church Leadership (InterVarsity, 2015), helps leadership teams grow stronger, healthier, and more productive. His second book, Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Zondervan, 2020) shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply healthy, transformational small group experiences where people grow spiritually together.
His academic scholarship has been published in the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Southern Communication Journal, and Group Facilitation, and the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication, and recognized with several awards from the National Communication Association.
He frequently speaks to, trains, and consults with church and non-profit leaders at numerous universities, churches, seminaries, and nonprofit organizations, and writes for practitioner-oriented publications.
Ryan journeys through life with his wife and four children. They enjoy a full family life, replete with lots of pool time in the summer and skiing in the winter, and hanging out with family and friends. He loves the Broncos, fishing, shooting hoops, playing card and board games, and eating great food with friends!
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 19, 2024
I’ve read plenty of small group books over the years —this one is one of the best ones I’ve read. Great content, helpful tips and insight.
August 11, 2020
I vividly remember the first small group I led. It was Sunday morning, I was a seminarian in my early twenties, and I was wearing a suit. (Men still did that in the early 1990s.) I arranged metal folding chairs in a circle, welcomed the attendees, and spent the next 45 minutes lecturing them.
When it was over, a woman asked if every session would be a repeat of that morning’s performance. I took umbrage at what I perceived to be her questioning of my teaching abilities. She didn’t return for the second session. After a couple of months, nobody else did either.
The group failed, but it wasn’t the group’s fault. It was mine. I had not led the group well.
John Maxwell says that everything rises and falls on leadership. That sounds pretty egotistical, until you remember that he also defines leadership as influence. A true leader influences others. Or, as Howard Hendricks has put it, “Your measure as a leader is not what you do, but what others do because of what you do.” A leader catalyzes change in others.
In Leading Small Groups That Thrive, Ryan T. Hartwig, Courtney W. Davis, and Jason A. Sniff identify five things catalytic small group leaders can do to “maximize the benefits that result from thriving, transformational group experiences.”
Hartwig and Davis are social science professors at Christian universities, and Sniff is a small groups pastor at a multisite church in Illinois. Their interest in effective small group leadership flows out of transformational experiences each of them had in small group settings.
What makes Leading Small Groups That Thrive unique is its original research. The authors surveyed approximately 1,000 small groups members, leaders, and pastors. They used Steve Gladen’s “Spiritual Health Assessment” as a baseline questionnaire, but they also asked members questions about group practices such as time commitment, conflict, and leader characteristics. Small group leaders were asked additional questions about issues such as small group priorities, leadership development, and commitment to the group.
Some of their findings are counterintuitive. For example:
* “The more time a group spends in prayer, the less a group contributes to its members’ spiritual growth. In contrast, the more time the leader spends in prayer, the more the group contributes to spiritual growth.”
* “The more time a group worships together and talks through logistics and announcements, the more it contributes to its members’ spiritual growth.”
* “Groups that place less emphasis on discipleship see more spiritual growth among their members.”
* “The most effective groups were either really small (fewer than eight members) or pretty big (more than seventeen members).”
* “Newer groups that had been meeting for less than three months contributed the most to individual spiritual growth. … On the other hand, we discovered that outstanding group practices can counteract the decline in impact that occurs as groups age.”
These counterintuitive research findings are interesting, of course, but the heart of the book is a research-based model of five actions catalytic small group leaders take. They 1) articulate purpose, 2) set the stage, 3) cultivate shared ownership, 4) stimulate meaningful conversations, and 5) embrace difficult conversations.
Each of these points is worth discussing at length, but since I started this review with my personal failure to stimulate meaning conversation among my small group members, let me park there for a few paragraphs.
The problem with the way I led my first small group is that I felt my job was “dispensing information” rather than “facilitating transformation,” as the authors put it. “In the most effective groups,” they write, “members contributed equally to discussion and talked among themselves, rather than speaking solely to the leader.” This discuss-among-yourselves approach works because it turns members from passive listeners to active participants. Everyone now has an informational and relational stake in the conversation.
Interestingly, such robust discussion resists the tendency of older groups to become less effective: “when groups engage in high-quality discussions, they can almost entirely counteract the decay they would otherwise experience over time. Simply put, quality discussion creates continued spiritual growth.”
The authors go on to offer detailed, practical advice about how to ask better questions in a strategic sequence, how to set up the room for better discussion, and how to facilitate the conversation with purpose and flexibility. I do not doubt that my first small group would’ve been much more effective had I followed the authors’ advice. Unfortunately, I had to learn these lessons through trial and error, but you can learn those lessons better from this book.
I’ve focused on better discussion because this was where I failed my first small group, but Hartwig, Davis and Sniff’s book offers sound advice about all the topics it addresses. If you’re a small group leader, or want to be one, or if you’re a small groups pastor who wants to provide a good resource to your leaders, I recommend Leading Small Groups That Thrive.
Book Reviewed
Ryan T. Hartwig, Courtney W. Davis, and Jason A. Sniff, Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020).
P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
P.P.S. This review is cross-posted from InfluenceMagazine.com with permission.
When it was over, a woman asked if every session would be a repeat of that morning’s performance. I took umbrage at what I perceived to be her questioning of my teaching abilities. She didn’t return for the second session. After a couple of months, nobody else did either.
The group failed, but it wasn’t the group’s fault. It was mine. I had not led the group well.
John Maxwell says that everything rises and falls on leadership. That sounds pretty egotistical, until you remember that he also defines leadership as influence. A true leader influences others. Or, as Howard Hendricks has put it, “Your measure as a leader is not what you do, but what others do because of what you do.” A leader catalyzes change in others.
In Leading Small Groups That Thrive, Ryan T. Hartwig, Courtney W. Davis, and Jason A. Sniff identify five things catalytic small group leaders can do to “maximize the benefits that result from thriving, transformational group experiences.”
Hartwig and Davis are social science professors at Christian universities, and Sniff is a small groups pastor at a multisite church in Illinois. Their interest in effective small group leadership flows out of transformational experiences each of them had in small group settings.
What makes Leading Small Groups That Thrive unique is its original research. The authors surveyed approximately 1,000 small groups members, leaders, and pastors. They used Steve Gladen’s “Spiritual Health Assessment” as a baseline questionnaire, but they also asked members questions about group practices such as time commitment, conflict, and leader characteristics. Small group leaders were asked additional questions about issues such as small group priorities, leadership development, and commitment to the group.
Some of their findings are counterintuitive. For example:
* “The more time a group spends in prayer, the less a group contributes to its members’ spiritual growth. In contrast, the more time the leader spends in prayer, the more the group contributes to spiritual growth.”
* “The more time a group worships together and talks through logistics and announcements, the more it contributes to its members’ spiritual growth.”
* “Groups that place less emphasis on discipleship see more spiritual growth among their members.”
* “The most effective groups were either really small (fewer than eight members) or pretty big (more than seventeen members).”
* “Newer groups that had been meeting for less than three months contributed the most to individual spiritual growth. … On the other hand, we discovered that outstanding group practices can counteract the decline in impact that occurs as groups age.”
These counterintuitive research findings are interesting, of course, but the heart of the book is a research-based model of five actions catalytic small group leaders take. They 1) articulate purpose, 2) set the stage, 3) cultivate shared ownership, 4) stimulate meaningful conversations, and 5) embrace difficult conversations.
Each of these points is worth discussing at length, but since I started this review with my personal failure to stimulate meaning conversation among my small group members, let me park there for a few paragraphs.
The problem with the way I led my first small group is that I felt my job was “dispensing information” rather than “facilitating transformation,” as the authors put it. “In the most effective groups,” they write, “members contributed equally to discussion and talked among themselves, rather than speaking solely to the leader.” This discuss-among-yourselves approach works because it turns members from passive listeners to active participants. Everyone now has an informational and relational stake in the conversation.
Interestingly, such robust discussion resists the tendency of older groups to become less effective: “when groups engage in high-quality discussions, they can almost entirely counteract the decay they would otherwise experience over time. Simply put, quality discussion creates continued spiritual growth.”
The authors go on to offer detailed, practical advice about how to ask better questions in a strategic sequence, how to set up the room for better discussion, and how to facilitate the conversation with purpose and flexibility. I do not doubt that my first small group would’ve been much more effective had I followed the authors’ advice. Unfortunately, I had to learn these lessons through trial and error, but you can learn those lessons better from this book.
I’ve focused on better discussion because this was where I failed my first small group, but Hartwig, Davis and Sniff’s book offers sound advice about all the topics it addresses. If you’re a small group leader, or want to be one, or if you’re a small groups pastor who wants to provide a good resource to your leaders, I recommend Leading Small Groups That Thrive.
Book Reviewed
Ryan T. Hartwig, Courtney W. Davis, and Jason A. Sniff, Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020).
P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
P.P.S. This review is cross-posted from InfluenceMagazine.com with permission.
March 27, 2024
This was part leadership book and part self-help. I liked that a lot of the recommendations were based on data collected from current small groups around the country. The book focused on a lot of the things going through my mind as a small group leader and provided practical ideas to lead well. I wouldn’t say I agreed with everything doctrinally, but looking beyond that it was a helpful resource for anyone involved in small group ministry.
July 29, 2024
Listened as an audiobook. Probably closer to 3.5stars on this one. I had a hard time listening at the beginning to the reader on audible which affected my experience of this book. That said, some useful tips and thought provoking questions. I appreciated their insistence on always thinking about multiplication. Good stuff on how to ask good questions. Those two chapters, plus their leadership development chapter were probably where I found this book most helpful.
September 11, 2020
I’ve led a homegroup at our church for five years and feel like I know a lot about small group dynamics, but this book energized me with new ideas and is helping me brainstorm a few ways to get our group connecting better and growing spiritually. I’m grateful for the wealth of information in this book and how well it’s organized. This is a must-read for anyone in a small group leadership role.
July 27, 2020
I love how this book focuses on numbers: you know, start small and build that community, and grow from there.
Reading about catalytic leadership and faith, and it's amazing that while reading this book- it dawned on me as a Facilitator that we often love having focus group discussions of members up to 12. Some can go beyond this, but twelve is a good number to moderate and funny how Jesus also had 12 disciples- He could have picked many but he chose just 12.
I am digressing, what I love about this book is that each chapter is full of insights and at the end you get points to reflect on, to read more about and act upon.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Reading about catalytic leadership and faith, and it's amazing that while reading this book- it dawned on me as a Facilitator that we often love having focus group discussions of members up to 12. Some can go beyond this, but twelve is a good number to moderate and funny how Jesus also had 12 disciples- He could have picked many but he chose just 12.
I am digressing, what I love about this book is that each chapter is full of insights and at the end you get points to reflect on, to read more about and act upon.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
August 26, 2020
As a skillful blend of both research and experience, this book holds both the authority that comes with academic research and the empathy that comes from the experience of having been in small groups! The authors write with the confidence and knowledge that they have something to offer but simultaneously, with deep care and desire for you to be set up well to lead and engage in the small groups within your own life. They provide us with a tool/resource that I’m convinced will transform how you think and lead the small groups in your life.
Covering topics such as how to better engage in/manage group conflict, how to ask better questions that will stimulate more meaningful discussions, how to create more ownership within the group, and more; this book is littered with helpful tools that can be applied today. I’m confident this book is, and will be, an incredible resource for all small group leaders who are desiring to help their groups thrive.
These three powerhouse leaders write in a way that makes the research easy to understand and empowers you with tangible next steps. Humbly, these experts also include the voices of other influential leaders across the nation such as Pete Scazzero and Dave Ferguson. All in all, I’m excited to re-enter the small groups I’m a part of with a renewed passion and a roadmap to to live out that passion well. This is a dynamic book that I highly recommend to anyone looking to help their groups thrive.
Covering topics such as how to better engage in/manage group conflict, how to ask better questions that will stimulate more meaningful discussions, how to create more ownership within the group, and more; this book is littered with helpful tools that can be applied today. I’m confident this book is, and will be, an incredible resource for all small group leaders who are desiring to help their groups thrive.
These three powerhouse leaders write in a way that makes the research easy to understand and empowers you with tangible next steps. Humbly, these experts also include the voices of other influential leaders across the nation such as Pete Scazzero and Dave Ferguson. All in all, I’m excited to re-enter the small groups I’m a part of with a renewed passion and a roadmap to to live out that passion well. This is a dynamic book that I highly recommend to anyone looking to help their groups thrive.
August 26, 2020
We all know the struggles that come up in a small group setting. People don't engage in discussion, someone talks way too much, conflict arises, or the community that was promised never comes to fruition.
Leading Small Groups That Thrive is a book that addresses all these challenges and more. Written by three authors with much experience as both leaders and members of small groups, the book acknowledges the real-life hardships that groups face and lays out a clear VISION for what a THRIVING small group looks like.
But it doesn't stop there! With great humility and prayerfulness, Leading Small Groups That Thrive also gives the PRACTICAL, TANGIBLE steps for leaders to follow to help their groups flourish. The book discusses big concepts like purpose and spiritual growth, but also brings up more practical matters like seating arrangements, mid-week checkins, and meal planning – and how these things actually have serious implications on a group's participation, depth, and community.
I can't recommend this book highly enough! It is backed by extensive RESEARCH from effective church small groups across the country and actually presents leaders with ACTION STEPS to help their groups become the places of great spiritual growth and true belonging that they can be.
Whether you are a current small group leader or desire to lead one in the future, you won't be disappointed!
Leading Small Groups That Thrive is a book that addresses all these challenges and more. Written by three authors with much experience as both leaders and members of small groups, the book acknowledges the real-life hardships that groups face and lays out a clear VISION for what a THRIVING small group looks like.
But it doesn't stop there! With great humility and prayerfulness, Leading Small Groups That Thrive also gives the PRACTICAL, TANGIBLE steps for leaders to follow to help their groups flourish. The book discusses big concepts like purpose and spiritual growth, but also brings up more practical matters like seating arrangements, mid-week checkins, and meal planning – and how these things actually have serious implications on a group's participation, depth, and community.
I can't recommend this book highly enough! It is backed by extensive RESEARCH from effective church small groups across the country and actually presents leaders with ACTION STEPS to help their groups become the places of great spiritual growth and true belonging that they can be.
Whether you are a current small group leader or desire to lead one in the future, you won't be disappointed!
August 26, 2020
I had the pleasure of reading Leading Small Groups that Thrive a few weeks ago and this book will forever change the way I approach small groups.
The first time I ever stepped into a small group was when I was 16. At the time, I thought it was a place to get free food and hang out with people I liked. Turns out, there was transformational work being done every Sunday night we met up. When I found a new church as a young adult, I wanted to get involved in small groups again. However, the experience was nothing similar to the transformational work I saw at 16 (minus the free food). Now, I find myself leading a small group and at times not doing this as well as I hoped and other times feeling like a Rockstar.
Leading Small Groups That Thrive has given me the steps, data, and tools to look at the group I am leading, see areas that need improving, and start making those shifts. This book is a must read for ANYONE who is involved in small groups or someone who desires to lead small groups.
There are so many fundamental takeaways in this book that will change the way small groups are run that will produce healthier and thriving groups. I have been raving about this book for weeks and am planning on purchasing copies for leaders in my life.
The first time I ever stepped into a small group was when I was 16. At the time, I thought it was a place to get free food and hang out with people I liked. Turns out, there was transformational work being done every Sunday night we met up. When I found a new church as a young adult, I wanted to get involved in small groups again. However, the experience was nothing similar to the transformational work I saw at 16 (minus the free food). Now, I find myself leading a small group and at times not doing this as well as I hoped and other times feeling like a Rockstar.
Leading Small Groups That Thrive has given me the steps, data, and tools to look at the group I am leading, see areas that need improving, and start making those shifts. This book is a must read for ANYONE who is involved in small groups or someone who desires to lead small groups.
There are so many fundamental takeaways in this book that will change the way small groups are run that will produce healthier and thriving groups. I have been raving about this book for weeks and am planning on purchasing copies for leaders in my life.
August 27, 2020
This book arrives at a pivotal time in 2020, especially in this present season of life where we are divided and isolated due to COVID-19, racial injustice, partisan politics, and so much more. “Leading Small Groups that Thrive” paints a compelling vision for a thriving small group where unity, diversity, community, discipleship, and worship can take place, and it lays out a proven, research-based roadmap for how to get there!
Some of the findings in this book were intuitive and helpful reminders, but others were surprising and provocative. For example, the authors wrote, “Groups that place less emphasis on discipleship actually experience more spiritual growth (p. XIX).” Sounds counter intuitive, right?! The authors do a great job unpacking these research findings in a palatable, practical way. You’ll have to read the book to understand this particular claim :)
After reading this book, I’ve excited to make some suggestions in the small group that I am a part of that I believe will help us draw together in a world that most days lately really feels like its falling apart.
Highly recommend this book for small group leaders looking to take their group to the next level!
Some of the findings in this book were intuitive and helpful reminders, but others were surprising and provocative. For example, the authors wrote, “Groups that place less emphasis on discipleship actually experience more spiritual growth (p. XIX).” Sounds counter intuitive, right?! The authors do a great job unpacking these research findings in a palatable, practical way. You’ll have to read the book to understand this particular claim :)
After reading this book, I’ve excited to make some suggestions in the small group that I am a part of that I believe will help us draw together in a world that most days lately really feels like its falling apart.
Highly recommend this book for small group leaders looking to take their group to the next level!
August 26, 2020
Wow, this book not only cast the vision for a thriving small group, but it also broke down practical ways you could lead your group towards thriving. It is an approachable and encouraging guide that I will definitely be referencing many times in the years to come (especially the chapter on stimulating meaningful discussions!).
I loved that the book is based on extensive research, so you know the suggestions are tried and true. Also, my practical brain appreciated the 2-minute tips of simple things I could do right now that make getting started seem much more approachable.
Even though the book is incredibly comprehensive, it was still very easy to read. The stories the authors share are honest, relatable, and encouraging. I really felt like the authors were cheering me and my group on through the pages of this book.
I loved that the book is based on extensive research, so you know the suggestions are tried and true. Also, my practical brain appreciated the 2-minute tips of simple things I could do right now that make getting started seem much more approachable.
Even though the book is incredibly comprehensive, it was still very easy to read. The stories the authors share are honest, relatable, and encouraging. I really felt like the authors were cheering me and my group on through the pages of this book.
August 26, 2020
This is a book that I hope is on the bookshelf of every small groups pastor and leader! It is an incredible tool that will benefit the church and small group members and leaders for years to come.
This book is written to the small group leader. It walks them through leading a group that will thrive and lead towards life transformation by humbly, gently and confidently taking their hand and teaching them. It is full of practical wisdom and a bigger perspective of what God can do through community within the church. The cherry on top is that this is not just simply the authors opinions and experiences, but is backed by solid research and study of thousands of small group members! If you are involved in any type of small group (work, family, friends, church), this book will be a helpful tool and resource for you for years to come.
This book is written to the small group leader. It walks them through leading a group that will thrive and lead towards life transformation by humbly, gently and confidently taking their hand and teaching them. It is full of practical wisdom and a bigger perspective of what God can do through community within the church. The cherry on top is that this is not just simply the authors opinions and experiences, but is backed by solid research and study of thousands of small group members! If you are involved in any type of small group (work, family, friends, church), this book will be a helpful tool and resource for you for years to come.
August 26, 2020
Leading Small Groups That Thrive is an amazing look at small groups and what makes them successful. You are always told to join small groups at church when looking for community and it can be frustrating when those groups fail or you feel like you didn't get what you were expecting out of it. This book really tackles what thriving small group leaders do, how they articulate their purpose, and provides tangible steps for leaders (and members) to take to ensure that group members are getting the most out of the group. If you work in ministry, lead a small group, or are a member of a small group, this is a MUST read! It is research driven, but so easy to read and follow. Everything is laid out so clearly and concisely in this book making it a quick and interesting read.
August 22, 2025
My husband and I have been small group leaders for nearly seven years after we retired and moved to a different state almost eight years ago. Always looking for ways to improve, I searched for books about small groups and chose Leading Small Groups That Thrive: Five Shifts to Take Your Group to the Next Level because it is based on actual research.
The book is very practical and can guide a leader from the beginning as well as help with challenges along the way. I learned some surprising things including the optimal group size(s), ways to improve group discussions and that conflict addressed properly actually can strengthen a group. If you are going to start a new group or want to help make your group even better, this book would be an ideal resource.
The book is very practical and can guide a leader from the beginning as well as help with challenges along the way. I learned some surprising things including the optimal group size(s), ways to improve group discussions and that conflict addressed properly actually can strengthen a group. If you are going to start a new group or want to help make your group even better, this book would be an ideal resource.
August 27, 2020
This book has been incredibly insightful in helping figure out and give language to key components and elements to a healthy and thriving small group. I've had a number of experiences in church and parachurch settings and small groups have been hit or miss. When they are missed, it's a disappointment and feels like a "duty" to attend. When they are a hit, they are life changing and offer transforming friendships. This book is filled with both great guiding principles as well as practicals in how to grow into a leader that serves well and creates space for small group members to thrive and really grow as a group! Great resource :)
August 26, 2020
This is an excellent resource for small group leaders and participants who want their group participation to be more purposeful (the best groups have a purpose - a key insight from the book!). I especially loved the section on how to ask better questions. Anyone who's experienced that dreaded silence during a group discussion knows how important it is to ask good questions and the authors taught me how! All of the insights are based on the authors' own careful research too. It's a great read and just as relevant now in this time of meeting virtually as it is to in-person group settings!
August 26, 2020
While I would have appreciated a more robust theological foundation, as a small-group leader, a lot here inspired me and provided practical suggestions that I haven’t found elsewhere. If you’re a small-group leader, then this is worth reading. If you’re a pastor overseeing this aspect of ministry, then this will provide a lot of fodder for thought.
September 14, 2020
If you are in a small group, thinking of leading a small group or are leading a small group this book is for you. It is packed full of helpful information and insight on how to apply said helpful information. Truly a must read for anyone leading a group. It also has two minute reflection questions, a nice end of chapter wrap up and reflection questions. Highly recommend.
July 29, 2020
Excellent book with a refreshing perspective on small groups and their importance not only to the Church but to culture itself. I highly recommend it and will be recommending it to my pastor for the small group leaders in our church.
April 8, 2024
This is a book written for people who have never even considered leading a small group and don’t have any idea where to start. Subtitle indicates you already lead a group and want to “take it to the next level…” Not a good match.
August 21, 2020
There wasn’t much “earth shattering” new information, but I really appreciated the helpful tools at the end of each chapter.
August 24, 2020
This is an excellent book thoroughly laying out the groundwork on not only the how's of small groups, but the WHYs. Why they're important and vital to the Christian life. Great book.
Want to read
September 4, 2020CCU author
January 18, 2021
This book is an approachable and encouraging guide with a great deal of research to back it all up.
August 24, 2021
Definitely going to use this book with our church! I love how they give practical tips to help small groups grow and the different scenarios they use!
November 27, 2025
This was a good book on small groups and their leadership. Lots of good pointers on how to do them. I appreciated the sections on how to ask good questions in a group.
November 22, 2022
Phenomenal book!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews